The John Hook Award is presented to a parishioner who lives the Gospel call to service and justice. It honors those who have shown commitment to social ministry through direct service, advocacy, community organizing and solidarity with the broader community over an extended period of time. The award recipient embodies the belief that Christ is both met and served in the suffering and the vulnerable.
John Hook was the longest serving member in the history of the St. Vincent de Paul Society with 75 years of service. John first joined a St. Vincent de Paul group at St. Philip and James Parish when he was only 14 years old, and remained an active and faithful member of the society at St. Dominic’s parish until shortly before his death in 2000. When a call came from a family in crisis, John went into action and never quit until he had fully assisted them. If the family had multiple needs, John went to other groups and agencies to get help and never took "No" for an answer. For over 75 years he brought the face of Christ to thousands of families with respectful care and concern.
Doris Johnson was a neighborhood activist for many years. Doris raised her six children across from Clifton Park and helped them to become leaders in the community as well. Doris started and ran the neighborhood assistance center that, since her death, has been run by her daughter. Doris became a neighborhood leader under then Mayor William Donald Schaefer, and remained a neighborhood force for good for over 30 years.
When the school first opened in it was named School #426 at Lake Clifton until the 2005 school year when the Baltimore City School Board passed a resolution renaming School to Doris M. Johnson High School. Doris M. Johnson was a Baltimore community leader for the Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello community, she started the local Adopt-A-House program and was a BCPSS School Board member and a member of the Board of Elections. It was decided by students, staff and the community to rename the school to remind future generations of Ms. Johnson's contributions.
Doris Johnson was a member of the local Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) from 1972 until her death. Doris served on the national CCHD committee and was responsible for the initial letter of intent which became the "pre-application" which is now simply labeled the Eligibility Quiz.
Doris and her family were converts to Catholicsm at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Baltimore City. In addition to her work for both the Mayor and then Governor William Donald Shaeffer, Doris was a community organizer for the Coldstream Homestead Montebello area, founder of Adopt A House and the Quality of Life Center. Wife, mother and grandmother, Doris was one of the few Baltimore activists who knew about and/or had her finger on nearly every community group.
Direct Service and Advocacy Awards
The Service Award should go to someone who has actively practiced the Corporal Works of Mercy.
The Advocacy Award should be someone who has worked for social change and collaborated with others to develop strategies that would make a lasting difference in your community or in broader society. Think broadly of potential recipients, from youth through elders!
The convocation offers pastors an opportunity to nominate two parishioners to be recognized for work in Social Ministry. This work encompasses those who work for social change and collaborate with others to make a lasting difference in your community or broader society as well as those who practice the Corporal Works of Mercy.