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Joseph and Elaine Swyt receive Pro Ecclesia
et Pontifice Award
for Parish, Diocesan Service
Joseph and Elaine Swyt were
given the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award, Feb. 11 at a Mass at the
couple’s home parish, St. Francis of Assisi in San Jose. The papal
honor was presented by Bishop Patrick J. McGrath who sought the award for
their service to parish and diocese. In a letter last year to the
papal nuncio in the United States, Bishop McGrath requested the honor for
“Mr. and Mrs. Joseph and Elaine Swyt, a married couple that have given
extraordinary service to the Diocese of San Jose.” He noted that they
are active parishioners at St. Francis and both served in a leadership
positions there. Joe was a volunteer for the diocesan planning process
which resulted in the
Diocesan Pastoral Plan. Bishop McGrath noted
that Elaine Swyt also served as a volunteer during the planning process and
that she more recently “has dedicated herself to pro bono work in the design
and execution of our new diocesan website and she continues to offer her
extensive expertise in this field.” Also, “both Mr. and Mrs. Swyt have
been instrumental in the organization of our new diocesan spirituality
center, SpiritSite,” the bishop wrote.
Their “dedication to the welfare
of the Church is exemplary, as shown in ways that they continue to serve the
Diocese of San José.”
Elaine Swyt participated in or
led several workgroups, including the Human Resource and Communications
teams during the planning process and served as a founding
member and chair of the SpiritSite advisory board. She developed and
is webmaster of six websites including
SpiritSite,
St. Francis of Assisi
Parish, the Multi-parish Cooperative in southeast San José,
Presentation
Center, St. Nicholas Parish and
School in Los Altos, and
Vallombrosa Retreat
Center in Menlo Park. She has served as a Stephens Ministry leader and
trainer and chairperson of the Communications Team at St. Francis, as well
as a Eucharistic minister, lector, sacristan and regularly giving the
welcome at the beginning of weekly Mass.
Joseph Swyt retired in February
after serving four years as parish administrator at St. Francis of Assisi
and the couple are moving to the Portland area in late April. He
participated in several phases of the diocesan planning process and led the
workgroup on finance. He founded the Multi-parish Cooperative
and served for three years as administrator of the collaborative
organization of six parishes whose goal is to advance the Diocesan Pastoral
Plan. His other ministries include the Youth Internship Program,
"Stewardship as a Way of Life," and Parish Ministry Formation.
The Cooperative helped parishes in their Deanery collaborate and work
together to upgrade parish administration, including the upgrading of parish computers, software and
networks, bookkeeping and accounting services and numerous ministries across
all parishes. He
has been a Eucharistic minister, lector, sacristan and welcomer at St.
Francis, and completed a certificate of Parish Life and Administration
from Loyola New Orleans.
To see brief slideshow of the event:
http://www.stfrancisofassisi.com/activities/jubilee&proecc/jubilee&proeccss.htm
--------------Taken from The Diocese of San Jose, Valley Catholic, March
14, 2006 |
