ABOVE PHOTO: St. Barnabas Parish, Bayville, hosted a Boy Scout Sunday Mass and ceremony March 1, gathering youth and adults who serve both parish and community. Courtesy photo
By Christina Leslie, Correspondent
More than 100 Boy and Girl Scouts and volunteers were recognized for their faith-driven and community-minded service during a number of Masses and ceremonies this winter.
The Diocese of Trenton Catholic Committees on Scouting and Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore marked Girl Scout Sunday at a Mass celebrated March 8 in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Whiting. Senior Girl Scout Lucia Street of Troop 50427 received a Scouting Affirmation emblem from parish pastor Father Evarist Kabagambe in recognition of her service to the parish.
Street earned the award for her spiritual and personal growth through the Girl Scout program, and as an active participant and future leader of the Church community. The award, which took about six months to complete, encouraged the Scout to link her Church faith to her Girl Scout journey by interviewing people of faith, exploring the Sacraments as a post-Confirmation parishioner, studying and interpreting Bible passages and researching saints.
St. James Parish, Red Bank, hosted a Boy Scout Sunday Feb. 1 to publicly congratulate the young men with symbols of their accomplishments. Msgr. Joseph Rosie, pastor, was principal celebrant of the Mass; concelebrating was Father Michael Santangelo, diocesan scouting chaplain and pastor of Epiphany Parish, Brick, and Deacon Anthony Cullen of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel, assisted. Represented at the event were Cub Scout and BSA Troops from the Monmouth and Middlesex County towns, of East Brunswick, Fairview, Howell, Little Silver, Matawan, Middletown, Oakhurst, Old Bridge, Red Bank and Shrewsbury.
Presenting the awards were long-time scouting personnel Barbara Dudeck, Melissa Street, Denis Longo, Unit Commissioner of Scouting America, Monmouth Council; and Bray Barnes, Monmouth Council Interim CEO, the first American to serve as World Chair for the International Conference for Catholic Scouting, and the first American to be knighted by Pope Francis.
The awards and recipients include:
The Light of Christ Award is the first of five religious recognitions available for Catholic youth involved in the Scouting program. It is designed to be the foundation for the other religious awards. The purpose of the Light of Christ Award is to help Cub Scouts at the first and second grade level to develop a personal relationship with Jesus.
Recipients: Pack 66, Catherine Rodriguez; Pack 515, Dash Hackett
The Parvuli Dei (or Little Children of God) Awardis the next step in the program of youth religious awards. This award was developed for continued advancement in Christian knowledge, and to enhance spiritual growth. The purpose of this award is to help Cub Scouts in the third to fifth grade to discover the presence of God in their daily life, and to develop a positive self-image through contributions to the community.
Recipients: Pack 66, Patrick Reilly and Thomas Rodriguez; Pack 515, Gregory Pachman
The Jubilee 2025 Religious Activity was offered by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting as part of the Faith Series for a limited time during the Jubilee Year. The Faith Series examines traditions and teachings of the Catholic Faith. The goal of the activities in this series is to help young people and adults learn more about the traditions and teachings of the Catholic faith.
Recipients: Troop 32, Daniel McLaughlin, Susan McLaughlin, James Rooney, and Sean Rooney; Troop 67, Emilio Alvarez Gomez; Pack 515, Evelyn Czar, Dash Hackett, Gregory Pachman and Thomas Pachman; Troop 515, Aaron Czar, Michael Czar and Xavier Czar
Service to others is emphasized in Scouting. In response, the Diocese of Trenton Catholic Committees on Scouting has created the Helping Hands Award, which is given to any youth or adult who has completed a service project, or provided continued support, for a church or church organization.
Recipients from Troop 32:
- Miles Kolarsick – an altar server at St. James Parish;
- Daniel McLaughlin – provides technology support during Mass at St. Leo the Great Parish, Lincroft;
- Susan McLaughlin – encouraged and assisted the Scouts at Ad Altare Dei meetings;
- James Rooney – an altar server at St. Mary, Mother of God Church, Middletown;
- Sean Rooney – an Altar Server at St. Mary, Mother of God Church, Middletown; and
- Katie Rooney – encouraged and assisted the Scouts at Ad Altare Dei meetings.
Recipients from Troop 140:
- Robert Fanslau Jr. – an altar server at St. Agnes Church, Atlantic Highlands;
- Zachary Falls – an altar server and member of teen group at St. Mary Parish, Middletown;
- Brandon Westerfield – worked over the summer at St. Anthony’s Youth Camp, and is a member of St. Mary Parish’s Teen Group, Middletown;
- Robert Fanslau Sr. – worked with and supported the Ad Altare Dei award program in Monmouth Council’s Twin Lights District; and
- Jim Savarese – worked with and supported the Ad Altare Dei award program in Monmouth Council’s Twin Lights District.
The Ad Altare Dei (or To the Altar of God) Award, is designed for Scouts who have completed the sixth grade. This program is based on the development of a fully Christian way of life in a faith community. The Scouts who work on this emblem must be able to show their full commitment, as it takes six to eight months to complete the requirements.
Recipients: from Troop 32: Miles Kolarsick, Daniel McLaughlin, James Rooney; Troop 67: Emilio Alvarez Gomez; Troop 140: Robert Fanslau Jr., Kieran Morton
The Diocese of Trenton’s Christ the King Award is a unique recognition for adults who significantly contribute to the spiritual development of Catholic youth involved in Scouting America programs, honoring their leadership in faith formation within Scouting, and their dedication to youth spiritual growth.
Lynda Fiorenza serves as the Director of Religious Education and Faith Formation in St. James Parish, and as a counsellor for the Ad Altare Dei Program there. She has been a Catholic School teacher for over 10 years; the coordinator of the monthly teen Mass at St. James, in addition to serving as Pastoral Associate for the parish.
Fred Pachman is a Troop 32 Committee Member who assisted with the initiation, promotion, and kickoff of this year’s Ad Altare Dei program at St. James Parish; has promoted the Scout Sunday celebration for over 30 years; and has consistently encouraged participation in the Religious Emblems Program in his Troop.
Deacon Thomas Wieczerzak served as a Counsellor for the Ad Altare Dei Program at St. James Parish, and consistently supported the spiritual phase of Scouting as it relates to Catholic youth and adults.
The Diocese of Trenton’s Bronze Pelican Award recognizes adults for their outstanding service to the spiritual development of Catholic youth in Scouting. This award symbolizes Christ’s self-sacrifice and nurturing care, and is presented to adults with exemplary character and significant involvement in promoting religious emblems and Catholic Scouting activities for at least three years.
Recipient: Don Antenucci, Troop 140 Scoutmaster. He has assisted with our Scout Sunday Mass preparation, celebration and fellowship at St. James Parish for over 30 years; promoted the participation in Scouting’s religious emblem program for over 40 years; assisted with this year’s Ad Altare Dei Religious Emblem Program at St. James Parish; has received the Good Scout Award and the District Award of Merit from Monmouth Council, and the DOT Christ the King Award and the Helping Hands Award (many times).
The National Catholic Committee on Scouting, acting through the Diocese of Trenton, awards the St. George Emblem to adults who have made significant and outstanding contributions to the spiritual development of Catholic youth in Scouting. It is a national recognition of adults for their many years of support to Scouting in the local Catholic community.
Recipient Joan Savarese, has helped organize a Scout Sunday Mass at St. James Parish dating back to 1994, when she was asked to raise the awareness of the religious awards available for Cub Scouts, and to organize a Cub Scout Pack 240 religious award ceremony. Now, 32 years later, Joan is still helping to promote ‘A Scout is Reverent’ for Catholic youth, and she still volunteers in St. James’ Religious Education Program.
Joan has been a Director of Religious Education (DRE) since the mid 1990’s. Over the years she also has been a DRE at St. Agnes and St. Anthony of Padua Parishes. For the last three years, Joan has been a mentor to Lynda Fiorenza, the current Coordinator of Religious Education, as well as an administrative assistant for the program.
The Church needs quality Catholic journalism now more than ever. Please consider supporting this work by signing up for a SUBSCRIPTION (click HERE) or making a DONATION to The Monitor (click HERE). Thank you for your support.