Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney presided at the annual Scout Sunday Mass to honor Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Paterson on Saturday, Feb. 4.
At the end of the Mass, the bishop presented Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in attendance with various religious awards designed to help inspire and strengthen their Catholic faith. Three Boy Scout adults also received leadership awards. Several Scouts participated in the Mass.
Concelebrating the Mass were: Msgr. Geno Sylva, St. John’s rector and diocesan vicar for special projects; Father Frank Agresti, pastor of Our Lady of Pompei Parish in Paterson and chaplain of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Girl Scouting; Father Christopher Barkhausen, pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in the McAfee section of Vernon and chaplain of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Boy Scouting; and Father Benjamin Williams, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Oak Ridge/St. John Vianney Parish in Stockholm and chaplain of the Skylands District of the Boy Scouts’ Patriots Path Council.
Debbie Wickham, chairperson of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Boy Scouting, and Joanne Ponnwitz, chairperson of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Girl Scouting, organized the Mass.
Assisting with the Mass were Deacon Marc Mackin of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Pompton Plains and Deacon Rich Goglia of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Flanders.