Tamara Krogman receives papal award following 25 years of service to the Church

Tamara Krogman, Administrative Assistant for the Chancellor and Liturgy Office for the Diocese of Fargo, received the Benemerenti medal on June 27 during a casual gathering at the Pastoral Center in Fargo. The Benemerenti is a medal awarded by the Pope to members of the clergy and laity for service to the Catholic Church. “Benemerenti” literally translates to “good merit.”

Bishop John Folda nominated Tamara for the award following her 25 years of service to the Diocese of Fargo, Cathedral of St. Mary, and the Queen of Peace Retreat Center, formerly in Fargo.

“Mrs. Krogman has been a passionate servant of the Catholic Church for many years,” said Bishop Folda in his letter of proposal for Tamara to receive the award. “Prior to working for the Diocese of Fargo, she was involved with an international evangelization and retreat ministry…. Mrs. Krogman has continuously volunteered at the Cathedral of St. Mary for decades. She has been crucial in caring for the facilities, initiating and carrying out numerous evangelization and social projects, and assisting with stewardship and financial development. She has taken a keen interest in preparing the next generation of volunteers in her parish. Her dedication to Christ and His Church is exemplary. Her faithful, competent, and absolutely reliable service in the background has been and remains a crucial lynchpin in the work of the Church in the Diocese of Fargo.”

The Benemerenti depicts the image of Christ on a gold Greek cross. The Savior, depicted in radiant splendor, has his hand raised in blessing. On the left is the tiara and crossed keys symbol of the papacy. On the right is the coat of arms of Pope Francis. On the reverse is the word “benemerenti.” The medal is suspended from a ribbon of the papal colors, yellow and white.

In addition to her administrative duties, Tamara is also the Diocesan events caterer.
“I am honored to receive the award,” said Tamara. “Much of what I do is in the background, behind the scenes or in the kitchen so it is nice to know that what I do is appreciated. I have enjoyed my time working for the Diocese, and working and volunteering at the Cathedral. I have been challenged to grow in many ways and love having a variety of tasks to do. I have been very blessed to be able to work with our priests in a unique way, and they are very patient in receiving my email reminders when paperwork is due.”