2014-2015 Award Recipients

The Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Committee on Scouting (DCCS) sponsored the Annual Recognition Mass on May

16, 2015 at Spirit of Christ Catholic Church in Arvada. This Mass honored all of the Scouting youth and adults and the Catholic-chartered Scouting units in the Archdiocese that have earned Catholic religious awards throughout this past year. The DCCS promotes these religious award programs to Scouting youth and adults in a coordinated effort with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry and the National Catholic Committee on Scouting in a vision of spiritual growth and renewal called ‘Scouting As Youth Ministry’. Scouts earned 172 of these awards this past year and represented 28 different parishes throughout the Archdiocese.

Father Brady Wagner, DCCS Chaplain, celebrated the Mass attended by approximately 80 participants, including an Honor Guard of 4^th Degree Knights in full Regalia. A reception followed the Mass at the John XXIII Center. Michael Forner, DCCS Chairperson, and Fr. Brady presented the awards to the Scouting youth and adults in attendance at the reception, which also included refreshments and light hors d'oeuvre.

The religious awards earned by youth in the Girl Scouts and American Heritage Girls programs included: ‘Family of God’, and ‘I Live My Faith’. The religious awards earned by youth in the Cub and Boy Scout programs included: ‘Light of Christ’, ‘Parvuli Dei (Children of God)’, ‘Ad Altare Dei (To the Altar of God)’, Pope Pius XII, and ‘Pillars of Faith – Duty to God’. The Guardian Angel award was earned by the youngest boys and girls in Scouting at the Tiger Cub Scout and Daisy Girl Scout levels.

These awards help the Scouting youth learn about their Catholic faith and how best to live this faith through pursuing a personal relationship with God, understanding and living their faith via Catholic family values, pursuing their faith in their parish through participation in the Sacraments, Mass and community service, and preparing for vocations as single, married and religious persons as they become young Catholic adults.

Adults were recognized for their outstanding contribution to the spiritual development of the Catholic youth in the Scouting programs offered throughout the Archdiocese. These awards included: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Diana Kullman), Bronze Pelican (David Aragon, Lisette Clemons, Brien Hartung, William Mack, Marc Nesotick, Nicholas Trandem, Steven Wagner) St. George (Mike Dunn, Michael Forner), and the newly established Bishop Machebeuf (Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, S.T.L., Archbishop of Denver ; Very Reverend Randy Dollins, V.G.; Reverend Brady Wagner)

The Pope Paul VI National Catholic Quality Unit award was presented to the following Boy Scout Troops that met all of the requirements for adult leader training, youth pursuit of Catholic religious emblems and activities, vocation awareness, youth membership growth, and service to their chartering organizations:

Troop 166 - Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church - Lakewood, CO

Troop 263 - St Mary Catholic Church - Littleton, CO

Troop 600 - Knights of Columbus #5064 - Arvada, CO

Fr. Brady commented, "For many decades Catholic Scouting has played a privileged role in the formation of many of our youth. I am grateful for its emphasis on our Catholic faith. It was a joy to see so many take seriously their desire to grow in their life of discipleship in Christ and pursue the heart of Jesus through these Catholic Scouting religious programs and emblems."