FutureChurch is honored to present the 2026 Christine Schenk Award for Young Catholic Leaders to Mollie Clark, AnnaMarie Pacione, and Lauryn Sweeney in recognition of their founding of the Catholic Women Speak conference at Fordham University, and for ensuring its future by recruiting and forming the next generation of student leaders to carry the work forward.

As students, Mollie, AnnaMarie, and Lauryn founded Catholic Women Speak, an annual conference at Fordham that has reached more than 250 people since it began in 2024. Today, Lauryn teaches middle school religion through Notre Dame’s ACE program, and Mollie and AnnaMarie serve with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. In presenting the award, FutureChurch Director of Community Engagement Martha Ligas said, “I was truly in awe of the way the Spirit moved through these young women. … They are the leaders that our Church needs.”

In their acceptance remarks, the three friends honor one another. They tell stories from their organizing, including the day they decided that no one would sit in a bigger presider’s chair at their communion service, and they describe a faith rooted in relationship. Drawing on feminist theologians, they also name what each is proud of in herself. And they share the blessing they offered at the close of every conference liturgy: “I bless you. I need you. The world needs you. God needs you. This is your place in the Church.”

The Sr. Christine Schenk Award for Young Catholic Leaders is given to a young Catholic whose research, writing, advocacy, or ministry exhibits outstanding leadership in promoting justice in the Church, and whose efforts will inspire and foster a new generation of reformers and activists.