SSND In the News – 2011
November 8, 2011 – Sister Shawnee Marie Daniels-Sykes receives Vatican II Award
Sister Shawnee Marie Daniels-Sykes is honored with the Archbishop's Vatican II Award for Service in Society. Learn about award recipients at the Catholic Herald website HERE> and read about Sister Shawnee Marie's ministry and story HERE>
Vatican II Award for Service in Society
“The Church has the duty in every age of examining the signs of the times and interpreting them in the light of the Gospel, so that it can offer replies to the continued human questionings on the meaning of this life and the life to come and how they are related.”
(Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the World of Today #4)
Criteria for receiving the award:
The recipient must
- have an outstanding record of involvement in one or more of the following: direct service, advocacy, empowerment, justice education
- have shown a public interest in working within the interfaith community on the above
- have an ability to articulate Vatican II values to the Catholic community through word and action
- have a practical and working approach to the Consistent Life Ethic
Sister Shawnee Marie Daniels-Sykes (second from left) received the Archbishop's Vatican II Award for Distinguished Service in Society from Milwaukee's Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki (third from left) at a prayer service and award ceremony on Nov. 8 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Also pictured are Auxiliary Bishop Donald J. Hying (left) and Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Sklba (right).
Sr. Shawnee Daniels-Sykes, SSND
St. Martin de Porres Parish, Milwaukee
As the first and only female African-American Catholic bioethicist in the nation, Sr. Shawnee Daniels-Sykes truly stands alone. Driven by memories of unethical behavior she witnessed while in nursing, she has worked to address ethical issues that particularly threaten racial minorities and lower-income patients.
Sr. Shawnee – a vowed member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame – primarily spreads the message through her numerous educational roles. She teaches undergraduate courses as an assistant professor of theology at Mount Mary College and serves as an adjunct professor for the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University in Louisiana. In addition, she serves as a volunteer faculty member at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
She credits her parents, Watson and Louise Sykes, for setting a faithful example that has fueled nearly a half-century of Sr. Shawnee's active life in the Church. Even as her influence expands through publications and speaking engagements, her service remains most appreciated at her own parish, St. Martin de Porres, where she remains active in adult faith formation, vocation ministry and other parish roles.
Drawing both strength and comfort from Psalm 23, she knows our Lord provides for all. Yet, in a sinful world where many suffer, she takes to heart the parable of the Good Samaritan featured in Luke 10:23-37.
“We are called to social justice, which includes love, compassion and going that extra mile to assist another in need no matter who that person is,” Sr. Shawnee writes.
Although she sees much remaining for the Catholic Church to accomplish, the personal stories of those who have been moved to change their minds leave her concrete proof of the mission's progress.
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