By: Jody Fisher
March 06, 2003
Jamaica, NY -
Sr. Margaret John Kelly, Daughter of Charity and Executive Director
of the Vincentian Center for Church and Society at St. John's
University, has been selected by the New York State Board of
Bishops to receive the New York State Catholic Conference's 2003
Public Policy Award at the March 11, 2003 Public Policy Forum in
Albany.
"I am grateful for this honor," said Sr. Margaret John. "The State
Catholic Conference has had a long history of bringing the value
dimensions of public policy to the attention of our state
legislators. The Church in New York has an extraordinarily large
and effective network of services to the needy, poor and
disenfranchised and so the leaders and service providers can speak
credibly from both the commitment and experiential perspectives.
The Catholic Church, like many faith-based organizations, offers
direct services but also educates and advocates for just structures
that respect the dignity of each person. At this time of global
strife, it is important that religious freedom be respected and
secured. The Conference is a strong advocate for that right as well
as an outspoken champion of the responsibility to be active,
faithful citizens. It has always been a pleasure to work with our
leaders to craft policy initiatives which advance Human Solidarity
and assure the Common Good."
A native of Strafford, PA, Sister Margaret John has held teaching
and administrative positions at St. John's University in New York,
Mount Saint Mary's College and St. Joseph's College in Emmitsburg,
Maryland and Laboure College in Boston, where from 1973 to 1980 she
served as President. Sister Margaret John pioneered the work of
Mission Services at the Catholic Health Association of the United
States from 1980-1984 as she coordinated national activities in
Catholic identity, pastoral care, ethics, and religious sponsorship
of health care facilities.
She has served on the Provincial Council of the Daughters of
Charity, Northeast Province; as Provincial Superior of the
Northeast Province of the Daughters of Charity; and as a Special
Assistant to the President and as Interim Dean of St. John's
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at St. John's University. She
currently serves as Executive Director of the Vincentian Center for
Church and Society that was initiated in 1994 to support the
Vincentian character and Catholic identity of the University. She
has written and lectured extensively in the areas of management,
leadership, trusteeship, education, and health care.
Founded in 1870 by the Vincentian community, St. John's University
has six schools and colleges. It offers associate, baccalaureate,
master's, doctoral and professional degrees. The University enjoys
an enrollment of approximately 18,600 students and operates five
campuses: in Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan and Oakdale in New
York and in Rome, Italy.
For more information, please contact Jody Fisher, Director of Media
Relations, at 718-990-6185 or at
fisherjo@stjohns.edu.