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IHM Sister awarded for Vatican service and cited
as "greatest asset in Rome" says Catholic Health Association
May 1, 2009
IHM Sister Sharon Holland, one of the first female lawyers to work at the Vatican, was recently presented with an award from the Catholic Health Association.
Sister Sharon was presented with the award, a bronze statue created by sculptor Clay Enoch, on April 23 in Rome. Sister Carol Keehan, president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association (CHA), presented the award, saying Sister Sharon was the association's "greatest asset in Rome."
The CHA Board of Trustees passed a resolution honoring Sister Sharon for her years of assistance to CHA and the U.S. health ministry at large. According to Ed Giganti, vice president of communications and marketing for the United States' CHA, the board's resolution proclaimed Sister Sharon "a champion of American religious congregations and their ministries" throughout her time in Rome.
Since 1988 Sister Sharon has worked as bureau chief of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life at the Vatican. In 2007 Sister Sharon was awarded the International Medal from St. John's University in Rome. In the citation for that award , St. John's called Sister Sharon one of the world's leading canon lawyers and said she "models what is best about religious life."
After getting word about Sister Sharon's CHA award, journalist John L. Allen, a senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and analyst for CNN and NPR, wrote, "Aside from being an accomplished canon lawyer and trailblazer for women at the Vatican, Holland is also a legend in religious life."
Sister Sharon is retiring from her ministry in Rome and returning to Michigan in June. |
