Speaker encourages sharing faith

When sharing the faith, keep it simple.

That was the message of keynote speaker Dominick Albano of Dynamic Catholic Institute at the Catholic Professional & Business Club (CPBC) of Omaha’s 2017 Leading with Faith Awards luncheon March 9 in Omaha.

People excited about their love of Christ and the tenets of the Catholic faith often learn all they can and want to share with great enthusiasm and detail, Albano said.

A good place to start is every day needs – try to help co-workers, friends struggling with a marriage, children learning how to budget, Albano told the gathering of about 180 people.

"Jesus almost never preached to someone without first healing them, feeding them, meeting their needs," he said.

Two people were honored with Leading with Faith Awards handed out by Archbishop George J. Lucas – Dr. Britt A. Thedinger of Christ the King Parish and Sue Mandel of St. Margaret Mary Parish, both in Omaha. They were chosen from a field of six finalists from 14 nominees submitted to the CPBC, which was organized in 2013 to promote living Christian ethics in the workplace.

Archbishop Lucas also thanked the CPBC for its work in encouraging respect for others and collaboration in the workplace. Those attributes, lived day by day, "bring a life and joy and respect to our community that we don’t take for granted," the archbishop said.

Thedinger of Ear Specialists of Omaha was noted among other things for believing in every child’s right to an education no matter the challenges, championing the cochlear implant to restore hearing, serving on the board of the former Omaha Hearing School and continuing to participate in its still-active school foundation. Thedinger and his wife, Kelly, also were among co-chairs of the Archdiocese of Omaha’s Ignite the Faith capital campaign.

Mandel, who supervises about 70 Mary Kay cosmetics consultants in a four-state region, was recognized for her integrity, ethics and fair dealing, and serving her parish in numerous ways, including faith formation, coordinating a Bible study and serving with her husband, Don, as marriage preparation facilitators and chairs of the parish endowment campaign.

The other finalists were Deacon Gregg Drvol, vice president of engineering for Dimatic Die & Tool Co. and member of St. James Parish; Deacon Kevin Joyce, pastoral care director for New Cassel Retirement Community, Holy Name Parish; Jim and Julie Mainelli, directors of Mater Filius of Nebraska, St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, all in Omaha; and Brent Pohlman, president of Midwest Labs of Omaha, St. Gerald Parish, Ralston.