Transitional House for Women
Receives Cardinal’s Encouragement Award

June 1, Houston, Texas – Angela’s House, a transitional residential facility to prepare formerly incarcerated women for productive lives in society, received the Cardinals Encouragement Award from the Catholic University of America in recognition of the agency’s invaluable service.

Cardinal DiNardo and Reverend Dan O’Connell, President of Catholic University of America, present Sister Maureen with the Cardinals Encouragement Award

“It was a great honor for the women of Angela House to know that such a respected University was aware of and supportive of them,” said Sister Maureen O’Connell, OP, on accepting the award during the 20^th Annual American Cardinals Dinner, held at the end of April in Houston. The mission of Angela House is twofold: “to serve formerly incarcerated women, but also to engage members of the community in this very critical ministry,” Sister Maureen continued. “The recognition we received on Friday accomplished both aspects and I was thrilled. Because of the generosity of so many, we are able to create an environment of safety, trust and nurturance.”

The Cardinals Encouragement Award included a check for $10,000 for Angela House, which was opened in July, 2001 in Houston. The mission of Angela House is to “provide, with sensitivity to the unique needs of women after incarceration, a safe place where they can live, grow and become the kind of person they want to be.”

Sister Maureen addresses the attendees of the Catholic University of America scholarship fundraiser

As of December, 2008, Angela House has served 116 women from the Houston area. The women make a commitment to at least four months in the program, which includes individual and group counseling; educational counseling and tutoring, leading in many cases to a GED; job training; and programs such as parent education, anger control, budget and life skills classes; and family and crisis counseling.

Residents are encouraged to set realistic goals and to make wise choices in their lives, helping them to enhance their self-esteem, develop personal growth initiatives and “empower them to lead lives with dignity in their community and with their families.” Through the after-care program, former residents are asked to give back service to Angela House and, in turn, receive ongoing support as needed in their own lives.

The Catholic University of America’s Cardinals Dinner, established in 1989, has over the years raised $25 million to help meet the expenses of students who need financial support so that they can receive the education they need to serve society as leaders.

Dan Donohoe; Maureen; Shelley Robson-Angela House Bd. President Elect; Archbishop Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio; Tammie Brown, Angela House Program Director; Cardinal Rigali; Adam Szczepanski, Angela House Bd. President; Connie Donohoe