Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting holds Adult Scouting Awards

Light of Christ Award presented to Cub Scouts. (See more photos at bottom of page.)

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On Sunday, May 4, the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting for the Diocese of Corpus Christi held its annual Adult Scouting Awards at Corpus Christi Cathedral. Bishop Michael Mulvey celebrated the Mass.

Father Paul Hesse, Chaplain of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting, Father Pete Elizardo, Director of the Office of Divine Worship and Msgr. Michael Howell, pastor of St. Andrew by the Sea, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Mulvey. Father Hesse is an Eagle Scout from St. Pius X Parish.

Receiving the “Family of God” award were Addison Cervantez, Ariel Sanchez, Bel Sanchez and Gracie Santellana from Girls Scouts Troop 9892. Girl Scouts receiving the “I Live My Faith” award included, from Troop 9654 Christen Adams, Meilani Albarda, Kaylie Chapa, Sasha Donez, Ana Ortiz; Troop 9688 Sophia Cadena, Abigail Jane Fields, Madison Grace Gillespie, Deanna Marie Mireles and Anna Elisa Macossay Sonka; and from Troop 9892 Ana Lisa Garza, Marisel Lemos, Briannah Mejias, Angela Rodriguez, Briannah Rodriguez, Lily Rodriguez and Marisa Sanchez.

Theresa Leticia Macossay Sonka from Girl Scout Troop 96044 received “The Spirit Alive” award.

Receiving the Cub Scout “Light of Christ" award were scouts from Pack 157 Anthony McCracken, Albert Mendoza and Godfrey Vela III; Pack 162 Phillip Castillo, Jaime Garcia, Caden Martinez, John Muenster, Oscar Valdez and Juan Paulo Villegas; Pack 163 Nicholas Cerda, Nicholas Davis, Jeremiah Felan, Nicholas Garza, Cristian Jase Ramirez and Kelly Ramirez; Pack 318 Nicolas Curiel IV, Christian Garza, Jude Hernandez, Jonah Martinez and James Rakowitz; and Pack 562 Anthony Buffa, Octavio Cruz and Romeo Gonzales.

Receiving the Cub Scout “Parvuli Dei” award included, Pack 11 Luke Ewing; Pack 157 Luc Lechner, Ryan Lennan, Christian Ritch and Bryan Rivera; Pack 162 Nicholas Covich, Luke Muenster, Miguel Nurre and Charles Walsh; Pack 163 Justin Longoria; Pack 296 Josue Benamu, Dominic Cabrera, Jacob Gonzalez, Zachary Sepulveda and Joseph Toren; Pack 318 Izaiah Chino, Anthony Favata and John Luera; and Pack 949 Chase Colmery Childers and Garrett Edward Wainright.

Receiving the Boy Scouts “Ad Altare Dei” award were, Troop 3 Vicente Benavides, James D. Bourque, Gavon Landry-Silguero, Andrew Martinez and Patrick Sullivan; Troop 49, Chase Simpson; Troop 162, Joseph Afuso, Jasper Cable, Gabriel Flores, Mark Muenster and Daniel Rock; and Troop 318, Sebastian Cerda, Andrew Garcia, Cesar Landa and Alex Munoz.

Receiving the Boy Scouts/Venturing “Pope Pius XII” award were Aaron Ruiz of Troop 87 and Troop 162 members Pablo Rivera, Michael Rock, Marcos Ruiz and William Yeager.

Adults who have made outstanding contributions to the spiritual development of Catholic youth in the program of the Boy Scouts of America were also honored.

“Without adult volunteers, our youth probably would not have had the opportunity to earn and receive their medals today,” Art Kaler, the ceremony organizer, said.

An active committee of the diocese selects those considered for the adult emblems. The selection committee evaluated the spiritual contribution through sustained dedication, primarily in Catholic Scouting activities. Examples of their involvement include: consistently promoting the Religious Emblems Program for those in scouting, primarily for the Catholic emblems and encouraging non-Catholic youth to work for the religious emblems of their faith.

The support, encouragement and motivation given to the Catholic Committee by others who are not directly involved in Scouting is another reason to be considered for these adult emblems. Other examples might be their participation in Scout Sunday, Scout Retreats, Days of Recollection and working with the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting. Another consideration is that they have made provisions regarding the Catholic Scouts’ obligations to attend Sunday Mass, especially on weekend campouts, camporees and other scouting activities.

“The focus of these adults should be to help Cubs, Scouts and Venturers, as is promised in their oaths, to fulfill their duty to God and as the Scout law requires, to ‘be reverent’,” Kaler said.

The Patron Saint of Catholic Scouting is St. George. He is portrayed on horseback slaying a dragon with his spear. The dragon represents the devil with all his temptations that come under many different forms. The spear represents love for God and fellow man and scouts can conquer and slay the devil when we love God above all things, and our neighbor as ourselves. The St. George Award is generally conferred on those who have served Catholic Scouting for several years.

The St. George Emblem is the highest religious award in Scouting given on the diocesan level with approval from the national office to an adult for their dedication to the activities of Catholic Scouting. This year the recipient for the St. George Emblem is Hilda Vela. She and her husband, Rene, have one son, Joshua.

Vela is a member of St. Pius X Parish where she has assisted with the RCIA discussions and preparation of candidates to be received into the Catholic Church. She made the ACTS Retreat in September 2009. She also has participated in the Lay Formation Program at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. This movement strives to develop the spiritual, human, intellectual and pastoral aspects, involving study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In this spiritual enrichment program, Days of Recollection, spiritual direction, and reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation are required at least once a month and attend daily Mass as often as possible.

Vela is currently registered in Scouting as a committee member of Troop 157 and serves as the Lay Chaplain to Troop 157 at St. Pius X. She organized the Ad Altare Dei and Pope Pius XII classes for Scouts of various troops at St. Pius X and, because of her effort several Scouts attended these classes and received their Religious Emblems in recent years. She was religious emblems coordinator for Pack 289 chartered to Ss. Cyril & Methodius Church for several years and was a committee member of Pack 289. At Ss. Cyril & Methodius and St. Pius X she has encouraged and participated in Scout Sunday, endeavoring to see that all scouts fulfill the 12th point of the Scout Law, a Scout is Reverent.

She also has been a member of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting for seven years. In 2008 she co-chaired the Cub Scout Day of Recollection. Vela has given sessions and talks for the Cub Scout Days of Recollection and Boy Scout Retreat. She has helped plan the Cub Scout Days of Recollection, the Boy Scout Days of Recollection, the 10 Commandment Hikes, the Bishop’s Awards Mass and reception. She has served on the Boards of Review for the Boy Scout Emblems of Ad Altare Dei and Pope Pius XII. She provided the packets explaining the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for the Boy Scout Day of Recollection held previously.

Vela has contacted the South Texas Catholic and KLUX Radio giving them the information needed to inform the community of the activities of the Catholic Committee, including the Cub Scout Days of Recollection, the 10 Commandment Hikes, the Boy Scout Days of Recollection, the Scout Retreats and the Awards Ceremony. In 2012 she assisted in a Chaplain Aide Training Workshop for the Chaplain Aides of Troop 162 and works with the Chaplain Aides of Troop 157 on a regular basis. Vela volunteers to help in whatever capacity is needed, including setting up for the Cub Scout Days of Recollection, serving the food and assisting in the reception after the awards Mass.

Vela is the Coastal Plains District Eagle Board Chairperson, assisting scouts who are preparing to receive the Eagle Scout Award by chairing the Eagle Board of Review for the Coastal Plains District and serving the South Texas Council in other council wide activities, giving of her time and talents for the good of all scouts in the entire council.

In 2010, Vela received the Bronze Pelican Emblem for her previous work in Catholic Scouting. In 2012 she earned the International Catholic Awareness Activity Award.

The Diocese of Corpus Christi Catholic Committee On Scouting members include Father Hesse, Scout Chaplain, Augustin Rivera Jr., Chairman, Veronica Adams, Florencia Beattie, David Bledsoe, Eva Bourque, Laura Cable, Caren Colmery Childers, Debra Castro, Henry Castro, Janida De La Rosa, Clinton Evans, Kathleen Franey, LaRoy Hanson, David Hebert, Kaler, Bob Martin, Millie Macossay, Iliana Ortiz, Don Pesek, Linda Rodriguez, Rosina Salas, Josh Smith, Rene Towns and Hilda Vela.