Heart of Harmony, Hope & Healing Award

This award honors individuals and corporations that embody and share in the mission of Harmony, Hope & Healing.  Through their exemplary support and service they have allowed this organization to grow and move forward.

Mary Prete Dalbis-Individual Award 2012

Mary Prete Dalbis is the Vice President of Parish Services for the J.S. Paluch Company. Early in her career, Mary helped to build her family’s business, Alverno Religious Art and Books, into a national religious bookstore with a direct mail catalog. Some years later and before the advent of Amazon.com, this innovative business woman launched a presence for her family business on the internet. In addition to her work in book publishing, Mary has a wealth of experience as a pastoral musician. She has been affliated with the National Association of Pastoral Musicians and has been on the faculty of the NPM Schools as voice clinician. She also was a member of the Music Staff for the Office for Divine Worship of the Archdiocese of Chicago for several years. For the past thirteen years, she has served as general manager of World Library Publications, the music and liturgy division of J.S. Paluch before assuming her current position. In early February 2012, the Association of Catholic Publishers announced that it will honor Mary with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her dedicated work in the Catholic book publishing industry.

J.S. Paluch Company, Inc.- Corporate Award 2012

The J.S. Paluch Company, Inc. is dedicated to serving Catholic parishes, schools, and communities across the United States. Since its founding by John S. Paluch in 1913, this family-owned company has grown from a publisher of devotional booklets to a national source for worship resources, church bulletins, parish calendars, pastoral support materials, and inspirational books and music.

The J.S. Paluch Company is committed to promoting church vocations and vocation awareness. In addition to contributing to national vocation projects, the company hosts and completely underwrites an annual seminar for leaders in vocation ministry, now in its 25th year.

The company also works with the Paluch Family Foundation to honor and support service to the Church and the community in the areas of liturgy, stewardship, and vocations.

Second generation Chester Paluch developed the company over a period of 35 years and his wife, Margaret, served as chair of the board from 1980 to 2010. Their daughter Mary L. Paluch Rafferty, a third generation of the Paluch family, currently owns the company, and her husband, William J. Rafferty, is President. The company website is www.jspaluch.com.