Patty Johnson is the recipient of the Our Lady of Good Counsel Award.
The National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) announced that the 2019 Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) Award winner is Patty Johnson.
The award was presented Oct. 6 at her home parish of St. Francis of Assisi in Fairfield Glade following Mass.
The Knoxville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (KDCCW) nominated Mrs. Johnson for the award. The national OLGC award is presented annually to a woman in recognition of her service and spirit through dedicated efforts and contributions to council, church, and community over time.
NCCW looks for a woman who is committed to spirituality, leadership, and service; welcomes everyone; mentors new members; and shares generously with a servant’s heart; a member who uses the NCCW programs and resources to initiate activities and projects that live out the mission of NCCW and act on its resolutions; and a woman who is making a significant difference through her leadership in council, a remarkable woman who exemplifies what is best about the NCCW.
Mrs. Johnson’s service has been exemplary in working on the parish, deanery, diocesan, provincial, and national levels of council for more than 50 years. She was active as a member of the Nashville DCCW before becoming the first president of the KDCCW in 1989. She served a term as an NCCW Province of Louisville Director and as NCCW’s president from 2009-11, plus in many other positions at the national level. She maintains active participation in council in her parish, the Cumberland Mountain Deanery, the Knoxville Diocese, and nationally.
Based on Mrs. Johnson’s extensive work with council and in the Church, Pope Francis designated her a recipient of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifica medal in 2015.
“By order of the Holy Father himself, for service to the Church and the diocese and for all of us who just appreciate her sense of leadership…in the name of the Diocese of Knoxville and all the people of the diocese that you have served, I want to say thank you,” said Bishop Richard F. Stika in presenting the papal award.
Recently Bishop Stika invited Mrs. Johnson to serve as a diocesan member on the Tennessee Catholic Public Policy Commission. Her nursing background is continually shared as a volunteer to the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic.
Julie Bomar, 2019-21 KDCCW president, presented the OLGC award to Mrs. Johnson following the Mass at St. Francis celebrated by Father Michael Woods, Cumberland Mountain Deanery CCW spiritual adviser. Attending were former NCCW province directors, Knoxville DCCW presidents, deanery and parish members, many friends, parishioners, and family members.
St. Francis of Assisi Parish hosted a reception following the Mass in Mrs. Johnson’s honor organized by the parish CCW.
Mrs. Johnson will appear on the cover of the December issue of NCCW’s Catholic Woman magazine with a feature article about her many accomplishments with council.
