Bishop Jenky and Father Harris lead applause for adult Scout honorees Jennifer DeWitt, left, of Sacred Heart, Moline, who was awarded the Bronze Pelican, and Patricia Scott of Christ the King, Moline, and Paul Harris of St. Vincent de Paul, Peoria, who received the St. George Emblem. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

Little things done for others mean a lot to God, Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, told Catholic Cub, Boy and Girl Scouts from around the Diocese of Peoria who helped fill St. Mary’s Cathedral on Feb. 7 for the annual Scout and American Heritage Girls Mass.

At the conclusion of the Mass, the bishop presented 38 youths and adults active in Catholic Scouting with religious emblems and medals for their accomplishments in the past year.

Luke Albertson of Troop 57 (St. Luke, Eureka) receives the Pope Pius XII medal from Bishop Jenky. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

“These are not the kids who simply sit at home watching TV or are always on their phones,” said Bishop Jenky. “These are folks who get out and do things, are stretched by new experiences, they help their neighbor.

“They have opportunities over and over again to be there for other people, to make their communities better places, to serve our country, to honor what needs to be honored, and to witness against what is wrong,” continued the bishop. “It might be through little things, but God’s grace makes your generosity great.”

The Mass, which also recognized the many volunteers who assist at St. Mary’s Cathedral and other parishes in the Heart of Peoria Catholic Community, provided an early look at progress in the cathedral’s continuing major renovation.  With the majority of pews still being restored, most of the assembly sat on folding chairs.

Msgr. Stanley Deptula, cathedral rector, said the renovation passed a milestone a few days earlier when most of the interior scaffolding was removed.

“This is the first time for most of us to get to see the gloriously restored ceiling,” he told the assembly, inviting them to look up and “oogle and ahh” at the artistry that now includes stars, planets, and religious symbolism.

ADULTS AMONG RECIPIENTS

Father Glenn Harris, diocesan director and chaplain of Catholic Boy and Girl Scouts, assisted Bishop Jenky in distributing religious emblems. Among the recipients was Chelsea Arrick of Troop 4481 (St. Patrick, Washington), who was the first in the diocese to receive  a new award, the “God is Love” emblem, for her work in a program that helps girls in kindergarten and first grade discover “an appreciation that God created, cares for, and loves us all.”

The recipients included five adults earning national and diocesan recognition for their service to Catholic Scouting.

Eric Brose carries the Vatican flag and Ethan Scherder the U.S. flag in procession at the opening of the Scout and American Hertiage Girls Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria. Both are members of Troop 156 in Peoria. (The Catholic Post/Tom Dermody)

Receiving the St. George Emblem — the highest award that can be presented by a diocese to a Scout leader — were Patricia Scott, a member of Christ the King Parish, Moline, and Paul Harris of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Peoria.

Scott has supported Catholic Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts in the Quad Cities region for more than 10 years.  Her encouragement is cited in the fact that the region has recently produced several young men who have earned all four of the religious emblems in the Catholic faith. She is chaplain for Troop 109, a member of the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting, and active in her parish.

Since 2006, Harris has served as assistant den leader, den leader, cub master, assistant scoutmaster and now scoutmaster. He is also a merit badge counselor and helped St. Vincent de Paul Parish’s efforts to having Scout retreats.

Earning the Bronze Pelican Award for Catholic Scouting at the parish level were Bill Vavrik of St. Matthew Parish, Champaign; Karen Flack of Christ the King Parish, Moline; and Jennifer DeWitt of Sacred Heart Parish, Moline. Vavrik and Flack received the honors at their respective parishes.

Following are the youth religious emblem recipients:

GOD IS LOVE

Chelsea Arrick (Troop 4481, St. Patrick, Washington)

I LIVE MY FAITH

Hannah Kear (Troop 4769, St. Edward, Chillicothe); Olivia Taylor, Lilly Evans, Roxanne Crawford, and Isabel Kiser (Troop 4769, St. Thomas the Apostle, Peoria Heights)

LIGHT OF CHRIST

Julian Sturm (Pack 28, St. Anthony, Bartonville);  Luke Hoffman, Caden Jenulis, Tyler Wilden, Antonio Garcia, and Nathaniel Bishop (Pack 3258, St. Pius X, Rock Island).

PARVULI DEI

Aidan Hoekstra (Pack 257, St. Luke, Eureka); Nicolas Contreras (Pack 56, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Peoria); Levi Lohnes (Pack 84, St. Mary, Delavan); Colin Arrick (Pack 73, St. Patrick, Washington)

AD ALTARE DEI

Paul Miller (Troop 912, Holy Trinity, Bloomington); Daniel Johnson (Troop 912, St. Mary, Bloomington); Andrew Kuebrich (Troop 912, St. Patrick Church of Merna, Bloomington); Alex DeWitt, Kristopher Dunbar, Samuel Maynard, Ian Snider, and Cameron Wallace (Troop 109, Sacred Heart, Moline); Brenden Gusse (Troop 109, Christ the King, Rock Island); Jonathan Quandt (Troop 57, St. Luke, Eureka); Nathan Brose (Troop 156, St. Jude, Peoria); Timmy Lee (Troop 40, Holy Family, Peoria); Nicholas Zettler and Charles Zettler (Troop 40, St. Jude, Peoria); Colin Vaughn and Braden Vaughn (Troop 351, St. John the Baptist, Rapids City).

POPE PIUS XII

Luke Albertson (Troop 57, St. Luke, Eureka)

EDITOR’S NOTE: More photos from this event have been posted to The Catholic Post’s site on Facebook.