Local Catholics to receive Champions for Life Awards

University of St. Thomas student Emilee Wondra is working to build a culture of life on her campus in St. Paul. For this, she will be recognized with a St. John Paul II Champions for Life Award, an initiative of the Office of Marriage, Family and Life of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.  

Wondra and four others will receive their awards during the annual Prayer Service for Life 10:30 a.m. Jan. 22 at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, which will be followed by the March for Life at the State Capitol sponsored by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life.

The other four winners are Anne McMahon, Catherine and Donald Wagner, and Laura Elm, on behalf of her organization, Sacred Heart Guardians and Shelter. 

Wondra won the young adult award. She is a member of the University of St. Thomas’ Students for Human Life group. She has helped organize prayer gatherings at Planned Parenthood in St. Paul, raised awareness of pro-life issues on campus by bringing in pro-life speakers, and recruited students to join the organization. She is a member of St. Mark in St. Paul. 

McMahon won the adult individual award. Chair of the Respect Life Committee at her parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Minnetonka, she helps organize pro-life activities at the parish, and has led the Divine Mercy Chaplet for pro-life intentions after daily Mass for more than eight years. She also organizes gifts and donations to a local pregnancy resource center. 

The Wagners won the adult couple award. Catherine has been the president of the Community Caring for Life at their parish, St. Joseph in West St. Paul, for about eight years. She organizes a group of parishioners who participate in the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil at Planned Parenthood in St. Paul. Don leads the parish Food Drive group, which does quarterly collections of food, hygiene items and money that are given to a local food shelf. 

Elm won the adult group award for her continued work as founder of Sacred Heart Guardians and Shelter, which facilitates burial for embryos who die in in-vitro fertilization labs and would otherwise be disposed of as medical waste. She reaches out to IVF facilities to facilitate the burials, and tries to educate people and pray for lives lost and people involved in IVF. She is a member of St. Peter in Mendota.