Bishop gives Scouts Religious Awards

By Tanya Connor  | The Catholic Free Press

Youth were encouraged to develop a relationship with Jesus, spread his word and be open to a vocation Saturday.
They were attending the annual Scouting Religious Awards Mass at St. Paul Cathedral to receive religious medals they have earned in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), Girl Scouts of America (GSA) or American Heritage Girls (AHG).
Bishop McManus presented the awards to the youth from the Worcester Diocese, and a few from the Archdiocese of Boston and Diocese of Manchester, N.H., who are affiliated with parishes here. One awardee unable to attend was Aidan Taber, from St. Mary Parish, Shrewsbury, but currently living in Singapore, said Deacon William H. White, episcopal liaison for Scouting.
He said sometimes a Boy Scout council overlaps dioceses, there is one Girl Scout council for the entire state and the American Heritage Girls do not have councils.
After the youth received their awards, John Atlas, chairman of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting, presented the Quality Diocese Award to Bishop McManus. Deacon White said the diocesan committee has met the requirements to receive this award from the National Catholic Committee on Scouting most years in recent times.
Deacon White announced the adults who are to receive awards at the diocesan Adult Scouting Awards dinner June 9 at St. Joseph Parish Center in Auburn.  
In his homily, Deacon White said love is the most important thing people can share with one another, and that God too wants people to love him back. He talked about developing friendships by studying or playing with others.
“And that’s what God wants us to do with his Son, Jesus … to get to know him,” such as by reading the Bible, he said. “If you don’t go to church regularly, if you don’t study your faith, it’s easy to slip away.”
He noted that the youth have worked to earn their religious medals and have learned a little about their faith, a good grounding for receiving the sacrament of confirmation.
He encouraged them to ask whether God is calling them to become a religious sister or brother, deacon or priest someday. If they feel he is, “take the time to explore that call,” he said. He said they might find God is not calling them to such vocations, but they might find that he is.
God asks people to spread his word, and one does not have to be a religious sister or brother to do that, he said.
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Following are the names of the awards and recipients, and their parishes, towns and group affiliations. The Boy Scouts are also identified by their council: Mohegan Council (MC), Mayflower Council (MAY), Nashua Valley Council (NVC), Far East Council (FEC) and Daniel Webster Council (DWC).

Youth Awards:
God is Love
Octavia Feeley, St. Edward the Confessor, Westminster, GSA
Spirit Alive
Kaley Somers, St. Bernadette, Northborough, AHG
Elise Probst, St. Joseph the Good Provider, Boylston, AHG

I Live My Faith
Chelsea Marie Mayone, St. Mary, Shrewsbury, GSA
Alison Regan, St. Anne/St. Patrick, Brookfield, GSA
Lillian G. Eagan, St. Anne /St. Patrick, Brookfield, GSA
Ella Reed, St. John Paul II, Sturbridge, GSA

Mary the First
Disciple
Catherine Fleming, St. Peter, Worcester, AHG
Grace Fleming, St. Peter, Worcester, AHG
Evelyn Pohlman, St. Patrick, Whitinsville, AHG
Isabel Reilly, St. Paul Cathedral, Worcester, AHG
Fiona Somers, St. Bernadette, Northborough, AHG
Winona Phung, Our Lady of Vilna, Worcester, AHG

Light of Christ
Kyle Williams, St. Mary, Shrewsbury, MC, BSA
Daniel Nguyen, St. Mary, Shrewsbury, MC, BSA
Gunnar Donald, St. Camillus, Fitchburg, NVC, BSA
Dylan Somers, St. Bernadette, Northborough, MAY, BSA
Joseph Barrows, St. Edward the Confessor, Westminster, NVC, BSA
Raeben Rain Lacap, St. Mary, Ayer, NVC, BSA
Ryan D’Souza, St. Anne, Southborough, MAY, BSA (awarded 2/1/18)

Parvuli Dei
Rowen Quinn Bukow, St. Rose of Lima, Northborough, MAY, BSA
Henry Bissonnette, St. Mary, Shrewsbury, MC, BSA
Ian Somers, St. Bernadette, Northborough, MAY, BSA
Aidan Taber, St. Ignatius, Singapore, FEC, BSA
Carson Brinker, Holy Rosary/Annunciation, Hubbardston, NVC, BSA
Jameson Brinker, Holy Rosary/Annunciation Hubbardston, NVC, BSA
Aaron LeDuc, St. Leo, Littleton, NVC, BSA
Dale Boudreau, St. Joseph Basilica, Webster, MC, BSA
William Desmarais, Our Lady of Grace/St. Joseph, Pepperell, NVC, BSA
Michael Probst, St. Joseph the Good Provider, Berlin, MC, BSA
Ad Altare Dei
Brian P. Rabideau, St. Rose of Lima, Northborough, MAY, BSA, Archdiocese of Boston
Thomas J. Rabideau, St. Rose of Lima, Northborough, MAY, BSA, Archdiocese of Boston
Tristan S. Niedzielski, St. Rose of Lima, Northborough, MAY, BSA, Archdiocese of Boston
Alexander Corazzini, St. Mary Shrewsbury, MAY, BSA, Archdiocese of Boston
Michael Mcquire, St. John the Evangelist, Mason, N.H., DWC, BSA, Diocese of Manchester
Max Phalon, St. John the Evangelist, Mason, N.H., DWC, BSA, Diocese of Manchester
Liam Daigle, St. Mary, Shrewsbury, MC, BSA
Berin Bukow, St. Rose of Lima, Northborough, MAY, BSA
Jace Sweetwood, St. Mary, Shrewsbury, MC, BSA

Adult Awards:
Bronze Pelican
Timothy Daly, St. Mary, Shrewsbury, MC, BSA
Stephen Lavoie, St. Rose of Lima, Northborough, MAY, BSA
Larry Mayone, St. Mary, Shrewsbury, MC, BSA

St. George
Deacon William H. White, St. Anthony of Padua, Dudley, MC, BSA
Jamie Pitney, St. Edward the Confessor, Westminster, NVC, BSA
Father James S. Mazzone, Diocese of Worcester