Honored for their 11 years of dedicated service to their parish and the archdiocese, St. Benedict Church parishioners Elva and Dominic Saltaformaggio were presented with the 2004 Archbishop Donoghue Award from Catholic Social Services, Inc.

The Saltaformaggios were honored at a special Mass and breakfast celebration held April 30 at St. Benedict.

A nominating committee selected the couple from entrants for Volunteers of the Year submitted by the more than 100 parishes of the archdiocese.

Deeply committed to their parish, the Saltaformaggios serve as sacristans and assist with religious education. They also teach twice-weekly English classes to Hispanic community members, visit homebound parishioners, help at church cookouts, cook for Habitat for Humanity volunteers and host missionary priests during their visits.

With untiring dedication, the couple, who have four sons and 11 grandchildren, serve their parish on the liturgical committee, and as lectors and eucharistic ministers, in addition to each holding full-time jobs and caring for Mr. Saltaformaggio’s ailing father.

Msgr. Hugh Marren, pastor of St. Benedict, said, when nominating the couple, that the parish is blessed to have them.

Writing on the nomination form about their many areas of service, Msgr. Marren said, “They do this with humility and devotion, providing for all they touch a shining example of walking with our Lord.”

“St. Benedict is blessed to have Dominic and Elva Saltaformaggio as parishioners and we are honored to nominate them as Volunteers of the Year,” Msgr. Marren wrote.

Volunteers were nominated from parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Atlanta and from Catholic Social Services. All the nominations reflected the award’s criteria, which called for outstanding volunteer services in the community that reflect CSS’ mission of serving people of all backgrounds and religions, especially those most vulnerable and in need.

Other nominees were:

Armando Tasistro, St. Joseph Church, Athens; Socorro and Luis Gonzalez, St. Joseph Church, Dalton; Mary Lacksen, Sacred Heart Church, Milledgeville; Paulette Lacau, St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Smyrna; Barbara and Albert King, St. Paul the Apostle Church, Cleveland; Lee Buechele, Corpus Christi Church, Stone Mountain; Robert Sorrelle, St. Francis of Assisi Church, Blairsville; David Robson, St. John Vianney Church, Lithia Springs; Kathy Rich, St. Andrew Church, Roswell; Tom Illingworth, St. Gabriel Church, Fayetteville; Karen Margaret Papania, St. John Neumann Church, Lilburn; the Missionaries of Charity, San Felipe de Jesus Mission, Forest Park; Rudy Schlosser, St. Philip Benizi Church, Jonesboro; Pat and Chuck McVickers, Roswell; Genevieve and Joseph Gesing, St. Mary Church, Rome; Dr. Jesse L. Jones, Tucker; Natalie Keiser, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Atlanta; Joe Grno, Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Atlanta; Marie Lovett, St. Bernadette Church, Cedartown; Ruth and Jim Boff, St. Catherine of Siena Church, Kennesaw; Louise White, Prince of Peace Church, Buford; Mariann Williams, St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Alpharetta; Theresa Corcoran, St. Francis of Assisi Church, Cartersville; Thomas P. Coleman, Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta; Robert Kiel, Queen of Angels Church, Thomson; and Barbara McClure, Christ our King and Savior Church, Greensboro.