The Vincentian Charism Award is the Vincentian’s highest honour, to be conferred on very special occasions to persons who exemplify the spirit of St Vincent DePaul by serving God through addressing the needs of the human family. In this first year, three awards were bestowed on Rev Dennis Holtschneider, president of DePaul University, Chicago, America’s largest Catholic university, for his dedication to good governance and leadership in higher education and Catholic higher education; Michael Carey, entrepreneur, leader, motivator, changemaker, for his enthusiastic perseverance, through the Soul of Haiti Foundation, in establishing projects that can make a major contribution towards the creation of a positive environment for the development of enterprise and Moya Curran, OP, for her commitment to teaching and development of teaching for ministry for over 60 years.

Following a reception in Woodlock Hall, award recipients were piped in for the ceremony by Angela Williams

Students prepare for the ceremonial procession

Pictured receiving his award from Dr Patrick McDevitt is Rev Dennis Holtschneider, president of DePaul University.

Rev Dennis Holtschneider is president of DePaul University, Chicago, America’s largest Catholic university with more than 25,000 students. He is chairman of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities; a member of the School Board of the Archdiocese of Chicago; and a board member of the Boston College Institute for Administrators in Catholic Higher Education.

A Vincentian priest ordained in 1989, Rev Holtschneider holds degrees in mathematics, theology and a doctoral degree in higher education policy from Harvard University. His leadership and expertise stem from a broad range of higher education experiences at the Vincentian College, Ozone Park in New York, the State University of New York at Buffalo, St. John’s University in Queens, N.Y Niagara University in Niagara Falls, N.Y.

Rev Holtschneider has led two national studies examining trends in governance and leadership in American Catholic colleges and universities. He is the author and co-author of one book and numerous articles on U.S. higher education and Catholic higher education, as well as a frequent consultant and speaker on these topics.

Michael Carey receives his Vincentian Charism Award from Patrick McDevitt

Founder and board chairman of the Soul of Haiti Foundation, an organisation established to empower communities to create their own success through their relationship with a community of Irish entrepreneurs by establishing an enterprise environment, facilitating trade and investment and supporting humanitarian projects.

Michael is also a founder member of Traidlinks, which forges ties between Ireland and Uganda by transferring business skills that will assist in long term development. His work with the Clinton Global Initiative has given him a global view on how business people can work together to bring about tangible results to global challenges.

Here in Ireland, Michael initiated a programme with the Simon Community, creating a network of food suppliers that now provide products to Simon to support its work with the homeless.

Throughout his career Michael has proven his skills in identifying opportunities, gathering together groups of committed individuals, and channelling their skills and enthusiasm to make real change happen.

Moya Curran OP, receiving her Vincentian Charism Award from Patrick McDevitt

Moya has been a Dominican sister for 65 years, working in primary, secondary and third level education for all that time. She has made a huge contribution to catechesis in Ireland under her Dominican name of Sr Antonina Curran. Since then we honour her commitment to All Hallows Collegeover many years of service.  

She was responsible, with others, for setting up a Lay Ministry course,  a Deacon’s course, which developed into the Graduate Diploma in Holistic Development and later the postgraduate degrees which evolved into the research degrees, the Master of Arts in Leadership and Pastoral Care and the Master of Arts in Management for Community and Voluntary Services. Moya was also instrumental in the initial stages of contact towards the founding validation and accreditation of the BA (HONS), referred to as ALBA.

Besides all this Moya is a noted counsellor and therapist and was greatly involved in the Psychosynthesis Institute of Ireland. She had the distinction of being the first woman on lecturing staff of All Hallows and has only very recently retired (or so she says!). It is for her commitment to teaching and development of teaching for ministry that she is being honoured with a Vincentian Charism Award.