On October 16, 2022, we inaugurated the Rostro de Cristo MustardSeed Award with a Mass of Thanksgiving and a Luncheon Reception which included the Presentation of the Awards to our honorees:

Honorees Pat McTeague and Sonya Rendón with Fr. Jim Ronan.

 

Pat McTeague and Sonya Rendón have been great friends to Rostro deCristo since our beginning. Drawn to work together by their shared faith and their belief that a quality education is the main pathway to overcome poverty they founded the Nuevo Mundo (New World) School andFoundation. Generations of Rostro de Cristo volunteers and retreatants have been impacted by them. In the words of Fr. Ronan, “Pat and Sonya have been a truly formative inspiration in their relationships with our volunteers due to the relationships they have had with the people they serve which is, of course, fueled by their relationship with God which has caused them to dream and envision a new world.”

Rdc Board member Barbra Rosiello with honoree, Nancy Lukitsh.

 

Nancy Lukitsh is a woman of deep faith and commitment to young people in their faith journeys. Nancy served on Rostro de Cristo’s Board from 2012 - 2021. Bringing her many successful years working in the financial sector her critical guidance and support ensured Rostro deCristo’s promising future. Close friend of 40 years and fellow BoardMember, Barbara Rosiello, said of Nancy, “The mustard seed imagery is truly perfect in describing how Nancy moved Rostro forward. Graciously, gracefully, and generously.”

Rostro de Cristo Board Chair Ed Hardiman with honoree Paul Saleeb, M.D.

 

Paul Saleeb, M.D. is a Rostro de Cristo alumnus (1999-2000) and physician in infectious disease. Since his year with Rostro Paul has volunteered in Kenya and Sudan; conducted research and offered technical support in Mali and Tanzania; and served as a resident faculty director in Botswana. In addition, he has worked at the National Institutes of Health. Currently, Paul practices medicine in Baltimore and serves on the faculty of U. of Maryland School of Medicine. Rostro de Cristo volunteer and Paul’s community-mate in Ecuador, Claire Ribando, introduced Paul at the awards sharing, “I think Paul has always had agreat faith. I have seen how he has carried it forward in his work, his research, his service, and his travels.”

The Rostro de Cristo Mustard Seed Award

From its earliest days, Rostro de Cristo has been inspired by the parable of the mustard seed from the Gospel of Matthew:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

Fr. Jim Ronan has always placed his trust in God to guide and grow Rostro de Cristo. As he often says, “This is in God’s hands.” What began as a bold vision and grassroots effort has grown into a vibrant international community of volunteers, alumni, staff, board members, and partners.

After many fruitful years in Ecuador, Rostro de Cristo has entered a new chapter in the Dominican Republic, accompanying Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent in the batey communities of Consuelo.

Like the mustard seed, Rostro de Cristo may be small, but its impact is profound. A seed planted through living the Gospel in solidarity with those on the margins continues to grow in the hearts of participants over a lifetime.

The Mustard Seed Award honors individuals who exemplify this enduring commitment to faith, justice, and human dignity.

Honorees Pat McTeague and Sonya Rendón with Fr. Jim Ronan.

Pat McTeague and Sonya Rendón have been great friends to Rostro deCristo since our beginning. Drawn to work together by their shared faith and their belief that a quality education is the main pathway to overcome poverty they founded the Nuevo Mundo (New World) School andFoundation. Generations of Rostro de Cristo volunteers and retreatants have been impacted by them. In the words of Fr. Ronan, “Pat and Sonya have been a truly formative inspiration in their relationships with our volunteers due to the relationships they have had with the people they serve which is, of course, fueled by their relationship with God which has caused them to dream and envision a new world.”

Rdc Board member Barbra Rosiello with honoree, Nancy Lukitsh.

Nancy Lukitsh is a woman of deep faith and commitment to young people in their faith journeys. Nancy served on Rostro de Cristo’s Board from 2012 - 2021. Bringing her many successful years working in the financial sector her critical guidance and support ensured Rostro deCristo’s promising future. Close friend of 40 years and fellow BoardMember, Barbara Rosiello, said of Nancy, “The mustard seed imagery is truly perfect in describing how Nancy moved Rostro forward. Graciously, gracefully, and generously.”

Rostro de Cristo Board Chair Ed Hardiman with honoree Paul Saleeb, M.D.

Paul Saleeb, M.D. is a Rostro de Cristo alumnus (1999-2000) and physician in infectious disease. Since his year with Rostro Paul has volunteered in Kenya and Sudan; conducted research and offered technical support in Mali and Tanzania; and served as a resident faculty director in Botswana. In addition, he has worked at the National Institutes of Health. Currently, Paul practices medicine in Baltimore and serves on the faculty of U. of Maryland School of Medicine. Rostro de Cristo volunteer and Paul’s community-mate in Ecuador, Claire Ribando, introduced Paul at the awards sharing, “I think Paul has always had agreat faith. I have seen how he has carried it forward in his work, his research, his service, and his travels.”