The award is presented to an individual who perpetuates King's convictions to make justice, equality and opportunity a reality for all people.

Allison Cavazos, the executive director of Catholic Charities of Central Texas, is in awe of the gifts Father Nieli brings to her organization.

“I can call him with anything, and it’s, ‘When do you need me? Where do you need me? I’ll be there!’”

Father Nieli serves as spiritual chaplain and is a former board member of Catholic Charities. He has a home base at St. Austin Parish in Austin as he also does national and international evangelism and other ministry.

“Catholic Charities serves as the hands and feet of Jesus for people going through difficult times,” Cavazos said. “Father Bruce is the constant reminder of the why — why we do what we do. It is always about the dignity of the human person, respect for life in all stages.”

“You see that in his life,” Cavazos said. “It’s in the people he ministers to on the border, his preaching for life from conception to death. Our Catholic social teaching is central to the way he lives.”

Father Bruce grew up in Manhattan, New York, in a multicultural, multilingual and interreligious community. This helped attract him to the Paulist Order, whose founder, Servant of God Isaac Hecker, wanted to bring America’s diverse peoples together under the only faith group that miraculously carries a great number and variety of fish in a net that cannot break. (Jn 21:11)

Our Lady of Guadalupe has an important place in Father Bruce’s heart. “I have a prayer to her that we will all become one under her mantle, like how she brought together the indigenous and Spanish,” he said. “Pope Francis used to say, ‘Todos! Todos! Everyone across the aisle!’”

Father Bruce has a vast range of experience in ministering to as many kinds of people as he can. He has ties to the very beginnings of both the pro-life movement for the unborn and the Courage ministry to those who struggle with same sex-attraction. He served as a chaplain at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, and he worked for race relations from the motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. As a fluent Spanish speaker, he still makes frequent trips to Matamoros, Mexico, to minister to those trying to immigrate to the United States. He leads retreats and missions, singing on his guitar named Martin.

“As a Paulist, he is constantly welcoming the stranger,” Luisa de Poo said. She nominated Father Bruce for the award and serves the Austin Diocese as both the Secretariat Director of Life, Charity, and Justice and the director of Life, Family, and Marriage.

The award is meant to draw attention to the example of a person working in social justice. As the leader in both pro-life and social justice matters, de Poo is amazed at Father Bruce’s ability to seamlessly advocate for abundant life from conception to natural death. “He is a big pro-life advocate. He always connects pro-life issues to social concerns beyond a political issue.”

At Catholic Charities, Cavazos sees how he helps refugees, immigrants, the poor, the non-Catholics who ask for help, as well as the Catholic staff of the organization with such friendship and equality. “He is so genuine, so approachable, so welcoming to anyone and everyone,” she said. “It speaks volumes for our faith the way he draws people in.”

Father Bruce believes we are at a pivotal moment in society as political division threatens to destroy relationships. “Today, we have an opportunity and a challenge as Catholics to evangelize and reconcile others,” he said.

He sees the Catholic Church as the leader in every issue, with every kind of person. “We have all the ingredients — the ‘pizza supreme!’”

de Poo is proud to call Father Bruce a friend as she sees him work. “Any place he goes, when he is with the poor of any kind, if he is giving of himself, he is filling up his battery. For him, service is a win-win.”