Girl Scouts Receive Religious Emblems At Annual Mass

On a Sunday afternoon that was ideal for a nature hike, Girl Scouts from throughout the Diocese of Evansville gathered for a different purpose. The occasion for coming together was the annual Catholic Committee for Girl Scouts Mass, celebrated April 7 by Bishop Charles C. Thompson at Good Shepherd Church in Evansville, with concelebrants Father Zach Etienne, Good Shepherd pastor, and Deacon Charles Korresel who serves as diocesan Girl Scout chaplain.

“What a wonderful day for us to gather here and celebrate all of your great accomplishments and your witness of service,” Bishop Thompson told the Scouts, most of whom were in attendance to receive religious awards honoring their hard work and accomplishments in scouting.

“You young ladies, in your scouting, you do wonderful things for the community and you learn about yourselves and about your own gifts and your own potential and abilities, and you take those gifts and you make a difference,” Bishop Thompson said in his homily. “All of us have the ability to do that, but we never make a bigger difference than when we act in Jesus’s name, together, as the Body of Christ.”

After the Mass, Scouts ranging in age and experience from third grade to high school were asked to approach Bishop Thompson to receive the religious emblems they had earned during the year.

There were three recipients of “The Spirit Alive” emblem, which is awarded to high school-aged girls who have worked for two years to complete the requirements.  I addition, six middle school-aged girls earned the “Mary, the First Disciple” emblem, 42 fourth and fifth graders received the “I Live My Faith” emblem, and 30 third grade girls received the “Family of God” emblem.

There were also six national awards handed out to adults, beginning with Bishop Thompson who was a surprise recipient of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award.

Winners of the St. Anne award for 2013 were Deacon Charles Koressel; Catherine Egler who attends St. Mary Parish, Ireland, and is counselor for the Spirit Alive program; Charlotte Schnaus, also a Spirit Alive program counselor at St. Mary, Ireland; Melissa “Missy” Jones, who attends St. John the Apostle Parish in Daylight and is counselor for Mary, the First Disciple; and Christine Shafer from Good Shepherd, Evansville, who serves as counselor for one of the I Live My Faith troops.