Vivere Christus Award

In 2009, the bishop of the dicoese created an honor for laity who serve Church with an annual diocesan ceremony.  While priests and Religious are considered to be leaders in the Church, it is the laypeople, who often are on the frontlines serving side by side with Church leaders to make a difference in the world.

Because of the many contributions laypersons make to all the good the Church does by serving in various parish ministries, schools, religious education programs and social service agencies across the diocese, the Bishop instituted the Vivere Christus Award for the laity. It acknowledges, on the diocesan level, the value and importance of the laity, and expresses the gratitude and appreciation of the bishop and the diocese to those who unselfishly give of themselves for the building of God’s Kingdom.

Since June of 2009, every parish in the diocese has been able to nominate one person (one married couple or one family) to receive this award from the bishop at the annual awards ceremony.

“The Vivere Christus Award is a way of recognizing the value and the worth of the role of the laity in our Church,” said the bishop. “Also, we present the award as an encouragement to them to know that we appreciate, need and treasure the work they do for Christ.”

Since its inception, the award (which comes from the Latin phrase, Vivere Christus Est, taken from the Letter of Saint Paul to the early Church living in Philippi (1:21) meaning “To Live Is Christ”) has been given to more than 1,000 people who are parishioners at parishes in Passaic, Morris and Sussex counties.

Throughout the years, priests of the diocese were invited to deliver the homily, usually inspired by the Gospel proclaimed at the event from Matthew 5:13-16 about the call to be: “Salt of the Earth and light of the world.” 

In the past, Sister Mary Edward Spohrer, SC, who was the diocesan Chancellor and delegate for Religious, presented the names of the recipients prior to their coming forward to receive the award personally from the bishop.

Remembering ceremonies in years past, the bishop said, “It’s amazing when you look at the cross-section, the variety of people that have been honored, from people who do hidden work in a small parish to people who do public work out in the world. It’s all part of building up the Church, which is the Body of Christ, and every one of them is needed." 

Bishop Sweeney has continued this tradition of presenting this prestigious award and celebrates the awarding of this large coin (as seen above) in a beautiful wooden cherry box during a prayer service in the Cathedaral of Saint John the Baptist in Paterson, usually in the month of October.