Conference MC honored by Missouri Catholic Conference

Shout out to one of our committee members!

Bishop Rice was the celebrant at Immaculate Conception Parish Springfield MO’s Sunday 9am Mass so he could officially install Fr. Shoby as pastor.

At the end of the Mass, the bishop presented our MC and featured speaker Craig Henley with the Citizen Recognition award given to one individual in the state for outstanding service at the diocesan level. Bishop Rice spoke very highly of Craig’s involvement in the men’s conference and very highly of the conference itself.

Bishop Rice: “The four diocese of the state of Missouri have what is called the Missouri Catholic Conference. We actually have lobbyists in Jefferson City who lobby for pro-life issues, education issues, etc. And every year each diocese nominates a person for the yearly citizen recognition award. The person for our diocese this year is here at this Mass.

The interesting thing is he was not recommended by me. He was recommended by one of his fellow co-workers who helped to bring about the annual celebration we have of the men’s conference. So

this is for this individual who was a speaker at the 2021 men’s conference in Springfield. While a number of people were instrumental behind the scenes in organizing and hosting the conference, this individual was the public face of the conference and it is vitally important to recognize and encourage the public ministry of evangelization of our Catholic faith. Especially with our Catholic men. So this individual made a presentation involving the sharing of his own personal journey of faith, which is sometimes things that men aren’t really um comfortable doing. But he jumped into the fray and he did it. And he touched the hearts of many. Such openness should be encouraged and certainly our Catholic men’s conference. So for the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau the 2021 Citizen Recognition award goes to Craig Henley.”

The livestream of the Mass can be seen on Youtube.