St. John XXIII’s 2025 Vision Keeper Award Recipients

This year’s St. John XXIII recipients for the IAE Vision Keeper Award are Paula A. Haynes and Mireya Terrazas. The award recognizes individuals from the community who have made notable contributions to outreach efforts supporting disadvantaged members within both the parish and the wider community.

​Paula A. Haynes is a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, assisting individuals in Central and South Evanston who require emergency financial or food support. She has held leadership roles at the parish, regional, and Archdiocesan levels within the organization. Additionally, she routinely participates in St. John XXIII’s efforts to prepare and serve meals at the Thursday Evening Soup Kitchen at First United Methodist Church.

​Mireya is an important bridge builder between our English and Spanish speaking communities. She is a faithful leader of Pastoral Migratoria, a ministry serving immigrants across the Archdiocese. Mireya also participates on the Leadership Team for Somos Uno, the parish Migrant Ministry, assisting with assessing the needs of immigrants and their families, organizing prayer services, hosting workshops, facilitating regular legal consultations for parishioners, and supporting parish accompaniment initiatives for asylum-seeking families.

To attend the Vision Keeper Dinner on Sunday, October 26, 2025 at 5:30 pm (Hilton Orrington Hotel, Grand Ballroom, 1710 Orrington Ave, Evanston, IL), contact the parish office by Tuesday, Oct. 8th. Cost is $90 per person. The event honors the Vision Keepers with proceeds supporting Interfaith Action's hospitality for the homeless, including their overnight shelters, warming centers, and soup kitchens.