The Most Reverend Bishop Michael Cote honored several boy and girl scouts throughout the Norwich Diocese for their achievements in completing the requirement for several Catholic scouting awards. The awards were presented during a Scouting Religious Award and Recognition Ceremony on Sunday, April 23 at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich.
During the Liturgy of the Word segment of the awards ceremony, Bishop Cote referenced the Gospel story of Zacchaeus, a man of small stature who climbed a tree to see Jesus more clearly. Noting that most scouts had probably climbed trees themselves at some point in their lives just like Zacchaeus, Bishop Cote encouraged them to be like Zacchaeus and always search for Christ in their lives.
Later in the ceremony, Bishop Cote blessed the scouting medals, emblems, and awards before presenting them to the scouts.
Scouts throughout the diocese are eligible to earn Catholic Religious Emblem Awards appropriate for their rank or age. In order to earn an emblem award, younger scouts must complete a workbook with their family, and for older scouts, with a trained scout counselor. As this was the first awards ceremony since the beginning of the pandemic, awards were given to scouts who had both completed requirements this year and in the last three years.
Seven scouts in 2023 and six Scouts over the past three years received the Light of Christ Award. This award goes to Tiger Cubs and Wolf Scouts who complete five family-oriented projects that help a scout develop a personal relationship with Jesus.
Six scouts in 2023 and nine scouts over the past three years received the Parvuli Dei award, which translates to “Children of God.” This award helps scouts in third through fifth grades discover the presence of God in their daily lives and also develop a good and positive self-image through contributions they make to a group or community.
One scout in 2023 and five scouts over the past three years received the Ad Altare Dei award, which translates to “To The Altar of God.” This award is for scouts who have completed 6th Grade and have been active in their troop for over six months. Emphasis is placed on the use of Scripture and the celebration of the sacraments.
Three high school-aged scouts in 2023 and four scouts over the past three years received the Pope Pius XII medal. The award calls scouts to explore how the Lord is calling them to serve the Church and their neighbor as they near adulthood. To receive both this and the Ad Altare Dei awards, a scout must attend a Diocesan Scout Retreat and pass a Scout Board of Review.
Three scouts in 2023 and three scouts in 2021 have earned the Pillars of Faith award. This award gives special recognition to those scouts who have earned all four of the Catholic Scouting emblems, which demonstrates tremendous commitment to their Catholic faith.
The awards program is under the auspices of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting headed by its Chairwoman, Pamela Plasse and Scout Chaplain Fr. Martin Noe.
Congratulations to all of our 2023 Catholic Scouting Award recipients!
By Liza Roach