Bishop Thomas John Paprocki Named 2011 LIFE Runner of the Year

May 8, 2012 | MariaNews.com

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki Named 2011 LIFE Runner of the Year; LIFE Runners Numbers Swell to Largest Team Running in October St. Louis Marathon

(St. Louis, MO) – The National LIFE Runners Chaplain, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, Catholic Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, was named LIFE Runner of the Year by the National LIFE Runners Board of Directors this past weekend.  Bishop Paprocki has competed in18 marathons including the 2011 Kansas City Waddell Reed Marathon in which he ran as one of the 170 member team of the LIFE Runners.  He was also the keynote speaker at the LIFE Runners Pre-race Banquet last year and raised/donated $2,000 towards the total of $35,000 that the team raised for two pregnancy care centers.  Bishop Paprocki is a LIFE Group Devotions guest author as well as the Springfield-IL LIFE Runners Chapter chaplain.

This is the first year the group has honored a member of their team.  Following the untimely passing of the Patriarch of the National LIFE Runners, Joseph Castle, a memorial was established in his name for the National LIFE Runners.  LIFE Runner Coach and Leader, Dr. Pat Castle said, “My Dad’s memorial fund was given to support our life-saving team. In honor of Dad’s role in the formation of the National LIFE Runners Team, this recognition will be presented by his LIFE Runner spouse, Kathy R. Castle, at the Pre-race Banquet (20 Oct in St. Louis). On the plaque is the 2011 Kansas City Marathon medal that Fr. Jonathan St. Andre, LIFE Runners member and Director of Vocations for the Franciscan Friars, Loretto, PA. sent to my Mom.  He wrote, “in memory of Joe…who became a part of my LIFE Runners experience that weekend.”   Joseph (Sioux Falls, SD) was the Father of LIFE Runner founders Steve and Pat Castle.

As the National LIFE Runners begin their official training, June 17, for the October marathon in St. Louis, they are already the largest team (>150) planning to race the 21 Oct St. Louis Rock-n-Roll half/full Marathon.  Race officials told Castle that even though they officially don’t register teams, unofficially they have not seen any teams larger than 100.  LIFE Runners hope to have over 262 official LIFE Runners in St. Louis this year.  With the half/full marathon training schedule starting in June/July, it’s time to get signed up for the team:  www.LIFErunners.org/signup/

The National LIFE Runners Team sprinted through the Kansas City Wadell Reed Marathon/Half Marathon and 5K last October wearing the LIFE Runner blue t-shirts (click here to see photos).  “They are all running billboards with the message, ‘REMEMBER the Unborn’ on their backs for all to see,” Castle said.  Ultimately we are running to cross the finish line that ends abortion.” There are a total of 469 LIFE Runners nationwide.  Read about other recent activity of the LIFE Runners here http://liferunners.org/partners/.

The National LIFE Runners Team prays, runs, raises money for pregnancy help centers and builds awareness on the issue of abortion.  They are known for the shirts they wear in events all around the country that carry the message: “REMEMBER The Unborn, Jer 1:5”.  LIFE Runners participate in races from 1 mile to full marathon and seek out financial sponsorships for the pregnancy help centers they support which changes with each event.  They have 27 official chapters with 6 more pending (in 17 states) and over 450 teammates (in 25 states).  Photos are on the following page.

Learn more:  LIFERunners.org

Subscribe to MariaNews.com