By Dave Jolivet, Editor

FALL RIVER, Mass. — Bishop George W. Coleman will preside at the annual St. Pius X Youth Awards ceremony at St. Mary’s Cathedral on May 17 at 7 p.m. Fifty-eight young women and men from across the diocese will be recognized for outstanding service to the local Church. A list of recipients appears on page 18.

This is the 10th annual ceremony, established by then-Fall River Bishop Sean P. O’Malley in 2002.

The award is named after Pope St. Pius X, founder of the Fall River Diocese in 1904, who had a great deal of devotion to the youth of the Church and all they had to offer.

The cherished award is a medal bearing an image of St. Pius X along with his motto, “Restore all things in Christ.”

Bishop O’Malley instituted the award based loosely on the diocesan Marian Medal Award given to adults for service to the Church. The St. Pius X award recognizes the commitment and selfishness of teens towards Christ, His Church, and local parish communities.

Recipients are nominated by their pastors, must be confirmed, at least a sophomore in high school, and no older than 19 years old.

Several pastors across the diocese minister to two parishes, and also selected two winners, one from each of their assignments.

Father Richard L. Chretien is pastor of Immaculate Conception and Notre Dame de Lourdes parishes in Fall River, and he nominated a young adult from each. Curtis St. Pierre is the Immaculate Conception representative and Timothy Rabbitt is the Notre Dame winner.

“Both are great young men,” Father Chretien told The Anchor. “They do great things and are fine examples for other youth in the parishes. You don’t find too many people that age that committed to their parish community through service and action. I’m impressed with their dedication and their faith lives.”

Father Arnold R. Medeiros is pastor of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in North Falmouth and St. John the Evangelist Parish in Pocasset. His award-winners are  Morgan DiNello and Aidan Milsted, respectively.

“I’ve been at St. John’s less than a year, so I don’t know Aidan all that well,” said Father Medeiros, “but I do know he’s very active and he’s always at weekend Mass. And, he comes highly recommended by those who know him well.

“Morgan has been very active as well, including as an altar-server, right up through her senior year in high school. That’s very commendable. They’re both terrific young adults and fine examples for every generation.”

Crystal-Lynn Medeiros, assistant director of the diocesan Youth and Young Adult Ministry, said “Although the annual Pope Pius X Awards celebrate and acknowledge adolescents’ dedication to their parishes, the awards do something far greater. They provide adults with hope for the Catholic Church. 

“The young men and women who receive this award each year do not fear going against, what most people would call the ‘norm.’ They are not afraid of their faith and openly embrace their baptismal call to serve Christ and His Church in some way. But these 58 young people are just a small sampling of dedicated and devoted young people who serve their parishes across the diocese. So when the question, ‘Will our faith have children?’ is asked, these adolescents can emphatically say ‘Yes!’”

The ceremony, attended by parents, pastors, and friends will include eucharistic adoration and Benediction.

  2011 St. Pius X Youth Award Recipients