April 16, 2010
Area scouts make retreat
By JOE DICKINSON (Secretary, Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting)
The annual Boy Scout Retreat sponsored by the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting was held March 12-14 at St. Meinrad Archabbey. Over 190 scouts and leaders were in attendance.
The theme was that of World Youth Day for 2010 “Good Teacher, What must I do to Inherit Eternal Life?” Mark 10:17. There were talks and discussions following the theme. Staff from Catholic Charities also provided one talk on First Comes Love.
In addition to the Mass, there were spiritual exercises which included the Way of the Cross, prayers from the Liturgy of the Hours, religious songs, and the Angelus. The participants slept in the gyms, ate in the dining hall, and enjoyed some recreational activities.
Adult leaders had the option of taking a course on spiritual development for youth ministers.
Perhaps the highlight of the weekend was the combined ex-position of the Blessed Sacra-ment and the sacrament of reconciliation with the monks in the Archabbey Church. The retreat concluded with a Mass with Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger for the attendees as well as families who came to join them.
After the Mass there was an awards ceremony with Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger. He recognized those scouts present who had completed the Ad Altare Dei — the first religious emblem that can be earned by a boy scout.
He also gave sashes to the new members of the St. Domi-nic Savio society. These are youth who have gone further in the study of their religion, particularly vocations, and have offered continuing service to the Church. As part of the requirements they have to be involved in the planning and the program of the Boy Scout Retreat. They helped coordinate activities and were in-volved in the prayers and liturgies. This year’s recipients were Nathan Schulz, Logan Lindauer, Adam Kremer, and Joseph Lutz, all from St. Teresa Church in Evansville; Jason Market, St. John the Evangelist Church in Daylight; Jacob Loveridge, Holy Spirit Church, Evansville; Joe Paul and Michael G. Hayden, both from St. Mary Church, Huntingburg; Joshua Boze, Cor-pus Christi Church, Evansville, and David McCoy, Christ the King Church, Evansville.
Bishop Gettelfinger also recognized adults who help to car-ry out youth ministry through scouting. The initial emblem in this regard is a local emblem — the Bronze Pelican. Recipients this year were: Kristen Girten and Greg Hall, both of Holy Rosary Church, Evansville; Paul Buchanan, St. Wendel Church, St. Wendel; Dana Davey and Morris Thomas, both of Good Shepherd Church, Evansville; Elaine Morris. St. John the Baptist Church, Newburgh, and Howard Dotterweich, Holy Re-deemer Church, Evansville.
Those adults providing sustained service are recognized with the St. George Emblem — a national emblem. This year the emblem went to Chad Sergesketter, Resurrection Church in Evansville, and Gerald Miller, Precious Blood Church, Jasper.
The retreat would not have been possible without the generous Benedictine hospitality of the monks of St. Meinrad who make their inspirational facility and personal presence available to the Scouts year after year.