Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha Region Secular Franciscans
covering most of Upstate New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania
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Family of Year and Peace Award

Ed and Rosemary Czapla Honored,
Then Ed Is Honored Again

Ed and Rosemary Czapla of Lancaster, NY, have been named Family of the Year by the Secular Franciscan Order’s Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha Region (which covers most of upstate New York and northwestern Pennsylvania).

Ed Czapla receives award
Ed Czapla, SFO, receives Peace Award and Family of Year honors from Mary Frances Charsky, SFO.

At the same time, Ed was presented with 2010 Franciscan Peace Award.

Regional Minister Mary Frances Charksy, SFO, made the presentations at the annual Regional Chapter, held  April 16-18 at Stella Maris Retreat Center in Skaneateles, NY.

A member of the Secular Franciscan Order for 42 years, Ed was recognized for his “Franciscan spirit of peace in working with the Local Fraternity as servant leader and the Regional Fraternity as founding minister and advisor,” Mary Frances said. She also cited his “untold hours of selfless service facilitating, guiding, supporting the region through his presence and as author of ‘Smoke Signals’, ‘Annals of the Council’ and ‘In the Footsteps of Francis and Clare: An Historical Perspective of the SFO and the Region’.”

The regional minister went on to praise the couple’s “selfless volunteering in both church and community, from Nocturnal Adoration to Holy Name Society to Ladies of Charities to Heart Association and Cancer Society.”

She also cited “their affirmation of the sacredness of life and the raising of seven children.”