Emotion marks archdiocese’s Legacy Gala celebrating two people of faith and love
Bagpiper Les Miller plays a mournful rendition of “Amazing Grace” during an emotional tribute to the late Deacon Marc Kellams and his late daughter, Katie Kellams Reed, at the archdiocese’s Legacy Gala at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis on Feb. 10. (Photo by Rob Banayote)
By John Shaughnessy
The paths of Mary Jo Thomas-Day and the late Deacon Marc Kellams never crossed in life, but their journeys always led them in the same direction and toward the same shared goals.
They are connected by the way they have loved their families, the way they have lived their Catholic faith, and the way they have always seen the face of Christ when they looked at the person in front of them.
Thomas-Day and Deacon Kellams also became connected in another special way on the emotional evening of Feb. 10 when they were honored as the recipients of the archdiocese’s Legacy Award during the Legacy Gala at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis—an award that recognizes outstanding contributions to living the faith and sharing the faith in a way that has touched the lives of so many.
With nearly 1,000 people attending in its third year, the archdiocese’s Legacy Gala is a dual celebration. It’s a fundraising celebration of the gifts that the archdiocese shares with many people across central and southern Indiana—through its 67 Catholic schools, its extensive outreach of Catholic Charities agencies, and its formation of seminarians at Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis, young men destined to become the next generation of priests. (Related story: Gala supports three ministries that do the work of Christ in changing lives)
The Legacy Gala also celebrates the contributions that Catholics make to these efforts.
For 45 years, Thomas-Day has been the director of religious education at St. Monica Parish in Indianapolis, forming the faith of generations of children, adults and families, including helping to prepare more than 5,000 children to receive their first Communion and more than 3,000 youths for their confirmation.
Deacon Kellams became part of the archdiocese’s first permanent diaconate class in 2008, leading him to eventually head the archdiocese’s corrections ministry that focuses on changing the lives of people in prison. At the same time, he had long made an impact as a member of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Bloomington and as a circuit court judge in Monroe County, treating people with concern and compassion. He also ministered at SS. Francis and Clare Parish in Greenwood.
Archbishop Charles C. Thompson poses for a photo with Mary Jo Thomas-Day after she received the archdiocese’s Legacy Award at the Legacy Gala at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis on Feb. 10. (Photo by Rob Banayote)
In talking about the shared honor, Thomas-Day could have been speaking for both of them when she humbly said, “I don’t work for rewards. I work for God, and I work for God’s people.”
That attitude guided Deacon Kellams, who died at the age of 73 in a traffic accident on July 29, 2022.
The emotional tributes to him at the gala began with praise from Msgr. William F. Stumpf, the vicar general of the archdiocese, who first knew Deacon Kellams when he was pastor of St. Charles from 2007-2011.
Msgr. Stumpf remembered the grace that Deacon Kellams and his wife Chris showed when their daughter, Amy, died of cancer in 2009, with her father sharing the homily at her funeral Mass.
He recalled the way Deacon Kellams led the archdiocese’s corrections ministry, making it a point “that those who were incarcerated never, ever felt that they were forgotten or alone.”
He also remembered his friend as having a “terrific sense of humor.”
“Marc loved to laugh and could make you laugh as well,” Monsignor Stumpf said. “One of the things I remember most about him was that he was always, always smiling. It was his way of spreading the joy of Christ. Tonight, we remember Deacon Kellams’s joy, his faith and the way he was able to connect with everyone who crossed his path. Sadly though, we also remember another of his daughters, Katie Kellams Reed, who went home to God this past November.”
At that point, a short, silent video was played, showing Deacon Kellams with his daughter, Katie—together, smiling. As a single candle flickered next to their images in the video, a bagpipe player walked through the ballroom where the gala was held, sharing a mournful rendition of “Amazing Grace” that led to tears throughout the ballroom.
The emotion would continue to flow later when Deacon Kellams’ daughter, Sarah Lippman, shared these words in a video tribute: “To know him was to love him. He taught us all to stand by your word, do good for the people around you, and take people under your wing and do things without people knowing. I think my dad was so good at that.”
After Archbishop Charles C. Thompson honored the late Deacon Marc Kellams with the archdiocese’s Legacy Award on Feb. 10, he posed for a photo with Deacon Kellams’ wife, Chris; his daughter, Sarah Lippman; and his grandson, Bradford Dollens. Inset: The late Deacon Marc Kellams. (Photo by Rob Banayote)
Archbishop Charles C. Thompson offered this tribute: “As a canon lawyer, one of the axioms we’re taught early on—one of the key points to keep before us—is, ‘Justice tempered with the sweetness of mercy.’ What I knew of Deacon Marc, he exuded ‘justice tempered with the sweetness of mercy.’
“What I heard about him as a judge is that people who stood before him were human beings that he always held with respect and dignity. He never lost sight of that. He will be greatly missed, but he left his mark.”
The archbishop then presented the Legacy Award to Deacon Kellams’ wife, Chris, his daughter, Sarah, and his grandson, Bradford Dollens as the gala audience gave the family members a standing ovation in honor of Deacon Kellams.
Family was also a focus in the recognition of Thomas-Day, who was joined at the gala by her husband, John, their four daughters, three sons-in-law, six grandchildren and her two sisters, one who came from Texas and the other from California.
Thomas-Day smiled and was touched with humility as she listened to the video tributes for her that were played during the gala celebration.
Her longtime friend, Father Joseph Moriarty, touchingly described her as “someone who lives the Gospel.”
“She lives it in her marriage,” said Father Moriarty, rector of the Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis. “She lives it as a mother. She lives it as a Catholic educator in religious education.”
Mary Ann Griggs shared what it was like to be Thomas-Day’s secretary for more than 40 years.
“She was not only my boss, but a very close friend. There’s so many words to describe her—loving, compassionate, giving, very Christ-like. That’s why I was here so long.”
Archbishop Charles C. Thompson continued the praise, noting, “She clearly has a deep love for Jesus Christ, a deep love for the faith, and a deep love for others—to lead them to Christ.
“That’s the key you want from any director of religious education or pastoral associate or youth minister—anyone working in the Church. You want them first to have their own personal relationship with Christ, to be rooted in prayer, word and sacrament, to be committed to service as they serve others. She’s certainly earned this recognition.”
As the archbishop presented the award to Thomas-Day, the audience once again rose to share a standing ovation.
Noting that embracing an encounter with Christ is at the heart of the way that Thomas-Day and Deacon Kellams have lived, Archbishop Thompson reminded the gala audience that the National Eucharistic Congress will take place in Indianapolis on July 17-21, 2024.
Stating that the Eucharist is “the source and summit of our Catholic faith—the body, blood, soul and divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” the archbishop said the Eucharistic Congress “will offer us an encounter with the living Jesus Christ, renewing our Church, and sending us on mission for the life of the world.”
In his closing remarks, Archbishop Thompson said that while it was important to honor Deacon Kellams and Thomas-Day for the way they have touched so many lives through their encounter with Christ, it was also important to focus on the way that everyone in the audience—and everyone in the archdiocese—has an impact on other people.
“We honor these people here as we should, but it’s also to remind us of how our lives, when we allow Christ to shine through us, touch the lives of others. I hope everyone here leaves here inspired, not only to look up to these people, but to realize as we go home tonight that there are people in our lives that we touch—a family member, a co-worker, a classmate, a friend, maybe a stranger—that you are making a difference.
“I hope you never take for granted how God is using your life to be such a blessing to the lives of others. The world needs our witness. Christ is working in you to transform the world. And I thank you for that witness.” †
