Diocese of Austin Honors St. Joseph Health Team Members for Stewardship, Leadership

Bryan, TX, July 17, 2017— The Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin presented the Lumen Gentium (Light of the World) Award to three St. Joseph Health team members in June, recognizing their stewardship and leadership. “Your generous offering of time and talent has made a difference in the light of the community and is an example of true Christian stewardship,” Bishop Joe Vásquez told honorees in an awards ceremony June 20. St. Joseph Health honorees included Director of Spiritual Care Mary Clare Carden and Primary Care Bryan Dr. Stephen Braden and Patient Access Representative Tricia Barina. The Diocese of Austin, which encompasses 127 parishes across Central Texas, presents the Lumen Gentium Award biannually to only one lay person per nominating parish. Each parish can nominate an individual they feel “lives their baptismal call in an extraordinary way through stewardship and leadership.” Two honorees from St. Joseph Health – Dr. Braden and Barina – were nominated by their respective home parishes, St. Joseph Catholic Church of Bryan and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church of College Station, for their volunteerism. Dr. Braden has led annual medical missions to Guatemala, and Barina served as her parish’s Art and Environment Chair. Nominated by St. Joseph Health Monsignor John Malinowski, Carden initiated development of both the Bryan Health Resource Center and Charity Tracker. The Health Resource Center coordinates services with local agencies and church ministries, creating a roadmap for people and families seeking assistance and healthier lifestyles. Charity Tracker is a database that connects agencies and churches with the healthcare needs of the local community. Each Lumen Gentium honoree received a plaque and a photo with the Bishop. 

About St. Joseph Health: Since 1936, St. Joseph Health has been caring for the Texas Brazos Valley. With the area’s only Level II Trauma Center, the first Joint Commission-certified Primary Stroke Center and the first accredited Chest Pain Center in the Brazos Valley, St. Joseph Health is a leader in critical care and the largest provider of cardiovascular care in the region. [For more information, please contact Director of Marketing and Public Relations Heather Bush at 979-774-2165 or [email protected].] ###