The NPLC's 25th Anniversary was celebrated on March 26 at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, located on the west side of Manhattan. The day began with an afternoon Symposium titled “St. Paul Speaks to Pastoral Leaders Today”, which featured Oscar Andres Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga, SDB, of Honduras, who spoke on “St. Paul: A Man of Many Cultures”, and Father Robert Schreiter, C.PP.S, who talked about “Ambassadors for Christ: St. Paul’s Vision of Reconciliation”. Margaret O’Brien Steinfels and Thomas Beaudoin of Fordham University responded to the two major addresses. Over 250 people attended and enthusiastically participated in the Q&A session. The symposium was co-sponsored by the Fordham University School of Religion and Religious Education.

Following the Symposium was a celebratory Mass at which the presider was Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk of Cincinnati; Archbishop Edwin O’Brien of Baltimore was the homilist. Concelebrants included Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Bishop Blase Cupich of Rapid City, Former Auxiliary Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan of Brooklyn, Father John E. Hurley, CSP and Father Gilbert Martinez, CSP, pastor of Church of St. Paul the Apostle. Participating liturgists included Sheila McLaughin, Director of the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Center at the Catholic Theological Center in Chicago, IL and Paul Covino, Associate Chaplain and Director of Liturgy at the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. Kathy Murnion, sister-in-law of the late Msgr. Philip J. Murnion, lectored.

The celebration was capped off with a reception and gala dinner attended by 340 people. It was held in the Parish Hall at St. Paul’s where five Catholic professionals were honored for their contributions to society. They included:

Philip J. Murnion Faith in Culture Award

• Rudy Vargas IV, Executive Director of the Hispanic Catholic Center

• Clarence Williams, C.PP.S., Ph.D., Senior Director of Racial Equality and Diversity Initiatives at Catholic Charities USA

Philip J. Murnion Faith in Parish and Community Award

• Msgr. Harry J. Byrne, a New York Archdiocese priest with a legacy of working on behalf of New Yorkers for affordable housing; working for the Archdiocesan Chancery; and serving as a parish priest in two Manhattan parishes

Philip J. Murnion Faith in Media Award

• Agnes Nixon, best known for introducing important social issues into contemporary soap operas, which led to her induction into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame

• E.J. Dionne, Jr., syndicated columnist for the Washington Post and author of Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith and Politics After the Religious Right