Serving God and country
Mass celebrates Catholic scouting
By Christina Leslie
Correspondent
METUCHEN — The month of June traditionally is the time when young men and women dress in formal attire to recognize their academic achievements and attend ceremonies replete with pomp and circumstance. For the hundreds of Catholic scouts in the diocese, June 10 was the culmination of a year-long program designed to reinforce the value of a faith-filled scouting experience in the formation of Catholic adults.
St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral was abuzz with uniform-clad boys and girls, their troop leaders and proud parents, all eager to be recognized for their work on the Ad Altare Dei, Pope Pius XII, I Live My Faith, Marian Medal and Spirit Alive courses of study in the Catholic scouting program. The awards were bestowed on more than 200 youth, almost double last year’s total, who had completed projects and courses designed to deepen their faith, knowledge and love of the church. Twenty-six adults were also recognized for their contributions to the Catholic Girl and Boy Scout programs.
Bishop Emeritus Edward T. Hughes served as principal celebrant of the Trinity Sunday vigil Mass, which was concelebrated with Msgr. Richard A. Behl, cathedral rector, and Msgr. Michael J. Corona, diocesan moderator, Catholic Scouting Apostolate.
At first, homilist Msgr. Corona drew puzzled faces and nervous chuckles from the children with his rapid-fire, densely theological definition of the Trinity, but then smiled and offered analogies everyone could readily understand.
“We can grasp God fully through the love and understanding of the Trinity,” Corona said. “It is a never-ending flow of love from one to the other.”
Drawing parallels from their oath as scouts and the evening’s gospel from Matthew, he reminded the youth, “The Scout’s Promise says, first and foremost, that you will ‘do your duty to God’. Our Gospel tells us to ‘go forth and proclaim the good news.’ Scouts understand this; just live the scout law.”
Upon the conclusion of the Mass, Msgr. Corona gestured towards the awards symbolizing the scouts’ achievements and told the recipients, “Your Christian lives are a symbol of service that shows us to be children of God.”
After blessing the certificates and medals, Bishop Hughes presented each award to the recipients with a smile, a handshake, and said, “Congratulations and God bless you,” as scouting coordinators Ruth Bielanski and Al Tuttle read the 227 names.
When the last of the children filed back to their pews, the bishop declared to the assemblage, “This was an impressive ceremony. I believe firmly that what you are doing is a benefit to your country and your church.”
Medalists seemed to agree. Catholic Scouting was a three-generational activity for one family. Darlene Van Clief of St. Francis Cabrini Parish, Piscataway, earned the I Live My Faith Award and was eager to detail the many attractions Catholic scouting held for her.
“I wrote about religion, visited the church to learn about statues and symbols, and made new friends,” said the 12-year-old as Pegeen Mumber, her mother and scouting advisor, proudly showed the pin she earned in 1989.
Elizabeth Black and Kelly Schmidt, two 13-year-olds from Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Hackettstown, were awarded Marian Medals.
“I wrote a booklet on Mary and took some fun trips,” Black said.
“I met new people and made new sisters,” Schmidt said.
The boys also seemd to relish their time with the scouting program. John Singer of Immaculate Conception Parish, Annandale, qualified for the Ad Altare Dei Award. “I like camping,” the teenager said, “and I am working on an Eagle project to fix area cemeteries.”
William Toth of Our Lady of Victories Parish, Sayreville, said, “I did a year of work on the different sacraments and learned a lot.”
Fleur de Lis Award winner Denise Halpin of St. James the Less Parish, Jamesburg, served as advisor to both the diocese’s Boy and Girl Scout programs.
“Religious education only goes so far. There’s a different feel, a different flavor when you add scouting to it,” Halpin said.
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law