A Little About a Few of the Outstanding Teens Around The Diocese of Youngstown I realize that the Eagle of the Cross Recipients are only a small sample of the outstanding teens around our diocese (yes, only the ones for whom an adult took the time to submit a nomination and that the examples shared in the nomination seemed more impressive than those listed for other great teens nominated as read by a couple "judges.") However, since they DO represent so many teens, I thought it only fair to share the excerpts from the nominations shared in the Program Book be shared with more people. That way, we can all pause to be grateful for the many young people contributing to our parish and school communities. THANKS to the nominators for providing this information! thanks to the numerous mentors, teachers, ministers, family members and friends who supported, guided and inspired these teens! And thank God for these teens and their willingness to live their faith and share God's love with others! 2019 Eagle of the Cross Recipients (Listed alphabetically by last name, Name, Parish, grade, school, excerpt) Stephen Babik Our Lady of Sorrows, Youngstown Senior Ursuline High School Stephen has served more yearly hours for Students of Stewardship than anyone else. His quiet humility and consistent service to his neighbor is inspiring. He is a role model for his friends and younger students at Ursuline through his example. He is committed to his liturgical ministry roles as altar server and Eucharistic Minister*. Marley Berczik St. Joan of Arc, Streetsboro Senior Streetsboro High School Marley serves as a Lector, Eucharistic Minister* and altar server often volunteering if someone is absent. She is a teen leader at the parish Vacation Bible School program. She has participated in the last two mission trip experiences to Kentucky. She shares her faith often bringing friends to her parish to say ‘hello’ to the staff. Marley is active in providing Word/Communion services to local nursing homes. Bridget Bobovnyik St. Christine, Youngstown Senior Canfield High School Bridget has been an altar server and Eucharist Minister*. As a member of a community service club, she has volunteered at the St. John’s Soup kitchen. Participating in a Celebrate weekend helped make her the person she is today. She is the Youth Representative on Parish Council giving reports on the YM program. She also developed and maintains the website for the program. Patricia Ann Carr St. Jude, Columbiana Senior Columbiana High School Patricia assists with her parish Vacation Bible School and is an altar server. She has been a youth leader for younger children at Summer Drama Camp at the Crown Theater. She has participated in the NCYC and represented her parish at the Diocesan 75th Anniversary Mass for teens. Last year she was named Rotary Outstanding Interact Student. Brooke Chandler Holy Family, Poland Senior Cardinal Mooney High School Brooke participated in a Celebrate weekend and then became a member of the team. As part of an elective Theology course she did community service in nursing homes, schools and with the poor. At Villa Maria Farms she participated in a local mission trip. She has also served at St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen, and as an altar server and Eucharistic Minister* at her parish. Jarod Evan Day Immaculate Heart of Mary, Austintown Senior Ursuline High School Jarod has been an active member of his school’s Stewardship Club for four years, volunteering more hours than anyone else. He has helped out at the Purple Cat and St. Vincent de Paul. He has done mission work in Nicaragua helping to build a house. His spirituality comes in the form of service to others. Jarod is an altar server and has been commissioned as a Eucharistic Minister*. Bridget DePascale St. William, Warren Senior Champion High School Bridget often attends more than one mass per weekend as she fulfills her roles as cantor, choir member and altar server. She has gone on three mission trips and worked as a volunteer at St. Vincent DePaul. She gives of her time at the parish and school level and reaches out to the community through her service work. Bridget has a heart for children and those in need. Cullen Faulk Blessed Sacrament, Warren Junior Warren G. Harding High School Cullen is a role model to his younger sisters and Boy Scouts in his troop. He has been a Eucharistic Minister* and altar server. As a Kairos participant one year, he went on to be the group leader the next year and now serves as co-leader. He is very thoughtful, kind, spiritual and loving towards his friends and family. He hopes to be a CYO camp counselor to help children enjoy the experience as he has. Katherine Julia Flickinger SS. Philip and James, Canal Fulton Junior Canton Central High School Katie is a lector at her parish and will go on her fourth Kentucky mission trip with her youth group this year. She is a volunteer at the House of Loreto assisting both staff and residents. She also helps in caring for her grandparents. She started doing service projects when she had her 5th birthday by asking her friends to bring pet supplies to donate to the Stark County Humane Society. Virginia Katherine Grier St. Joseph Calasanctius,Jefferson Senior Jefferson Area High School Ginny is a Core Team leader and liaison to Parish Council for her Youth Group; she is also a lector, catechist, and server. She was a convert to Catholicism on her own initiative in middle school. Her entire family either came to or returned to the Church by the example she set. Ginny is a doer of the Word – not just a hearer. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are at work in her. Matthew Hersher St. Joseph, Massillon Senior Massillon Washington High School Matt serves as a lector, Eucharist Minister*, CCD aide and youth Representative on Parish Council. He is a four-year member of Ignite – the YM leadership team. His participation in the city’s Kindness Campaign planning committee exemplified his commitment to good moral decision making. He has received the Mayor’s Student of the Year award. Emma Kosicek Our Lady of Peace, Ashtabula Senior St. John School Emma is president of her school’s Philanthropy Club and an active member of Acts 29 – a ministry group; she was also the student leader and head sacristan for 40 Days of Kindness. Emma has been a lector and leads other students through Lectio Divina and art prayer in order to do bible journaling. During Catholic Schools Week, Emma helped set up the Service Village and led morning prayer every day. Connor Kovach St. Joseph Calasanctius,Jefferson Senior St. John School Conner is a member of Acts 29 Ministry Club. He is a Eucharistic Minister* and student leader for the National Week of Student Prayer serving as an example of what it means to be dedicated to your faith and the spiritual growth of others. He has participated in Project Grow for the past 6 years. Connor has assisted in Thanksgiving food drives and Lenten service projects to serve the community. Quinn Li Lamp St. Louis, Louisville Senior St. Thomas Aquinas High School Quinn is an officer in her school’s Right to Life Club attending the March for Life in DC and participating in school activities promoting Pro-Life. She volunteers as an ambassador for tours, reading to younger students and setting up for conferences. She attended the Kairos retreat and was invited to be a retreat leader this year. She has been an altar server and Eucharistic Minister* at her parish. Jaret Lane St. John the Evangelist, Summitville Senior Carrollton High School Jaret has attended both NCYC and DYC two times; to raise the necessary funds for these conferences, he helped make meals, washed cars and worked at service projects for the elderly in the community. He is an altar server, Eucharistic Minister* and Lector. He attends Prayer Warriors at his school – a student-led group that meets weekly to pray. Ashley Lytle Blessed Sacrament, Warren Junior John F. Kennedy Catholic School Ashley is a faithful altar server and mentors the younger servers. She has also assisted in Vacation Bible School and volunteered with Social justice organizations in Cincinnati through the iPlunge Summer Mission Retreat. She and a friend initiated the Beautification of St. Vincent DePaul Dining Hall; this is an ongoing project that she hopes will come to fruition by graduation time. Abigail Noel Marchand St. Anthony/All Saints, Canton Senior Perry High School Abby can always be counted on to be at YM formation sessions, service opportunities, socials and larger events like the DYC and NCYC. She shows enthusiasm for parish programs and is an example for her peers. She has been an altar server since she was very young. Leadership is natural for Abby; she does not try to upstage anyone but works toward being a role model to others. Nicholas Mattiussi St. Joseph, Austintown Senior Austintown Fitch High School Nicholas has followed family tradition becoming a second degree Knight of Columbus. He has earned two Catholic Scouting Religious awards – Ad Altare Dei and the Pope Pius XII. He is preparing his witness talk on leadership for the Celebrate weekend. His enthusiasm for his music ministry and continuing willingness for altar serving is an inspiration. His faith is the driving force in his life. Scott Andrew Mintus St. William, Warren Junior John F. Kennedy Catholic School Scott is an altar server and a regular volunteer for church fundraisers and at the St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen helping to prepare food and set up. He is very involved in JFK’s Relay for Life team. Scott attended the Kairos retreat last year and is returned as a leader. He has received the Rotary Youth Leadership Award. He attended the iPlunge mission retreat spending time in Cincinnati and Kentucky. Nicholas J. Muscarella Blessed Sacrament, Warren Junior John F. Kennedy Catholic School Nicholas values his faith above all. He is involved in his parish EPIC (Every Person in Christ) teen youth group and in our iPlunge mission trip to Milford, OH. He has also joined WACT (Warren Area Catholic Teens) where joint events are held with four other churches. He is an advocate for the unborn through Life Chain. He supported Helping Hands through packaging rice being sent to Burkina Faso. Edward Odom St. Brendan, Youngstown Senior Austintown Fitch High School Eddie is a dedicated member of his parish Youth Ministry program and serves at the weekly Lenten Fish Fry. Besides making nursing home visits, he assisted in organizing religious article donations that were packaged and sent to Africa. Among his peers, he provides the example of moral, conscientious and courteous behavior treating others as he would want to be treated. Logan Joseph Ambrose Orlowski St. Ambrose, Garrettsville Senior Home Schooled Logan is an extremely active young person in our parish. He has been an altar server for many years and is now one of our Youth Ministry student leaders. He facilitates outreach projects with our YM group through the March for Life, food pantries, and Youngstown Community Kitchen project. Our YM program can attribute much of its success to Logan’s influence and leadership. Maggie Joy Paul St. Joseph, Massillon Senior Central Catholic High School Maggie is a Eucharistic Minister* and altar server at her parish. She is a commissioner for the service organization at her school (Crusaders for Community) and has done work for nursing homes, the humane society and a Kentucky mission trip with the Ignite Youth Group. She is a mentor for her school’s Peer Ministry program and exemplifies Christian virtues in everyday ways. Aaron Pepperney Holy Family, Poland Senior Cardinal Mooney High School Aaron is an altar server, Eucharistic Minister* and member of the Youth Ministry and Celebrate teams. During Advent and Lent he is a leader for a prayer experience for children K-4. Aaron has been part of three mission trips to Cumberland, KY. Whether it’s mentoring a new student or serving as a team leader for Link Crew, Aaron always says “yes!” Sarah Ann Riley Our Lady of Peace, Ashtabula Senior St. John School Sarah served a vital role in getting junior high Youth Ministry started; she was a core team member in the high school YM. She has served as Eucharistic Minister*, sacristan and member of Acts 29 (campus ministry club) at her school. She has been active in Vacation Bible School, has led prayer on morning announcements at her school and is a member of the Bible journaling group. Joseph Roth St. Mary, Massillon Senior Central Catholic High School Joe is a go-to person for help in setting up for school masses and prayer services. He has worked at his parish Fish Fry since grade school and helps with the Aultman Hospital Angel Auction each year. As a member of his school’s Senior Peer Ministry program he is faithful in mentoring freshmen; he has gone out of his way to those who hadn’t been assigned to him, too. Asher G. Searles Our Lady of Peace, Ashtabula Senior Edgewood Senior High School Asher was a member of Junior and Senior High Youth Ministry. He has been a VBS, CCD and Fish Fry volunteer. He served as assistant for Confirmation and First Communion retreats. As an altar server, he would stay for more than one mass when no one else showed up. Asher has posted anti-abortion articles to his Facebook account because he wants to defend life. He is a servant leader. William John Todd Holy Trinity, East Liverpool Senior East Liverpool High School Billy has been an active member of CCD, Youth Ministry and parish life. He composed and submitted the prayer that was used to introduce the Saturday morning sessions. The school district had Billy attend Camp Fitch as a counselor and role model for younger students. After serving, he can often be found assisting the sacristan. “The right thing to do” appears to be what shapes his actions. Elizabeth Wheeler St. Louis, Louisville Senior St. Thomas Aquinas High School Elizabeth has been a contributing member of both her parish and school community. She has served as a Eucharistic Minister*, lector, altar server and RCIA sponsor. She served as a Kairos leader and gave a talk on holiness at the retreat. She is a student ambassador for her school. She has taken good advantage of her Catholic education allowing it to form her into a faithful young adult. *Please note that due to space constraints, the shorter form of Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion was used throughout the biographies. Keep living the faith! #DOYteens #DOYjoy #DOYEagleOfTheCross
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*** Note: The Office Blog is now inactive, but posted for continued reference as needed (6/30/21) ***Cindee Case, MPSFormer Director of the Diocese of Youngstown Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry (2/2002 - 6/2021) Archives
July 2021
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