On August 8, winners of the Knights of Columbus scholarship essay contest received their awards following the Lifeteen Mass at St. Columba parish in Dothan. Recent high school graduates Daniel Burque, Samantha McCormick, Emily Pologruto, Juan Rostro and Andrea Sanchez each received a check for their future education from Grand Knight Bill Clements. Father Jim Dane offered his congratulations.

 Contest entrants were required to submit a 750-1000 word essay that answered three questions 1) Who am I? —my background, talents and interests; 2) Where will I be in five years? —my dreams, education and plans for the future; 3) How does my faith shape my goals?  A review committee, comprised of Knights Brad Baum, Tom Blindauer, Dan Burque and Robert Keyes, read the submitted essays with the authors’ names removed, and determined the winners. Awards were funded by the estate of the late Father Maher, who was devoted to the youth of the church.

Patrick Maher was born in Ireland in 1927. Following his ordination as a Catholic priest in 1953, he emigrated to the Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama. In his many years as priest and pastor throughout the Diocese of Mobile, he was loved and appreciated by the people he served. In 2010 he retired at the age of 83 to live in residence at St. Columba parish in Dothan, Alabama. He is remembered for his constant reminder of God’s unconditional love and his famous saying, “God is madly in love with you!”