Local deacon among those named as Lumen Christi Award finalists

A deacon with the Catholic Diocese of Beaumont that travels hundreds of miles each week to minister to those in prison has been named as a finalist for the Lumen Christi Award.

Deacon Stephen Sellers is one of seven finalists for the award as announced by the Catholic Extension Society.

The annual award is a reminder of the transformative impact of the Catholic Church in our society, according to information from the organization.

Deacon Stephen Sellers teaches prisoners that hope must start somewhere, the news release stated.

When he first visited death row at a Texas prison in 2017, he wasn’t sure he could handle returning.

“I went back out in the parking lot and prayed that God would never send me back there again,” he recalled. He feared he would not be strong enough for this work. But he has since found the beauty of a ministry that offers light and hope in a place that so desperately needs it.

Deacon Sellers works with inmates who will one day be free, those sentenced to life and those awaiting execution. No matter their circumstances, he strives to ensure that their time served behind bars is a chance for transformation.

Prison ministry has been shown to be an effective tool in reducing recidivism. Exposure to faith lessens the likelihood of convicted criminals re-offending. Deacon Sellers travels about 400 miles a week in his truck to help prisoners discover God’s unconditional love in a ministry that benefits these men as well as the larger society.

“This year’s Lumen Christi Award finalists have each found a way to play their part in making a difference in the lives of others,” Fr. Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension Society, said. “They are helping to build up a better nation, where people care for one another, and where the pain of others does not fall on deaf ears. They feel called to be a blessing in places where there is no shortage of trouble and tribulation.”

Award finalists receive $10,000 to support and enhance their ministry. From among these finalists, the Lumen Christi Award recipient will ultimately be selected and given a $25,000 grant, along with an additional $25,000 grant for the nominating diocese. Catholic Extension Society will reveal the award recipient this fall.

Other finalists

• Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama.

Holy Rosary Catholic Church serves one of the poorest neighborhoods in Birmingham—known as Gate City—where many families live on fixed incomes. The 40-member parish offers a food pantry that feeds more than 800 people a month.

• Sister Lisa Maurer, OSB, Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota

Sister Lisa Maurer coaches college players on football and faith. A member of the Benedictine Sisters of the St. Scholastica Monastery, she is a beloved and trusted figure for her team, for the College of St. Scholastica and for the entire Diocese of Duluth in northeast Minnesota.

• Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, RSM, DO, Diocese of Knoxville, Tennessee

Sister Mary Lisa Renfer, a Religious Sister of Mercy, earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Michigan State University. This unique fusion of a medical degree and a religious vocation prepared Sr. Mary Lisa to become the medical director of St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic (SMLC), a mobile clinic that serves the poor in eastern Kentucky. The clinic covers a lot of ground. Last year it traveled over 11,000 miles.

• Eddie Michael, Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky

Eddie Michael, a lifelong resident of Louisa, Kentucky, repairs both homes and hearts. He is the executive director of the Father Beiting Appalachian Mission Center (FBAMC). The center is an outreach ministry of the Diocese of Lexington that welcomes volunteer groups from around the U.S. who donate thousands of hours conducting home repairs in Appalachia.

• Sarah Alley, Diocese of Memphis, Tennessee

Sarah Alley is a former athlete and teacher who hasn’t let her ALS diagnosis stop her from serving God and her community. Several months after her diagnosis in 2015, Alley said she was angry with God. But He spoke to her saying, “Sarah, you are much more than your body.” That is when Alley discovered her special ability, which was forged by embracing her adversity and grounded in the enabling Spirit of God. Although she is unable to use her hands to type due to her illness, she uses her eyes to create words to blog about her experience with ALS and her journey to spread God’s love to others

• Father Earl Henley, MSC, Diocese of San Bernardino, California

Father Earl Henley is an 82-year-old missionary priest who continues to listen to and learn from the Native American communities he serves in southern California. A priest of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Fr. Henley says that “presence” is key in his ministry as he drives hundreds of miles every month working among six different Native American Catholic communities.

He honors and preserves their traditions and culture as he encourages them to pursue their dreams and continue to journey with God.

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