Catherine and Sal Nalli
Celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year, Catherine and Sal Nalli were both born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey. They are the proud parents of five children and have ten grandchildren. They’ve lived in many communities, relocating eight times as Sal’s career progressed. Involvement in parish life, particularly in CCD and Sacrament preparation classes has always been important to them. Catherine believes she was prepared for a life of service by her family, beginning with her paternal grandfather, who was an advocate for immigrants.
Sal’s position with Lexmark brought them to Lexington in 1991, where they’ve been members of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish and most recently the Cathedral of Christ the King. Sal is the recent past president of the cathedral council and the general chair of the Capital Campaign at the Cathedral. Catherine currently serves on the cathedral council. In 2010, they were recipients of the Bishop’s Recognition Award for Diocesan Service.
Beyond the doors of the Cathedral, the Nalli’s serve the community through the Serra Club where Sal is a member and the Ashland Estate, the home of Henry Clay, where Catherine serves as a docent. She’s also a committee member for the Decorator’s Showcase which benefits the Nursing Home Ombudsman Program.
Catherine and Sal both serve on the board of Catholic Charities. Catherine recently replaced Sal as board president. Their service to Catholic Charities began six years ago and their contributions include the development of a strategic plan for the agency, initiating the name change from Catholic Social Service Bureau to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Lexington, and re-activating the subcommittee structure. They’ve also assisted in the management, catering and marketing of the annual “La Fete du Mai” fundraiser.
As members of the Parish Relationship subcommittee, Catherine and Sal have crossed the Diocese; visiting Morehead, Mt. Sterling, Owingsville, David, Harrodsburg, Stanton, Campton, Carlisle, and Corbin. Those travels helped assess the needs of Catholic parishes in those communities and promote the work of Catholic Charities.
In their own words, this exposure reconfirmed their commitment to the agency. “This has been an overwhelming experience for us to see how Catholic Charities of the Lexington Diocese fulfills its mission, as we visit the areas in Eastern Kentucky and we seek every opportunity to promote our mission. CCLD is blessed with a fine Director and staff dedicated to serving the needs of our clients.”
It is an honor to present Catherine and Sal Nalli as recipients of the Sister Fran Moore Award for 2011.