
Thursday, November 12, 2026
6:00 pm Cocktails
followed by dinner and presentation of the awards.
Hilton St. Louis Frontenac
1335 S Lindbergh Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63131
HONORING

Fr. Paul Hoesing
President-Rector, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
St. Louis, Missouri

His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo
Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Great Preacher Event Information
Tickets
Honorees

Fr. Paul Hoesing was appointed the president-rector of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary by St. Louis Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski, on July 1, 2022, for a five-year term. Fr. Hoesing had previously served as the Vice-Rector of Formation in 2019.
Fr. Hoesing is a rural native of the Omaha Archdiocese. He grew up in St. Boniface parish of Menominee, Nebraska. After graduating from the University of Saint Thomas (St. Paul, Minnesota) in 1998, he continued formation for the priesthood at the North American College and completed his Licentiate in Dogmatic Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome.
Ordained in 2002, Fr. Hoesing served three years as the Assistant Pastor of St. Bernard Parish in Omaha, Nebraska, with teaching and chaplaincy duties at Roncalli Catholic High School. He then served two years as the Associate Pastor at St. Patrick Parish in O'Neill, Nebraska, with teaching duties at St. Mary High School. He was appointed Director of Vocations in June of 2008 and elected President of the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors in 2013.
Since August 2015 he has been released by Archbishop Lucas to be the Dean of Seminarians and Director of Human Formation for Kenrick Seminary. He also serves as a faculty member of the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha, Nebraska.

An Aquinas alumnus and one of Aquinas Institute’s 100 Alumni for 100 Year, His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo was named as Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto on February 11, 2023, by Pope Francis and was installed as Archbishop on March 25, 2023. On October 6, 2024, Cardinal Leo was appointed by Pope Francis to the College of Cardinals with the Consistory that took place on December 7, 2024.
His Eminence was born in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada on June 30, 1971, to Italian immigrant parents †Francesco Leo and †Rosa Valente. He is the second of two brothers, Anthony being the elder. Cardinal Leo attended Eugenio Pacelli Elementary School, John F. Kennedy High School and CEGEP Vanier. He entered the Grand Séminaire de Montréal in 1990 and was ordained a priest for service to the Archdiocese of Montreal on December 14,1996. He served in different parish assignments in Montreal: assistant pastor at Our Lady of Consolata, parochial administrator of Saint-Joseph-de-RDP, and pastor of Saint-Raymond-de Peñafort until 2006 when he accepted the invitation to enroll in the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome and subsequently entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See where he served in Apostolic Nunciatures across the globe from 2006 until 2012. On January 9, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Chaplain of His Holiness, bestowing the title of Monsignor.
Upon his return to Canada, he joined the formation team of the Grand Séminaire de Montréal, teaching theology and philosophy while providing spiritual direction, formation and accompaniment to the candidates for the priesthood. In 2015 he was appointed General Secretary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), a mandate which came to an end in 2021. On February 1, 2022, he was named Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the Archdiocese of Montreal.
Cardinal Leo was appointed by the Holy Father as Titular Bishop of Tamada and Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal on July 16, 2022. He was ordained to the Episcopacy on September 12, 2022, in Mary Queen of the World Cathedral in Montreal. His episcopal motto, taken from the Gospel according to Saint John (John 2:5) is: “Quodcumque Dixerit Facite” (in English: “Do Whatever He Tells You”).
On September 29, 2023, the pallium was conferred onto him at St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica by the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, the Most Reverend Ivan Jurkovič.
In addition to his extensive graduate studies in Canon Law (Pontifical Lateran University) and Diplomacy and International Law, Cardinal Leo holds a Doctorate in Systematic Theology (University of Dayton ⁄ IMRI) with a specialization in Mariology, a Licentiate in Philosophy (Pontifical Lateran University), a Diploma in Classical Studies (Université de Montréal) and a Graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction (Aquinas Institute of Theology). He worked as a Judge for the Canadian Appeal Tribunal and has taught theology, spirituality and philosophy in Montreal, Canada; Canberra, Australia; Dayton, United States of America; and Ottawa, Canada, among other places.
Cardinal Leo speaks English, French, Italian, and Spanish. He is president and founding member of the Canadian Mariological Society and is also a member of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Domenic (Third Order Dominican).
His Eminence is Chancellor of the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies of Toronto; Chancellor and Chair of the Board of Governors of St. Augustine's Seminary of Toronto; Chair of the Board of Directors of the Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary of Toronto; and Chancellor of the University of St. Michael's College in the University of Toronto.
Furthermore, Cardinal Leo is Apostolic Chancellor of Catholic Missions in Canada; Ex officio member of the Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) Permanent Council as well as member of the National Episcopal Commission for Doctrine; Member of the Education Commission of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario (ACBO); Member of the Board of Directors of Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) Canada; Grand Prior of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Canada Toronto Lieutenancy; Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion for The Sovereign Military Order of Malta - Canadian Association, and Member of the Knights of Columbus. He received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in August 2025.
For the Holy See, Cardinal Leo was appointed as Member of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts in January 2025, a Member of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue in July 2025, and a Member of the Dicastery for Clergy in August 2025.
Sponsorships
Great Preacher Award Sponsorship Opportunities
Presenting Sponsorship - Friends of Thomas Aquinas - $25,000
- Two tables of ten, preferred seating
- Sponsorship name listed on event invitation
- Sponsorship name and logo acknowledged in the event program and on the Aquinas Institute website
- Full page color ad in event program with your logo and messaging
- Two exclusively branded social media posts
Friends of Dominic - $10,000
- Two tables of eight, preferred seating
- Sponsorship name and logo acknowledged in the event program and on the Aquinas Institute website
- Full page color ad in event program with your logo and messaging
- Social media posts highlighting our sponsors
Friends of Catherine of Siena - $5,000
- One table of eight, preferred seating
- Sponsorship name and logo acknowledged in the event program and on the Aquinas Institute website
- Half page color ad in event program with your logo and messaging
- Social media posts highlighting our sponsors
Table Sponsorship - $2,500
- One table of eight, preferred seating
- Sponsorship name and logo acknowledged in the event program and on the Aquinas Institute website
* Required
Past Honorees
1995 Reverend James Cormack, C.M.
1996 Joseph Cardinal Bernardin +
1997 Monsignor James T. Telthorst +
1998 Reverend John F. Kavanaugh, SJ +
1999 Most Reverend Paul A. Zipfel +
2000 Reverend Gary Braun
2001 Sister Joan Delaplane, OP
2002 Wilton Cardinal Gregory
2003 Reverend Donald R. Wester
2004 Reverend Joseph Kempf
2005 Monsignor William A. Drennan +
2006 Reverend Dale Wunderlich
2007 Reverend James Krings +
2008 Monsignor Patrick Hambrough
2009 Monsignor Vincent Bommarito
2010 Francis Cardinal George, OMI +
2011 Reverend Mr. Dennis Chitwood
2012 Most Reverend J. Terry Steib, SVD
2013 Monsignor Michael E. Turek, VF
2014 Bishop Emeritus Robert J. Shaheen +
2015 Most Reverend Robert Barron
2016 Monsignor William J. Hitpas and Reverend John Rogers Vien
2017 Reverend Edward Stanger and Reverend Jeffrey H. Goeckner
2018 Monsignor John Costello + and Reverend Matthew O’Toole
2019 Reverend Charles E. Bouchard, OP and Reverend Craig Holway
2020 Reverend Harry Byrne, OP and Reverend Jude Siciliano, OP
2021 Sister Mary Catherine Hilkert, OP and Reverend Ralph Siefert, SM +
2022 Monsignor James Ramacciotti and Reverend Edward Foley, OFM Cap
2023 Most Reverend Mitchell T. Rozanski and Reverend Paul Whittington, OP
2024 Very Reverend Chris Martin, VE, DMin and St. Margaret of Scotland Music Ministry
2025 Emil Frei & Associates and Reverend Paul Murray, OP
Event Program Ads
Information for Event Program Advertising
Artwork submission deadline: October 31st
For Congratulations Wall messages, submit copy no later than October 31st
Program Trim Size: 7" x 9"
| Ad Size | Width | Height | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Page | 7" | 9" | $500 |
| Half Page (vertical) | 3.125" | 8.5" | $300 |
| Half Page (horizontal) | 6.5" | 4.125" | $300 |
| Quarter Page | 3.125" | 4.125" | $150 |
| Congratulations Wall Message* | $50 |
* - thirty (30) word limit
Full Page Bleed Ads: Extend bleed .125” past trim on all sides. Keep all live matter .25” away from trim edges.
Digital Specifications: High resolution, press-optimized PDF files with crop marks required. Fonts must be embedded. Convert all colors to CMYK, minimum 300 dpi.
Ad Design Service: Send copy, logo and/or photos. Logos should be provided in vector format or high resolution jpg. Logos and images should CMYK and a minimum of 300 dpi.
* Required
Established in 1995, the Great Preacher Award is presented to those who embody the “Holy Preaching” which Dominicans understand as a comprehensive and dynamic response to God’s presence in our lives and in the world. We honor preachers who proclaim, in word and deed, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the coming and presence of the reign of God.
