An Invitation to Celebrate the St. Austin 2021 Lumen Gentium Award Recipient

St. Austin Catholic Parish

Is Proud to Recognize

Martha Gerling Schroeder
with the 2021 Lumen Gentium Award 

​​​​​​Join Us as the Award
Is Bestowed at the
11:30 a.m. Mass 
Sunday,
July 25, 2021

Next week, we'll share more about Martha, a bright light in our community who truly lives out her baptismal call in an extraordinary way through stewardship and leadership. 

About the Award

Bishop Gregory M. Aymond inaugurated this recognition of Catholics who exemplify the spirit of the Vatican II document, Lumen Gentium. Initially bestowed as an annual award, in 2013 Bishop Joe S. Vásquez decreed that it be a biennial honor.

Lumen Gentium are the the first words of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. The Latin phrase might best be considered as light of all peoples. The Vatican II document describes what the Church - not clergy or religious but all of us, the whole body of Christ - is meant to do. What we should do is essentially to live out our parish mission, to bring the Gospel and the light of Christ to all of humanity. Lumen Gentium states, “The laity, however, are given this special vocation: to make the Church present and fruitful in those places and circumstances where it is only through them that she can become the salt of the earth.”

This diocesan award recognizes lay persons who exemplify the spirit of Christ as expressed in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 5:14, 16 ~ 

“You are the light of the world…
your light must shine in the sight of all,
so that, seeing your good works,
they may give the praise
to your Father in heaven.”