Olympic Gold Shines on Hmong Associates and Oblates
Tewksbury, MA
By Harry Winter, OMI
Fr. Harry Winter, on left and Fr. Luc Bouchard, on right wear the T-shirts signed by Olympic gold medal gymnastic champion Sunisa Lee, niece of Kou and Joua Ly who are Oblate Associates and leaders of the Hmong Catholic Community at St. Patrick’s Church, St. Paul, MN. This is the third visit of Kou and Joua to our retired at Tewksbury. In addition to his activities as an Associate, Kou has completed the first year of the three year permanent deaconate program for the Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Fr. Winter was very active with the Oblate Associates and the Hmong community while living in St. Paul. Fr. Bouchard spent many years ministering to the Hmong people as a missionary in Laos.
Since returning from Tokyo, it’s been a busy time for the young lady. Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan proclaimed Friday, July 30, 2021, as Sunisa Lee Day in the State of Minnesota, which was followed the next day by a similar proclamation by Mayor Melvin Carter in the City of St. Paul. MN.