Kevin Fitzpatrick was chosen as Board Chair for the Roundtable Association of Catholic Diocesan Social Action Directors at the annual Social Action Summer Institute held at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN this past July. The “Catholic Roundtable” is a national association of people engaged in the social mission of the Church who share ideas and resources and support dialogue around the social teachings of the Catholic Church. Kevin also offered a Presentation entitled “Tobit, Fratelli Tutti, and the Grateful Dead: Intersections with Accompaniment and Synodality” at the summer institute.

Kevin was also honored with the opportunity to present the Catholic Roundtable’s annual Harry A. Fagan Award, which recognizes a Catholic leader for their contribution to addressing injustices in our world, and seeking to protect basic human dignity, to Sharon Lavinge from St. James, Louisiana. Sharon is the founding member or Rise St. James, which is funded by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Rise St. James has successfully prevented cancer-producing chemical plants from building in St. James, and protected the gravesites of formerly enslaved ancestors from being destroyed by the expansion of these chemical plants.

Sharon’s mantra is “To love a community is to find ways to heal a community”.

(Pictured is Kevin Fitzpatrick and Sharon Lavinge)