North Dakota – Father Kenneth Phillips, pastor at the Church of St. Therese, the Little Flower, received the North Dakota Highway Patrol’s Colonel’s Award for Excellence after serving 30 years as a department chaplain.

The award was presented Oct. 7 at his parish by Lieutenant Matt Johnson. The honor recognizes efforts that benefit the Highway Patrol and the state. Phillips has served as a chaplain since the program began in 1994, supporting troopers, their families and crash victims’ relatives.

In a nomination letter, Sergeant Jenna Clawson Huibregtse said Phillips provided emotional, moral and spiritual support to officers and was consistently available to listen and counsel them. Phillips said his role included ride-alongs, counseling, and assisting at crash scenes, often offering comfort during difficult moments.

Phillips said his faith and prayer life helped him handle the demands of the role, and he said he most valued getting to know troopers and serving as a source of support. He added that his service included both serious and lighter moments, including joking that parishioners likely prefer his blessings to speeding tickets.