ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) and the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington DC honored Martin Luther King, Jr., by presenting awards to contemporary heroes working to keep his dream alive.

Hundreds of people attended the "Keep the Dream Alive" Mass & Awards ceremony, which took place at Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Roman Catholic Church in Washington, D.C.  The event took place during the celebration of Mass with Most Reverend Martin D. Holley, Archdiocese of Washington serving as presider and Monsignor Charles Pope, pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian as homilist.

Rev. Larry Snyder, President of CCUSA told the honorees, "We are inspired by our faith to serve the least among us, and I know that the work you do every day is similarly inspired."

CCUSA presented awards to Rev. William M. Lies, C.S.C., Vice President for Mission Engagement and Church Affairs at the University of Notre Dame; Carolyn Tisdale, Retired Executive Director, Catholic Charities of West Tennessee; and Beverly Carroll, Retired Assistant Director in the Secretariat for Cultural Diversity in the Church at the United States Conference on Catholic Bishops (USCCB) with the "Keep the Dream Alive" award for their work advocating and reducing poverty in America.

The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington's "Faith Does Justice" Award was presented to the Honorable Arthur L. Burnett, Sr., retired judge of the DC Superior Court. Judge Burnett spent a career in law trailblazing for civil rights, including serving as the first African-American United States Magistrate Judge and serving in both the Executive and Judicial branches of government.

"I have had the honor and pleasure of knowing Arthur and his wife Ann when I was at Blessed Sacrament parish, and it is a joy for me personally to have recognized such a dedicated leader here in our city as we remember the great Dr. King," said Msgr. John Enzler, President and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington.

Preceding the event, more than 50 individuals participated in a volunteer day with the Harriet Tubman Women's shelter and Joseph's Coat of Many Colors Coat Closet, two programs of Catholic Charities working in the District of Columbia.

For additional information about today's event including pictures and information on the awardees please visit www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

About Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Charities USA is the national office for Catholic Charities agencies nationwide. Catholic Charities USA's members provide help and create hope for more than 10 million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds. For almost 300 years, Catholic Charities agencies have worked to reduce poverty by providing a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from health care and job training to food and housing. For additional information, please visit our website at www.catholiccharitiesusa.org  

SOURCE Catholic Charities USA