Oct. 11, 2011 – Judy Bynoe of Mackinac Island and Rev. Louis Bracket of Wakefield have been selected as recipients of the 2011 Legacy of Faith Catholic Service Award, which recognizes lifetime dedication and service to the Catholic Church in the Upper Peninsula. Legacy of Faith (LOF) is the Endowment Foundation of the Diocese of Marquette.
Judy Bynoe is a long-time resident of Mackinac Island and a faithful member of St. Anne Catholic Church located on Mackinac Island. Bynoe has consistently been an active member of her parish, serving on many different councils and committees, including the liturgical committee and parish council. However, it is her devout and meticulous ministry as a volunteer sacristan that sticks out as most extraordinary in her lifetime of service to the Church.
A sacristan is charged with the care and maintenance of sacred vessels, vestments, altar linens, candles, and other liturgical items. Each week, Bynoe makes sure that the altar linens are freshly pressed and the appropriate color for the liturgical season, vessels are clean and polished, and candle holders are never empty. When she is occasionally unable to perform her sacristan duties, she trains others to assist during her absence. As one person wrote in support of her nomination, “Her behind-the-scenes work goes without recognition but is very visible in the truly beautiful altar we behold each weekend.”
Many who wrote in support of Bynoe’s nomination for the award spoke of their respect for her. They commented on her inspiring service and leadership in the Church, her dedication to her faith, quiet service, welcoming personality and constant readiness to help her community. Bynoe’s voluntary assistance is an asset to Mackinac Island.
Bynoe married Robert H. Bynoe and raised five children. Her husband died in 2001. She continues to run “The Birches,” a family-owned retail gift and souvenir store on Mackinac Island.
A second Catholic Service Award was presented to Father Louis Bracket of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Wakefield. To qualify for the award as a member of the clergy, service above and beyond the regular duties of a priest had to be demonstrated.
Father Bracket recently celebrated his 90th birthday and his 64th anniversary as a priest. He was born in Wakefield in 1921. He attended St. Lawrence College and St. Paul Seminary and was ordained to the priesthood in 1947. He served as pastor at St. Mary Parish in Calumet, St. William Parish in Menominee, St. Cecilia Parish in Caspian, and St. Sebastian Parish in Bessemer. He also served as a chaplain in the Armed Forces in Korea and civilian auxiliary chaplain for the radar base at Grand Marais. He retired to senior priest status in 1995.
Father Bracket’s dedication to the priesthood is an example to all others. His active service to his Church and country following his retirement is extraordinary. In his retirement he continues to help with daily Mass at St. Sebastian in Bessemer, Immaculate Conception in Wakefield and St. Catherine in Marenisco. He frequently visits the sick and dying in their homes and the local nursing home.
Those who supported Father Bracket’s nomination for the award wrote of his visible and deep devotion to the faith, his humbleness, and his support for Catholic schools. During the time he served as pastor at St. Sebastian in Bessemer, he was known for his daily presence in the school and for being a role model for the children.
Bishop Alexander K. Sample presented the Legacy of Faith Catholic Service Award to Judy Bynoe at her home parish of St. Anne on Mackinac Island and to Father Bracket at St. Sebastian Parish in Bessemer. They received a medallion engraved with the diocesan coat of arms. They were also recognized at the annual Bishop’s Ambassadors’ dinner in Marquette on October 7.
The LOF Catholic Service Award annually recognizes lifetime dedication and service to the Church. It was developed as part of the Legacy of Faith campaign to establish a permanent endowment foundation of the Diocese of Marquette with the mission of preserving and fostering the Catholic faith in the Upper Peninsula. Nominations for the award are due by May 1 of each year. For more information, or to nominate someone, visit www.LegacyOfFaith.net or call 906/227-9108.
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