Ellen Flood receives the 2022 Legacy Medal of Honor at Catholic Charities gathering

Bishop Michael Mulvey presented Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi and Mother Teresa Shelter’s 2022 Legacy Medal of Honor to Ellen Flood at the Gratitude Gathering on June 30. In a casual atmosphere, the two organizations celebrated all the volunteers and donors at Catholic Charities on Oliver Court.

Donors mingled with each other, Catholic Charities board members and staff, the bishop and other dignitaries, including President and CEO of Incarnate Word Academy and Catholic Charities board member, Sammie Grunwald; County Commissioner, Judge Barbara Canales; Dr. Osbert Blow and his wife, Dr. Nelly Garcia Blow from CHRISTUS Spohn Health System.

Flood was a charter member of Catholic Charities. “She served on the first board and helped get the Mother Theresa Shelter going and has remained an active part and has really flooded it with her love,” Bishop Mulvey said. “Ellen, thank you for your dedication and your love for the board and also your dedication to this beautiful ministry both here and at the Mother Teresa Shelter.”

Grunwald reminisced, saying, “When I first got on the board for Catholic Charities, Ellen was on the board as an advisor. She would ask us to bring unused Christmas cards. I was curious, but I’ll tell you what Ellen did with those. She’s meeting with the people at Mother Teresa Shelter, the homeless people who go there for day relief. And she was helping them write cards for their loved ones. People that maybe they haven’t talked to in a long time so they could let them know that they are okay,” she said. “It was such a beautiful thing that Ellen was helping give a voice to the voiceless in so many ways.”

The event was also an opportunity for donors to meet with Dr. Michele Johnston, the new Executive Director of the two organizations. Johnston was hired in June to replace General Warren Phipps. Johnston was the Executive Director for 2 ½ years for the Daniel Pitino Shelter, a homeless shelter for families in Western Kentucky, and the 13 years prior with the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee and Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida.

Johnston said she had read a quote that morning by St. Francis de Sales. Reading it aloud, she said, “Live entirely for God. And since you have to take part in conversations and social gatherings, try to be of some use to others,” she said smiling. “You are the reason that we are all here. I am grateful and humbled to be in your presence today. You inspire me.”

Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi and Mother Teresa Shelter board President Stephanie Bottom thanked donors for their generous contributions, especially “through a rough couple of years. And it’s because of all of you that our doors never closed,” she said. “We have continued to provide help and create hope for those in our community who need it most, and we are very thankful to our staff.”

Bishop Mulvey thanked Stephanie for her leadership over the past few years. “You’ve been a shining star,” he said. “We need all that work, faith, love and hope that you continue to bring to Catholic Charities.” Bottom’s time as the board president ended at midnight that night, and she would make way for the new board President, Mike Lippincott.

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