Faithful Scouts recognized for Catholic achievements

Religion and spirituality are a key part of Scouting. On June 4, the Archdiocese of Newark Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry hosted the Boy Scout and Girl Scout Recognition Ceremonies at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart to recognize Catholic Scouts across Hudson, Union, Essex, and Bergen counties.

Scouts who have achieved religious medals, emblems, and patches and the adults that keep the troops going are honored each year on “Scout Sunday” at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark with a special Mass and awards ceremony.

The goal of the religious emblem program is to provide a structure where Scouts “can grow in faith and apply what they learn to their every day life,” according to the National Committee of Catholic Scouting.

“It is important to understand that Religious Emblems are not merely awards for completing a set of requirements,” according to the National Committee of Catholic Scouting. “Instead, they recognize a young person’s growth in faith and how they live out their Catholic faith.”

The Sunday evening service included the presentation of 38 Girl Scout awards, 69 Boy Scout awards, and five adult recognitions. 

Girl Scouts who earned the God Is Love Recognition, which helps Daisy Girl Scouts discover an appreciation that God created, cares for, and loves them, include Emma Badillo, Michala Domogala, Grace Dunbar, Alice Ficke, Lucy Giangrante, Emma Rose Gurango, Olivia Hamilton, Arya Paul, Mackenzie Perry, Magdalena Sowa, and Charlotte Venables from Troop 46100 in Westfield.

Scouts who earned the National Catholic Committee on Scouting’s Blessed Chiara Luce Badano Patch include Angela Attia, Emily Cannon, Anele Crum, Marcy Crum, Camryn Edmonds, Natalie Hauman, Jaclyn Garrastazu Daniels, JayahRose Halpin, Fiona Janus, Carla Risko, Alannah Rowe, Grace Santos, Maeve Schoenfeld, Vivian Warner, and Nora Widdows from Service Unit 48 in Cranford.

The Mary, The First Disciple Recognition, which helps Cadette Girl Scouts learn more about Mary, and more about themselves, was earned by Alice Cox and Bridgid Leddy from Troop 97240 in Lyndhurst and Macy Valdivia from Service Unit 48 in Cranford.

Tessa Appelbaum, Jamie Barka, Gianna Capazzi, Lilly Calogera Viger, Angelina DeZuzio, Samantha A. Kyritz, Annalise Loaiza, and Nannina Santomauro from troop 97200 in Oradell earned the I Live My Faith Recognition, which is designed for Junior Girl Scouts to become more aware of the place that God and religion hold in their daily lives.

Awardees of the Light of Christ Recognition, which helps Cub Scouts develop a personal relationship with Jesus, include Paul James Riario from Pack 345 in Park Ridge, Andrew Giunta and Jonathan Weber from Pack 856 in North Caldwell, and Peter Lubach from Pack 25 in Bayonne.

Boy Scouts who earned the Parvuli Dei Recognition, which helps young Scouts discover the presence of God in their daily lives and develop a good, positive self-image through the contributions they can make to the group or community, include Colin Allen from Pack 49 in Oakland; Joshua DePinto, Nathan DePinto, Liam Diver, John Lubach, and Michael McCabe from Pack 25 in Bayonne; Thomas McNamee from Pack 146 in Hoboken; Gabriella Aleo, Salvatore Aleo, Dominic DeRosa, and Kevin Reis from Pack 305 in Kearny; and Brian Langan from Pack 101 in Elizabeth.

Boy Scouts who earned the Ad Altare Dei Recognition, which helps Boy Scouts develop a fully Christian way of life in the faith community, include Isabella Rupprecht from Troop 44 in Ridgewood; Michael Garth, Daniel Kielblock, and Jaden Mandio from Troop 22 in Bloomfield; Noah Soca from Ship 1908 in Union City; Jayden Altamura and Michael McNamara from Troop 146 in Hoboken; Sam Cavadas and Matthew Kubowicz from Troop 305 in Kearny; Frank James, Brandon Banko, Clover Demas, Lora Panepinto, and Eliza Jame from Ship 228 in Rahway; Anthony Rinaldi and Nicholas Rinaldi from Troop 73 in Westfield; Lucas Costa, Tomas Costa, Gabriel Dudley, Miguel Fernandes, and Jack Langan from Troop 101 in Elizabeth; Kevin Kronert, Spencer Prusakowski, Anthony Risoli, and Joseph Scipioni from Troop 105 in Clark; George Newcome from Troop 177 in Mountainside; and James Roscizewski from Troop 368 in Berkeley Heights.

The Pope Pius XII Recognition, which Scouts earn by participating in church-related ministries and vocation programs, was given to William Rupprecht from Troop 5 in Ridgewood; Jennifer McCarthy from Troop 99 in South Orange; Joseph Buset, Dominic Grolimond, Robert Marx, Patrick Mastandrea, Ronan Somers, Philip Szczechowicz from Troop 22 in Bloomfield; Katelyn Cannon, Ava Legasto, and Kelsey Quane from Troop 19 in Short Hills; Noah Soca from Ship 1908 in Union City; Brandon Banko, Clover Demas, Eliza James, Frank James, and Lora Panepinto from Ship 228 in Rahway; and Gabriel Costa and Patrick Dudley from Troop 101 in Elizabeth.

The Bishop James Bayley Award was designed by the Newark Archdiocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting for young adults of the Catholic faith. It was awarded to Mario G. Fanego from Ship 1908 in Union City.

Cub Scout Pack 345 in Park Ridge, Boy Scout Troop 184 in River Edge, and Sea Scout Ship 1908 in Union were recognized with the Pope Paul VI and the Pope John XXIII Unit Awards, which are awarded to chartered Boy Scout Units within the Archdiocese “to motivate and improve the effectiveness of the individual unit and its adult leadership and to provide each boy with a top-quality program encompassing all of Scouting’s religious and educational aspects” according to the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry.

Two Boy Scouts, Jayden and Vivian Altamura from Troop 146 in Hoboken, were also initiated into the Catholic Committee on Scouting of the Archdiocese of Newark’s Order of the Sword of Saint George after they completed the four-month archdiocesan program to earn this recognition.

The Archdiocese of Newark honored Agata Paes from Cub Scout Pack 139 in Bergenfield with the Fleur-de-Lis medal. The Catholic Committee on Scouting of the Archdiocese of Newark approved the institution of this award in 1959 for Catholic Cub Scout leaders who further the spiritual goals of Cub Scouting.

The Archbishop’s Scouter Award, which is presented to any adult who is working in the scouting program under the Catholic auspices who has made a significant contribution to Scouting at the archdiocesan level, was presented to David N. Tarantino, adult volunteer for Ship 1908 in Union City.

The National Catholic Committee on Scouting’s Saint George Emblem, which is given to adults who have made significant and outstanding contributions to the spiritual development of Catholic youths through Scouting, was presented to Cristina Fanego, Mario Fanego, and Father Timothy Tighe, adult volunteers for Ship 1908 in Union City.

When a Scout completes the requirements for an emblem, the Scout is entitled to wear the BSA Religious Knot in addition to the earned emblem. The Archdiocese of Newark offers many other religious recognitions for scouts who wish to further their faith exploration through scouting.

At the national level, Girl Scouts of the USA also offers two religious recognition programs that can be earned at every level: the My Promise, My Faith pin, and other religious recognitions. Boy Scouts of the USA offers the Duty to God Program and other faith-based emblems and recognitions.