LAKE CHARLES — The 2024 Religious Emblems Recognition Brunch was held Saturday, March 23, in the Ave Maria Hall across from the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The awards presentation, hosted by the Catholic Committee on Scouting in the Diocese of Lake Charles, recognizes worthy scouts who completed the National Catholic Committee on Scouting requirements to earn a religious emblem.
Rev. Joseph Caraway, Chancellor for the Diocese, presented the awards with assistance from Rev. Trey Ange, Chaplain for Catholic Committee on Scouting. Father Caraway also prayed the Invocation and Blessing before the meal. Scott Willis, Chairman of Catholic Committee on Scouting, served as master of ceremonies.
Awards included Light of Christ, Parvuli Dei, and Ad Altare Dei.
Earning the Light of Christ Religious Emblem were Samuel Proksch, Barrett Grant, Gabriel Sonnier, and David Harrell.
The Light of Christ program was developed by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS) for Cub Scouts and Tiger Cubs of the Catholic faith. Its purpose is to have scouts develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as a real person and friend. This type of relationship will help to better understand and appreciate Christ’s love and concern. To receive the Light of Christ emblem, the scout must complete all requirements before starting the third grade.
Those earning the Parvuli Dei Religious Emblem were Atticus LeFranc, Lee Miller, Kasen Spears, Caroline Booth, Henry Roosendaal, Joseph Toothman, Louis Harrell, and Joseph Rogers.
Parvuli Dei (Children of God) is a program developed by the NCCS for Bear and Webelos Cub Scouts of the Catholic faith for advancement in religious knowledge and spiritual formation. Its purpose is to help young scouts explore a wide range of activities to discover the presence of God in their daily lives as members of a family and parish. The program also helps to develop a positive self-image through the contributions they can make to the group or community.
Evan Miller was the lone recipient of the Ad Altare Dei Religious Emblem. The purpose of the Ad Altare Dei (Altar of God) program for Boy Scouts is to foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each person by encouraging them to actively live out their Catholic faith. This gives the scout the opportunity to develop his or her spiritual side to be “morally straight.” The program encourages the scout to be in “God’s presence” through self-reflection and study of the sacraments. It is one of the more difficult emblems to earn taking just under a year to complete the program.
While blessing the religious emblems, Father Caraway prayed, “Send down Your blessing upon these, Your youthful servants, and grant that they may be worthy leaders in faith, not hesitating on account of their youthfulness, but witnessing to Your holy gospel in the whole of their lives.”
He continued, “Bless these emblems which they will wear as a sign of their faith and commitment to the proclamation of the gospel and grant that they may continue to grow in the divine likeness that they may come to full union with You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever.”
Before the brunch concluded, Father Ange offered the closing prayer. Members of the Catholic Committee on Scouting for the Diocese of Lake Charles are Scott Willis, chairman; Lannie Fuselier, vice chair; Melissa Murphy, Floyd Saltzman, Scott Lounsberry, Kristina Lounsberry, Jacob Fontenot, and Tina Alderson.
Rev. Trey Ange, Chaplain for Catholic Committee on Scouting in the Diocese of Lake Charles, left; and Rev. Joseph Caraway, Chancellor for the Diocese of Lake Charles, gather with recipients of various religious emblems at the 2024 Religious Emblems Recognition Brunch on Saturday, March 23, in the Ave Maria Hall of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. (Photography credit: Morris LeBleu / Diocese of Lake Charles)
