Ignoring the cool wet weather outside, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Brownies, their Scout leaders, parents and siblings came to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Sunday afternoon, May 15, for a Scout Mass celebrated by Bishop Thomas John Paprocki. Msgr. John Ossola was a concelebrant.
Bishop Paprocki welcomed the Scouts to the Cathedral, and congratulated them on the awards they would later receive.
“Through Scouting you learn how to be good and patriotic citizens. You learn to treat others with respect and to see the presence of Christ in every person,” Bishop Paprocki said.
“Through your involvement with Scouting you learn from your leaders the skills that will help you succeed in this life and arrive at the life that never ends. For you, Scouting is an important way to follow Christ.”
Reminding everyone the church was celebrating World Day of Prayer for Vocations, he told Scout leaders they have a graced opportunity “to help the Lord speak to those whom he calls to the priestly and religious life.”
“Many of your Scouts possess the personal qualities that are necessary in the lives of priests, brothers and nuns. In your Scouting endeavors you see the strengths and weaknesses of each of your Scouts and you may well see one or two whom the Lord may be calling to his service in a particular way. Do not be afraid of suggesting to them that the Lord may be calling them! In the end, the qualities of a good Scout are also the qualities of a good priest, brother or nun.”
In the Cathedral atrium after Mass an awards presentation was held. While many Catholic Scouting awards were earned by Scouts from throughout the diocese, the weather definitely cut down on the event’s attendance, said Kyle Holtgrove, chairman of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting.
Those present to receive their awards were: Cub Scout Pack 31 from Blessed Sacrament in Springfield; Boy Scout Pack 53 from St. Aloysius, St. Joseph and Cathedral in Springfield; Boy Scout Pack 3053 and Brownie Troop 212, both from St. Paul, Highland, and Girl Scout Troop 1402, Mother of Perpetual Help, Maryville; and two adult Scout award winners.
Kalie Buecker, from Mother of Perpetual Help, Maryville, Troop 1402, received the highest recognition a Girl Scout can achieve — Mary, the First Disciple (formerly known as the Marian Award). The purpose of the program is for young Catholics in grades 7-10 to learn more about Mary and more about themselves.
Alexis Budde, from Brownie Troop 212, St. Paul, Highland, received the Family of God award. It is for children in second and third grade to explore a range of activities that help them discover the presence of God in their daily lives as members of a family and a parish.