S. Teresa Marie Laengle Honored
On March 24, 2022, S. Teresa Marie Laengle received the Company of Grace Award from the Ignatian Spirituality Project. The award is named in honor of the first lay companions of St. Ignatius of Loyola who dedicated themselves to serving the spiritual and material needs of the poor. With the award, ISP recognizes committed champions of the ministry, building a modern Company of Grace.
S. Teresa Marie is a lifetime educator and long-time champion of the ISP Dayton team. She helped to found the ISP Dayton team in 2010 and served as the women’s team coordinator for more than 11 years. Her tireless dedication to the women she ministered to and served will have a long-lasting impact on the Dayton team.
The award was presented to S. Teresa during a virtual celebration. Numerous ISP team members and coordinators were interviewed. A few of their comments are included below:
“As soon as I think of S. Teresa I think of love,” says Tammy, a team member and alumni. “She loves everybody no matter what, absolutely no matter who you are. When you walk in the door, when you meet S. Teresa, you feel love. She exudes love. She has showed me love, even when I failed, even when I messed up because none of us are perfect. She has never given up on me. Relapse is in my story, but during that time she never stopped loving me.”
Norm, coordinator of the Dayton men’s team, says, “She’s a woman of great faith and love of God. In our lives it’s a struggle in this culture to hang on to your faith, and then there’s those people that you look to as literally living saints. I would say for me S. Teresa has been a living saint.”
“I think she truly loves what she does, but the love that she has for the Lord shines through her,” says Margo, a team member. “I have never met such a beautiful person – her spirit, her smile. I’m tearing up just looking back on the years with her. They broke the mold when they made S. Teresa. She has been the rock when I felt like I was crumbling. Congratulations, S. Teresa, to the moon and back.”
Humbled by the honor, S. Teresa said, “I want to thank the national office for deciding that I would be the one to receive this award. And in many ways I receive it in the name of all of the people in Dayton who support ISP and work with me as a team. I thank you.”