Maria Goretti

Bishop Charles C. Thompson awarded the St. Maria Goretti youth distinction to high school juniors and seniors around the Diocese of Evansville following Palm Sunday Mass at St. Benedict Cathedral in Evansville.

The young adults were chosen by their parishes to receive the diocesan distinction based on the life, mission and ministry they provide to their family, parish, school and community.

It recognizes one of the Catholic Church’s youngest saints, Maria Goretti, who died in 1902 at the age of 11 from multiple stab wounds inflicted by an attempted rapist to whom she refused to submit. She forgave her assailant on her deathbed, and he later attended her canonization ceremony.

Here is the list of the 2014 St. Maria Goretti recipients. It was provided by the diocesan Office of Youth and Young Adult Formation.

• Shelby Doades, St. Philip Neri, Bicknell;

• Ian Perkinson, St. Philip Neri, Bicknell;

• Jillian Bucherl, St. Clement, Boonville;

• Alicia Betz, St. Peter Celestine, Celestine;

• Lauren Betz, St. Peter Celestine, Celestine;

• Carolyn Burroughs, St. Martin, Chrisney;

• Nicholas Waninger, St. Martin, Chrisney;

• Alyssa Blankenberger, St. John the Evangelist, Daylight;

• Tyler Odom, St. John the Evangelist, Daylight;

• Travis Reuber, St. Raphael, Dubois;

• Calvin Sander, St. Raphael, Dubois;

• Ariel Kuhn, Corpus Christi, Evansville;

• Meghan Lasher, Corpus Christi, Evansville;

• Lacie Folz, Good Shepherd, Evansville;

• Morgan Lamberton, Good Shepherd, Evansville;

• Alexandria Crick, Holy Redeemer, Evansville;

• Sydney Winstead, Holy Redeemer, Evansville;

• Emily Burkart, Holy Rosary, Evansville;

• Clare Bender, Holy Trinity, Evansville;

• Thomas Shetler III, Holy Trinity, Evansville;

• Riley Maynor, St. Benedict Cathedral, Evansville;

• Jordan Tucker, St. Benedict Cathedral Evansville;

• Isaac Hoffman, St. Theresa, Evansville;

• Alex Taylor, St. Theresa, Evansville;

• Kate Bittner, Holy Cross, Fort Branch;

• Jennifer Riedford, Holy Cross, Fort Branch;

• Hayden Baehl, St. James, Haubstadt;

• Austin Elpers, St. James, Haubstadt;

• Drew Happe, Sts. Peter and Paul, Haubstadt;

• Anna Sorg, Sts. Peter and Paul, Haubstadt;

• Eric Gehlhausen, St. Mary, Ireland;

• Nicholos Montee, St. Mary, Ireland;

• Luke Messmer, Holy Family, Jasper;

• Shannon Sonderman, Holy Family, Jasper;

• Jake Day, Precious Blood, Jasper;

• Gregory Kreilein, Precious Blood, Jasper;

• Adam Schwartz, St. Joseph, Jasper;

• Erin Garman, St. Matthew, Mount Vernon;

• Adam Hoehn, St. Matthew, Mount Vernon;

• Ryan Dilger, St. John Chrysostom, New Boston;

• Julia Dayton, St. John the Baptist, Newburgh;

• Anna Kalt, St. John the Baptist, Newburgh;

• Noah Elmore, Blessed Sacrament, Oakland City;

• Kyle Keepes, Sts. Peter and Paul, Petersburg;

• Emily Fortner, St. Joseph, Princeton;

• Joseph Wildt, St. Joseph, Princeton;

• Davis Jeffries, St. Bernard, Rockport;

• Casey Sermersheim, St. Bernard, Rockport;

• Shane Fendel, Sacred Heart, Schnellville;

• Nicholas Knust, Sacred Heart, Schnellville;

• Robert Buehner, St. Bernard, Snake Run;

• Jenna Bieker, St. Anthony, St. Anthony;

• Brandi Kordes, St. Athony, St. Anthony;

• Jessica Tidd, St. Mary, Sullivan;

• Benjamin Walker, St. Mary, Sullivan;

• Aaron Pea, Sacred Heart, Vincennes;

• Margaret Westfall, Sacred Heart, Vincennes;

• Emily Niehaus, St. Francis Xavier, Vincennes;

• Alyce Perry, St. Francis Xavier, Vincennes;

• Daniel Welage, St. John the Baptist, Vincennes;

• Joshua Welage, St. John the Baptist, Vincennes;

• Elizabeth Ruppel, St. Thomas, Vincennes;

• Blake Mouzin, St. Vincent de Paul, Vincennes;

• Shelby Thomas, St. Vincent de Paul, Vincennes;

• Sam Baker, Our Lady Of Hope, Washington;

• John Buchanan, Our Lady Of Hope, Washington.