The couple was chosen for the 2024 award, which each year honors returned Maryknoll lay missioners for continued service to mission and justice.
By Jennifer Tomshack
This year’s recipients of the prestigious Bishop McCarthy Spirit of Mission Award are Frank and Josie Cuda, who were celebrated on Sunday at their home parish for their lifelong commitment to justice and service after their time as Maryknoll lay missioners.
The award presentation took place on Oct. 27, 2024 at the Catholic Church of the Nativity in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, with Elvira Ramírez, executive director of Maryknoll Lay Missioners, giving the award.
“As we celebrate World Mission Month this October, and as the Maryknoll Lay Missioners prepare to celebrate 50 years of advancing and deepening our commitment to God’s mission, we are inspired by the lives of Josie and Frank Cuda,” Ramírez said. “Your ‘yes’ to God, your ‘yes’ to encountering others, and your ‘yes’ to putting faith in action in service to those who are in need has changed the world. Josie and Frank, your lives affirm the past 50 years of Maryknoll Lay Missioners and give us hope and energy for the next 50 years.”
The Cudas’ mission journey
The Cudas’ journey began when they first felt a calling to ministry in their youth. After meeting on a retreat team, their friendship blossomed into marriage, uniting their shared passion for mission.
The couple sought opportunities to pursue their vocation together, ultimately finding their calling with Maryknoll Lay Missioners. They were among the first three members of the inaugural class in 1975, alongside George Gieselman, paving the way for future lay missioners.
Frank and Josie served as Maryknoll lay missioners in Cochabamba, Bolivia for six years. When they returned to the United States, they worked at the Maryknoll Lay Missioners office in New York. They later spent over 40 years serving in Elkins, West Virginia, engaging deeply with the Appalachian community, focusing on healthcare, housing, and youth empowerment initiatives.
Frank, a family nurse practitioner for 35 years, made a lasting impact in the community, even vaccinating generations of the same families. Josie served as executive director of the Randolph County Housing Authority, where she oversaw the development of over 100 homes and 30 apartment units. In recognition of her contributions to affordable housing, she was inducted into the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame by Habitat for Humanity of West Virginia in 2014.
“There is so much more that could be said about the lives the Cudas touched and the communities they helped to develop, both overseas in Bolivia and over the mountains in Appalachia, but I would be remiss not to mention the mutual transformation that has transpired over the years because Josie and Frank opened themselves to God’s love in their lives,” Ramírez said. “They are great examples of what Pope Francis calls ‘missionary disciples.’”
Bishop McCarthy’s legacy lives on
The Cudas’ remarkable journey embodies the mission spirit that Bishop McCarthy championed throughout his life.
Established in 2019, the Bishop McCarthy Spirit of Mission Award honors the legacy of the late Bishop John E. McCarthy of Austin, Texas, a fervent advocate for lay participation in the church and a steadfast supporter of Maryknoll Lay Missioners. Bishop McCarthy, who served as bishop from 1985 until his passing in 2018, was instrumental in promoting social justice initiatives, especially for migrants and refugees.
Featured image: The award presentation took place on Oct. 27, 2024 at the Catholic Church of the Nativity in Thompson’s Station, Tennessee, with Elvira Ramírez, executive director of Maryknoll Lay Missioners, giving the award.
