Archdiocese honors a couple who exudes joy, generosity and a hope rooted in faith

Archbishop Charles C. Thompson poses for a photo with Laura Jo and Glenn Tebbe, recipients of the archdiocese’s 2025 Legacy Award during the Legacy Gala in Indianapolis on Feb. 7. (Photo courtesy of Denis Kelly)

By John Shaughnessy

For all couples, there is a beginning moment of wondrous connection.

For couples called to marriage, that connection leads to a joyous commitment to share a life together.

The connection between Glenn and Laura Jo Tebbe began as students at Brookville High School when he suddenly noticed how special she was during their history class as juniors.

Their commitment to each other now includes four children, 10 grandchildren and 53 years of marriage. And all through these years, their dedication to Catholic education and their Catholic faith has been just as strong, leading the couple to be honored with the Legacy Award during the archdiocese’s Legacy Gala at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis on Feb. 7.

“It’s wonderful to share this honor with her because we’ve been a team, and we’ve had to be a team in raising our kids, in our vocational work, in so many ways,” Glenn said.

Laura Jo was a beloved teacher at St. Mary School in Greensburg for 18 years and continues to volunteer there, helping students in one-on-one interactions while also serving as an extraordinary minister of holy Communion at the parish church. And Glenn’s contributions to the archdiocese and the Church now extend to 50 years.

He served as a Catholic school teacher for three years, a Catholic school principal for 18 years, and the leader of the Indiana Non-Public Education Association (INPEA) for 10 years. He was also the head of the Indiana Catholic Conference (ICC), the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in the state, for 16 years. And since retiring in 2020, he has volunteered for INPEA and done consulting for the ICC.

In a video shared at the gala, which was attended by about 1,100 people, the Tebbes, both 75, are shown holding hands like teenagers as they walked along the halls of St. Mary School in Greensburg. It’s the setting where Laura Jo continues to touch lives and where Glenn served 18 years as principal, after a year of teaching at St. Lawrence School in Lawrenceburg and two years of teaching at St. Louis School in Batesville.

“Looking back on the history of it, he certainly has been on the front line in working with Catholic education,” Laura Jo said about her husband. “It’s combined every part of his being to give to the Church. His brain, his heart, every part—he shares with others.”

Glenn nodded toward her and added with a smile, “You don’t go anywhere in this town that people don’t remember Mrs. Tebbe fondly.”

As a couple, the 1971 graduates of Marian University in Indianapolis often complete and complement each other’s thoughts, which led Laura Jo to say, “We’ve never had jobs that we weren’t involved with the Church. We’ve never wanted jobs other than ones where we were involved with the Church. And we’ve been lucky. We’ve been really lucky that that’s always happened for us.”

In its fifth year, the archdiocese’s Legacy Gala is a celebration of the gifts that the archdiocese shares with many people across central and southern Indiana—through its 68 Catholic schools, its extensive outreach of Catholic Charities agencies, and its formation of seminarians at Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis, where young men are prepared to become the next generation of priests. (Related story: ‘The Best Gift Ever’ is featured in three different ways of hope at the gala)

These three ministries offer so much hope to people in central and southern Indiana, Archbishop Charles C. Thompson told the gala audience. He noted that emphasizing a focus on hope has been at the heart of the Church and the archdiocese in two other major celebrations in recent months.

“The National Eucharistic Congress was held this past summer in Indianapolis,” the archbishop said in his opening comments. “The theme of the Congress, ‘Go Forth,’ calls us to share God’s eucharistic presence with the world as pilgrims of hope. This gathering is a testament to that call as we come together as one family in faith to support the critical ministries that are shaping the future of our Church.”

He added, “Pope Francis has designated this year as a special Jubilee Year of Hope, and we are reminded of God’s abundant grace and the opportunity to reflect on the richness of our faith and our shared journey. It’s a time of renewal, of rejoicing in the blessings we have received, and of looking forward with hope to the work that lies ahead.”

Those themes resounded throughout the gala.

It was an evening filled with joy, from the seminarians at Bishop Simon Bruté Seminary beginning the program with a beautiful rendition of “Salve Regina” to co-emcee Grace Trahan-Rodecap ending the program by leading a group in sharing “An Irish Blessing” with everyone at the gala.

It was also an evening marked by generosity as the fifth annual event raised nearly $540,000—aided by co-emcee Rafael Sanchez overseeing a spirited and competitive live auction of a guitar played and signed by music megastar Taylor Swift, which eventually sold for $7,000.

And most of all, it was an evening of hope—the hope, rooted in faith, that people can give each other, the hope that makes a difference in someone’s life, the hope that Catholics, at their best, try to bring into people’s lives not just during a special Jubilee year but in every year.

And all the joy, generosity and hope that marked the evening fittingly led to the spotlight being focused on the Tebbes, who have strived to live their lives with joy, generosity and a hope rooted in faith.

In its Legacy Award, the archdiocese’s gala also celebrates people who have made outstanding contributions to living the faith and sharing the faith in a way that has touched the lives of so many. And the Tebbes have done that individually and together, Archbishop Thompson told the gala audience.

“Glenn and Laura Jo have devoted themselves not only to their professional vocations but also to the mission of the Church in very meaningful ways,” the archbishop said as the Tebbes stood nearby, holding hands.

“Together, Glenn and Laura Jo have made a legacy of service that extends from the classrooms of St. Mary’s to the halls of our state legislature, from the pews of their home parish to the hearts of all who have been touched by their work. Their lives are a living testament to the power of faith, service and commitment to the greater good, always with their eyes fixed on Jesus Christ.

“Their efforts to advance Catholic education, support the Church and lift up those around them will inspire generations to come, because they’ve always been Christ-centered.”

As the archbishop presented the award to the Tebbes, the gala audience rose to a standing ovation for the couple.

A short while later, Trahan-Rodecap ended the program with the singing of “An Irish Blessing,” sharing its final lyric with gusto, “And everywhere you go, may the peace of the Lord follow you!”

That last lyric seemed to capture the feeling that the Tebbe had about the evening and the journey of their life together.

Laura Jo said the best part of the evening was sharing it with family and friends, including all of their children and grandchildren.

“It’s just overwhelming,” Glenn said with a huge smile. “There have been so many people who have been gracious and giving. Laura Jo and I are just humbled by it all.

“We loved what we did. What more can you ask than that?”

If you would like to contribute to the work of Catholic Charities, Catholic Schools and Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary, visit www.archindy.org/LegacyGala. †