Good Faith of Teens Awarded

Catholic Daughters Court #330 Good Faith Awarded

For the 5th year, select high school seniors are awarded for their good faith in the Council Bluffs, Iowa, area. Five years ago Court St. Anthony #330 established an award as part of their Youth Program to honor high school seniors who exemplify the idea of service, spirituality and living the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.

Sheila Graham, the court’s Youth Program coordinator, designed the award so that local teens would be acknowledged and rewarded for their service to their parishes.

The pastors at the five parishes in the Council Bluffs area are asked to select one or more high school seniors who participate exceptionally at their parish and are good examples to the younger children of the parish. On the nomination form, the pastor is asked to describe the kind of service or volunteer work the student participates in at the parish and what kind of liturgical involvement the senior had at the parish, such as Eucharistic Ministers, lector, altar server, or usher. The pastor then describes how the senior lives the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. The seniors are rated by the pastor on nine Christian characteristics: faithful, cooperative, friendly, leadership, empathy, dedication, commitment, charity, and being a good example.

Those high school seniors who are selected by their pastors to receive the Good Faith award from the Catholic Daughters are honored at their respective parishes, often at their graduation Mass, and given a gift and certificate by a member of the local court.

The Youth Program of the Catholic Daughters believes that tomorrow’s promise lives in today’s youth, for they will be the leaders, the citizens, the church of tomorrow. This Good Faith award promotes the involvement and Catholic Christian example of teens and helps them see that they are able to live out the call of Jesus Christ to love, honor and serve God through their works and actions.


December 2008