‘On My Honor’ • Catholic Boy Scouts proclaim their oath during the March 29 awards ceremony in Epiphany Church. About 33 boys and their adult leaders attended the annual ceremony in the Brick church.  Jeff Metzner photos
‘On My Honor’ • Catholic Boy Scouts proclaim their oath during the March 29 awards ceremony in Epiphany Church. About 33 boys and their adult leaders attended the annual ceremony in the Brick church.  Jeff Metzner photos
• •

Boy Scout awards:

Ad Altare Dei Emblem (To the Altar of God):

This program, organized in chapters based on the seven Sacraments, enables Catholic scouts to develop a fully Christian way of life in the faith community, and understand what it means to be a follower and disciple of Christ.

St. Dominic Parish, Brick: David Dobin, Mark Dobin, Peter Macron, Austin Rogers, Bryan Romanow

St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square: James Ehring, Nicholas Ehring, Emmanuel Kociolek

Our Lady of Perpetual Help-St. Agnes Parish, Atlantic Highlands: Christopher Moorzitz

St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel: Kezwick Animas, Andrew Gansas

St. Catharine Parish, Holmdel: Giacomo Curreri, Michael Hipschman, Daniel Valer, David Valer

St. William the Abbot Parish, Howell: Carlos Arcos

St. Joseph Parish, Keyport: Matthew Robayo, Jesse Ryan

Holy Innocents Parish, Neptune:  Daniel Berkowitz, Drew Mangione, Nicholas Rienzo

St. Martha Parish, Point Pleasant: Luke Caponegro

St. David the King Parish, Princeton Junction: Daniel Simone, Paul Simone

Pope Pius XII:

This program explores value and validity of different life choices (single, married, religious, ordained) and ministries within the church as calls from God.

St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square: Jordan Burnett

St. Thomas More Parish, Manalapan: Anthony Araujo, Gianmarco Castronovo, Christopher Cocolicchio, David Diana, John Kennedy IV, Luke Mazzotta, Christopher Porto, Daniel Vesque

St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Yardville: Liam Courtney, Hunter Nolan

Adult awards:

Christ the King award:

Unique to the Diocese of Trenton, this award is a council-level recognition of a leader’s outstanding contribution to the spiritual development of Catholic youth.

St. Thomas More Parish, Manalapan: Deacon James Davis

St. George Emblem:

This national-level award is presented to a leader who has given five or more years of outstanding service in spiritual development of Catholic youth, received the Bronze Pelican emblem and served actively in Church and community.

Our Lady of Sorrows-St. Anthony Parish, Hamilton: Deacon Kevin O’Boyle

St. Thomas More Parish, Manalapan: John Barrett

By Christina Leslie | Staff Writer

Catholic Boy Scouts from around the Diocese gathered in Epiphany Church, Brick, March 29 for the annual Court of Honor awards ceremony. About 35 boys and their adult Scouting leaders were presented with awards by Father Michael A. Santangelo, diocesan Scouting chaplain and pastor of the Brick parish.

To see photo gallery on this story, click here.

The ceremony, traditionally slated for early March in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, had been rescheduled due to inclement weather.

The religious awards program, instituted by the National Catholic Committees on Scouting over three decades ago, recognizes the efforts of Scouts ages six and up who incorporate their Catholic faith into their daily lives. Individual and troop projects focusing on both Church and community allow the young men to earn diocesan level and national awards.

The Catholic Boy Scout Oath proclaimed by the boys during the ceremony reflected their twin pillars of faith and service: “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Boy Scout Law: to help other people at all times, and to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”