Florida Catholic | Mary Holley Named ‘Grand Lady of the Year’

AMY FERRARA SMITH | FC

Mary J. Holley named ‘Grand Lady of the Year’

AMY FERRARA SMITH | FLORIDA CATHOLIC STAFF

Published: 06.06.08

CANTONMENT | Mary J. Holley of St. Jude Thaddeus Parish knows how to be a helper in a large group. She was one of 14 children.

“Helping people really is dear to my heart,” she said.

The Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver recognized this when they awarded Holley the Gulf Coast District “Grand Lady of the Year” at the 61st annual Gulf Coast District conference May 2 in Biloxi, Miss.

“I was humbled and embarrassed,” said Holley. “There are so many more deserving.”

The Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies of Peter Claver are a service organization divided into six districts, including one representative of the Gulf Coast. This particular district includes Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and San Andres Island, South America. Holley is a member of the St. Felicitas Court 223, which has 66 members.

“It’s the largest national African-American organization,” explained Holley, who, when she isn’t volunteering, works full time as a third-grade teacher at Jim Allen Elementary School.

The organization’s history leads back to its namesake, St. Peter Claver, who dedicated 44 years of his life in the 17th century to the African-American slaves in Cartagena, Colombia. More than 200 years later, four priests of the St. Joseph Society of the Sacred Heart and three laymen founded the order in Mobile, Ala., on Nov. 7, 1909. In August 1922, the ladies auxiliary was founded in Opelousas, La.

Although its founders first established an African-American membership, today Catholic men of all races and nationalities can join the Knights of Peter Claver and, likewise, all Catholic women can be a part of the Ladies.

Holley was initiated into the organization in 1988. Since then, she has helped the group with various community projects, including donating toiletries to Baptist Manor and to Favor House, a local shelter for abused women. She currently holds the position of area deputy for the region.

“My goal” said Holley, “is to be 100 ladies strong in our court.”

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Mary J. Holley named ‘Grand Lady of the Year’

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