On Sunday, November 26, 2023, the Cheverus Awards were presented at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. These awards are given to laypeople who have served the parish well over an extended period of time and have done so in a quiet, unassuming and, perhaps, unrecognized fashion. The awards are named after the founding Bishop of Boston, Bishop Cheverus and recipients are chosen for their service to the Church and to God's people. Congratulations to those from our parishes recognized at the event including Audrey Pugliesi from St. Pius X, Matt & Anne O'Neil from St. Anne, Joseph Shaughnessy from Most Precious Blood and Marie M. Fils-Aime from the Haitian Community at Most Precious Blood!

Full biographies of these dedicated parishioners are available below as well as a gallery of photos from the event!

We are so thankful to these parishioners listed below and all of our parishioners who demonstrate their faithfulness through service to God, the Church and to others!

Audrey Pugliesi from St. Pius X

I am happy to nominate Audrey for the Cheverus Award. Prior to my arrival, Audrey founded, on her own, an Outreach to the Homeless mission. She created a team of volunteers and a network of resources to provide lunch, clothing and devotional articles (rosaries, prayer cards, prayer books) for the homeless of Boston. She worked with local supermarkets and stores to donate bread, peanut butter and jelly for sandwiches. Every Friday she and her team make sandwiches and pack up water and other food. On Saturday she and an ever-expanding team of volunteers travel into Boston to hand out the food to the homeless. Over time she also started to collect socks and other items to provide to the homeless and has received donations from Bombas socks. She then came up with the idea of having our religious education children decorate white paper bags for Christmas and Easter. Our Confirmation students fill them with shampoo, combs, lip balm and other items like prayer cards. 

Rain or shine Audrey faithfully travels into Boston to care for the homeless. The people she visits are in dire straits; living on the street, often struggling with mental illness and/or addiction and having to deal daily with the reality that most people wish they would just go away. Audrey, however, is the face of Jesus to them. She feeds them, befriends them and prays with them. She has truly taken the corporal works of mercy to heart.



Additionally, Audrey runs a Bible study group for friends and parishioners she has come to know. She runs the group out of her own home and chooses a book of the Bible for them to read and discuss. She has also been very involved in finding and encouraging parishioners to participate in the Cursillo program. She has sponsored several parishioners who cannot say enough good things about her and the program. Audrey has a deep love of Christ and a desire to serve Him through her service to His people. She is an inspiration to everyone who knows her (and many who don’t.) We are blessed to have her at the Catholic Parishes of the Blue Hills. 

Anne and Matt O'Neil from St. Anne

Anne and Matt are an unforgettable mother/son team. They both grew up in the parish and see their volunteering as a way to give back to a parish the has given them so much. Their positive influence is felt in almost all of the programs and projects we have going at the parish. Their optimism and energy helped revive several programs here as well as inaugurate some new ones. They brought back the Parish Bazaar, ran it for many years and are still involved on the leadership team. The bazaar is a major fundraiser here at the Collaborative but more importantly, it is an event which brings the community together in a positive and wholesome way, inviting new and lapsed members of the parish to consider becoming more involved. Many do, thanks to Matt and Anne.

One of the more popular parish events of the last few years is our Lenten Fish Fry. There are typically three of them each Lenten season and they are extremely well attended, serving hundreds of meals. Anne and Matt conceived the idea, recruited the volunteers and ran the actual event. One year, the Fish Fry coincided with St. Joseph Day. Anne and her daughter hand-made hundreds of zeppole which were huge sellers. Parishioners ordered multiples of them and were never disappointed. 

Of course Matt and Anne’s involvement is not limited only to social events. In addition to feeding people (which the O’Neil’s do famously) Anne has been an active member of our Parish Pastoral Council. Her feedback is to-the-point, positive and always constructive. She served for many years as a counter for St. Anne parish and, when her children attended St. Anne School, she served on multiple committees and at many school events. She herself is a graduate of St. Anne School.



Matt’s involvement extends far beyond just social events, most importantly through our Confirmation Program, which he has run for the last several years. He has an excellent rapport with our youth and is a credible, hopeful witness of what it means to have Jesus as the focus of your life, no matter what your age. He works with our young people to provide them service opportunities and was active as a facilitator for the “Why Catholic” program. 

Strong, active Catholic families are the backbone of so many of our churches. Matt and Anne are wonderful role models in this regard. We are grateful for who they are and all that they do. 

Joseph Shaugnessy from Most Precious Blood

Joe is the kind of parishioner every pastor wishes they had. He is available at a moment’s notice to help in whatever way he can, from opening the church to serving at Mass to fixing a leaky pipe. He does it all with good cheer and true sense of service to Christ and His church. He loves his faith and for many years, ran and taught in our Religious Education Program. Most recently Joe has stepped forward to act as the official sexton for Most Precious Blood. He makes sure that the altar is all set, the candles are in place, the carpets are vacuumed, the trash emptied and, depending on the season, the heat/AC are on and working. Most parishioners have no idea how things get done at a parish, much less who does it. Joe’s natural humility makes him the ideal person for this mission. He does not do it to be noticed but out of a sense of service and gratitude to a church that, in his mind, has done so much for him.

Joe has a deep love of Christ and the Eucharist. He has been an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist for many years and gladly brings communion to those who, through age or infirmity, are not able to make it to Mass. He was instrumental in reestablishing the Rice Bowl programs at all three parishes. He orders the materials, helps advertise the program and at the conclusion collects the rice bowls so the money can be counted and distributed through Catholic Relief Services. This is a perfect example of how Joe sees his mission to not only serve his parish but all three parishes in the Collaborative.

To many, Joe embodies the great theological virtue of hope. He is much more likely to brainstorm how something might be done to benefit the church than to think of reasons why we shouldn’t do it. Attitudes like Joe’s are catching. He has, through word and example, encourage others to become more active, conscious and full members of the church. We’d be a lesser community without him. He is a wonderful candidate for the Cheverus Award and all that it stands for. 

Marie M. Films- Aime from the Most Precious Blood Haitian Community

Marie is a long standing member of our Most Precious Blood Parish. Marie has been an active member of our Haitian community for over than 10 years. She is a truly humble Christian, working behind the scene at every Mass to ensure everything is taken care of and everyone has what they need. 

Marie has truly taken “Disciples in Mission” to heart. She attends Mass at all three parishes in the Blue Hills Collaborative and will volunteer at any event, regardless of where it is or whether the event is in Creole or English. Her very presence encourages others to get more involved, to step out of their comfort zone and to always have the “big picture” in mind when it comes to “Disciples in Mission.” 

Marie understands that one of the jobs of a Christian is to be the face of Christ to others. She is literally often the first face people see at parish events (she often volunteers for hospitality) and His love, His acceptance, His joy are what gets reflected back to them. We are convinced that many people who attend our Masses and come to our events are there because Marie has personally invited them. Her commitment level is very high. She does not own a car and will often walk miles to attend Masses and social events. It impresses and inspires others and is all done with great humility. 

We are blessed to have her here at the Catholic Parishes of the Blue Hills.