Gala 2018

Friends, faculty, Board members, and staff of Catholic Distance University gathered to celebrate 35 Years of Serving the New Evangelization on Saturday, November 3rd, 2018, at the St. John Paul II Shrine in Washington, DC. The Basilica of St. Mary of Alexandria, Virginia, received the Bishop Thomas J. Welsh Parish Award. The Master of Ceremonies was Helen Alvaré, Professor of Law at George Mason University School of Law.

Attendees viewed a special multimedia exhibit on the life of Pope St. John Paul II, and this year’s Silent Auction featured exciting trips to exotic locations.

To learn more, view the video below.

Gala Hosts

Dr. Charles R. Wasaff, Chairman of the Board of Trustees

The Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees and University Chancellor

Gala Chair

The Honorable Susan R. Malone


Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA

Archdiocese of Washington

Basilica of Saint Mary

The Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio

The Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge

The Most Reverend Paul S. Loverde

The Most Reverend Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio

Diocese of Arlington

Diocese of Brooklyn

AmFund

Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Braddock

Tony Braddock

Mr. Daniel F. Curtin

EWTN Global Catholic Network, Inc.

Drs. Angelo & Eileen Giardino

Good Shepherd Catholic Church

Mrs. Geraldine Hall

Mrs. Jean Halle & Mr. Glenn Davis

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Hertz

Mr. & Mrs. Sam & Ann Hinojosa

Mrs. Claire Huang

Mr. & Mrs. Peter D. Jones

Ms. Barbara Keebler & Mr. Terrence Giroux

Korte Realty

The Hon. Susan R. Malone & Col. George Malone

Mr. & Mrs. John F. McCabe

Mrs. Sandra Andreas McMurtrie

Dr. Margaret Melady

Mrs. Blanche Moore

Dr. Marianne Evans Mount

Mrs. Barbara Murphy

Mr. & Mrs. Roger Naill

Napa Institute

Mr. & Mrs. William Page

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey P.F. Petrino

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Pryor

Dr. & Mrs. Fritz Scheuren

Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Smith

St. Theresa Catholic Church

St. Agnes Catholic Church

St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

St. Matthew Catholic Church

The Catholic University of America

Dr. and Mrs. Charles R. Wasaff

Mr. & Mrs. Harry T. Wilkins

We would be honored to have you join us at our annual Gala. Not only will you be supporting our award winner and graduates, you will also be supporting the only exclusively online Catholic university in the ACCU.  As CDU’s only annual fundraiser, the Gala provides much needed revenue to fulfill our strategic mission for Catholic online education that nurtures the spiritual and intellectual life of Catholics around the globe.  CDU’s sole focus is online theological and religious education.

In 1983, Bishop Thomas Welsh founded CDU to bring the truth of Christ and His Church to the world through online distance education. CDU’s web-based learning community enhances adult faith formation and enables access to accredited degree programs in theology simply with a connection to the Internet.  Today, our graduates are proof that CDU’s digital learning is transformative. Nine out of ten graduates are using their knowledge in roles that serve the Church. For many students, CDU is their only option to enhance their professional work, to prepare for careers in the Church, to volunteer in parishes and dioceses, and to be parents who are both witnesses and missionary disciples, speaking with passion and knowledge about the faith. All this is accomplished at less than half the cost of attending a traditional Catholic university or college and would not be possible without the generosity of people like you.

Your generous donation to our annual event enables us to provide transformative Catholic education in fidelity to the teachings of the Church anytime, anywhere around the world, delivered 24/7 to smart phones and tablets, iPhones and iPads!  You make it possible for CDU to serve the underserved and those who serve, and to achieve our great mission to “Teach all Nations” by communicating the mind and heart of the Church in a digital world.  Your gift:

  • Educates American service men and women deployed around the world.
  • Prepares directors of religious education, teachers, and catechists to teach, promote, and defend the Catholic faith
  • Brings the healing Word of God to Catholic prison inmates who take courses to deepen their faith and evangelize fellow inmates.
  • Supports Mission Dioceses with scholarships for strong lay leaders.
  • Holds down tuition rates. Most graduates share their knowledge and serve the Church.
  • Supports isolated and marginalized Catholics around the globe with online campus resources.

Your generosity answers the need of the Church to provide transformative religious education in an online format that is essential for the New Evangelization so frequently mentioned by Pope Saint John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis.  Understanding and sharing our Faith will transform individuals, communities and cultures around the globe.  Thank you for supporting CDU’s 2018 Gala.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Previous Honorees:

2017 – Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, SJ, PhD

2016 – Carl A. Anderson

Supreme Knight of The Knights of Columbus

2016 – His Excellency Most Reverend William E. Lori

Archbishop of Baltimore and Supreme Chaplain of Knights of Columbus

2015 – Helen Alvare, JD

Professor of Law, George Mason University

2014 – His Excellency The Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio

Archbishop for the Military Services

2014 – His Excellency The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio

Bishop of Brooklyn

2013 – Barbara & Tim Murphy

2012 – Dr. Margaret & Ambassador Thomas Melady

2011 – His Excellency, The Most Reverend Pietro Sambi

Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America

2011 – Joseph and Bertha Braddock

2010 – His Excellency, The Most Reverend Paul S. Loverde

Bishop of Arlington

2010 – EWTN

Mr. Michael Warsaw, Chairman of the Board

Previous Honorees:

2017 – St. James the Greater

Rev. John S. Ledford

2017 – St. Veronica Catholic Church

Rev. Dennis W. Kleinmann

2016 – Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church

Rev. John D. Kelly

2015 – Good Shepherd Catholic Church

Rev. Thomas Ferguson

2014 – St. John the Apostle Roman Catholic Church

Rev. John P. Mosimann

2013 – St. Mary Catholic Church

Rev.  Dennis W. Kleinmann

2012 – Holy Spirit Catholic Church

Rev.  John M. O’Donohue

2011 – St. Raymond of Penafort Catholic Church

2010 – St. Agnes Catholic Church

Rev. Frederick H. Edlefsen