“I graduated last year from high school. But today, it felt good to be recognized for something I did and put the uniform back on,” said Lee.

Skylar and her sister, Summer, both received the Femina Integritatis Moral Compass Emblem at this year’s ceremony, which they earned by learning about living as a Catholic Woman of Integrity. Suzan, their mother, commented at the reception afterward. 

“We are very proud of them. They love learning the Scout’s Catholic program, and ultimately, it is reflective of the way they live their lives,” said Suzan.

Sunday’s ceremony marked the first time in 45 years that every scouting organization in the Diocese was represented at one unified event. Troops from Girl Scouts USA, American Heritage Girls, and Scouting America prayed together and were awarded emblems from Bishop Gregory Parkes, presider of the ceremony. 

During his homily, Bishop Parkes emphasized the importance of prayer and recognizing that all accomplishments come from the gifts God has given us. 

“I hope you recognize today that you have achieved great things, that we need to celebrate those achievements and recognize all that we accomplish in our lives comes from God,” Bishop Parkes said. “As your bishop, I am proud of you for having achieved these things and I ask that God continue to pour blessings upon you.”

Lisa is the mother of fourth-grader Eleanor, a Cub Scout from Nativity Parish, in Brandon. Eleanor was one of 13 scouts who received their Parvuli Dei emblem, earned by completing various tasks that explore God’s presence in her family members and friends. 

“It is neat to see all the different scouts receive medals and to reach the same goals by putting faith first. It also inspires the little kids to keep going as they see the big kids receive medals," said Lisa.

Jonathan Rosa, Scoutmaster and Religious Emblems Coordinator for Troop #89 at Nativity Parish, felt the same. 

“It was awesome seeing all the different organizations together to see how far the scouting programs reach,” he said. “It was also special to celebrate this time with the bishop. This added a level of excitement for our kids.”

Under the direction of Father Elixavier Castro, the Chaplain for the Diocesan Committee on Catholic Scouting, the Diocese decided to combine this year’s ceremony to strengthen the unity of the scouting programs. 

“We decided to combine it again for the sake of unity. Over the past few years, several new groups of scouts have formed in our Diocese, so it made sense to come together and pray together as a community,” said Father Castro. “The idea is to continue these ceremonies, one event where we can gather together, pray with the bishop, and celebrate our kids who are striving in their Catholic faith.”