CYO volunteers and teen honored for their
service to community and Church

By Mary Ann Wyand

Archdiocesan officials honored seven adult volunteers in central Indiana with the St. John Bosco Medal, the Catholic Youth Organization’s distinguished service award, during a prayer service on May 3 at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis.

Twenty adult volunteers also were recognized with Msgr. Albert Busald Awards for outstanding service to youth and 16 teenagers received Spirit of Youth Awards for exceptional Church and community service.

Msgr. Joseph F. Schaedel, vicar general, presided at the prayer service and awards ceremony on behalf of Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein, who was participating in a province meeting with other Indiana bishops.

The vicar general began the annual prayer service by thanking the hundreds of adult volunteers at parishes in central and southern Indiana for sharing their gifts and talents during countless hours of coaching CYO sports programs.

Edward J. Tinder, director of the Catholic Youth Organization, also thanked the adult volunteers for coaching a variety of sports and serving as role models for youth.

“Every year, in CYO and parish youth ministry, there are at least a couple thousand volunteers,” Tinder said. “The CYO has been operating since 1939 in this archdiocese. … Those receiving the [St. John Bosco] award are the very best this archdiocese has when it comes to volunteering for the sake of young people. They have willingly and enthusiastically passed on the values and traditions of our Catholic faith. They have helped ... to develop the leadership of our communities and our Church.”

Father Robert Robeson, director of youth and young adult ministry for the archdiocese, also offered his congratulations to the outstanding adults and teenagers who find time to serve the Church and their community.

“It was good to see the coaches and other leaders, who make the Catholic Youth Organization programs happen, be recognized for their service,” Father Robeson said. “And it was amazing to see the students, who really are the cream of the crop, be honored for their service. I think that we’re experiencing a renewed commitment among youth to serve their Church and community as a way of serving the Lord.”

St. John Bosco Medals were presented to Indianapolis residents Joe Bill from Christ the King Parish, Bob Goyette of Holy Cross Parish, Rick Darragh from Holy Spirit Parish, Tom Spalding of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Joan Jacobs from Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ Parish, Shirley Dreyer of St. Jude Parish and Mike Sullivan from St. Simon the Apostle Parish.

“I’m proud I can serve the CYO,” Joe Bill said after the awards ceremony. “I love it. Back in 1947 and 1948 in Long Island [N.Y.], I had great coaches [as a youth] and that’s one reason I decided to get into this.”

Bill said he coached football, basketball, baseball and girls’ soccer at Christ the King and two other parishes to help boys and girls learn about sports, sportsmanship and life skills.

“We really are preparing the kids for more than just athletics,” he said. “We’re preparing them with life skills, teaching them not to give up on themselves. Self-esteem is so important. We want them to not just think they’re good, we want them to know they’re good, so they have to do certain things to earn their self-esteem, like hard work, which I think is very important.”

Gracie Bill said she has many happy memories of watching her husband coach CYO football teams at Christ the King Parish over the years.

“If he has to correct a little guy on the field,” she said, “… he calls the boy over, puts his hands on his helmet and talks to him real quietly. The little guy looks up with his big eyes and listens to every word Joe says then he goes right back out there and knows what to do the next time.”

St. Jude parishioner Shirley Dreyer, a retired teacher and director of religious education, has volunteered as a judge for the CYO Music Contest since its inception.

“It just makes me feel wonderful to help the kids and see CYO grow over the years in the parishes,” Dreyer said. “It’s truly a blessing for the Church.”

Catholic Youth Organization activities build community and foster unity by bringing together children from parish schools and religious education programs, she said, as well as serving youth from other faith traditions.

“I think, first of all, it teaches us that we have to keep building community” Dreyer said, “and that there’s nothing like team spirit, which comes from our families then in the school classroom and on the baseball or football field. We’re so fortunate with the coaches that we have because they stress that we have to work together, and that’s what Christianity is all about, so it’s a perfect way for our children to grow up.”

From coaching three sports to baking cookies for team members to volunteering as a judge for the high-jump event at the city track and field meet, St. Simon parishioner Mike Sullivan likes to teach young people that CYO activities are all about having fun.

“I’m just kind of in awe to be in such a prestigious group of Bosco winners,” Sullivan said. “I started coaching because … the school needed a coach, … and it seemed like the more I got involved the more fun it was. The kids are so great to be around. It wasn’t about winning or losing. It was about sportsmanship and friendship and fun. After games, we would go up to the other team, shake hands and say ‘Good game’ and congratulate them. Whether or not we won, we always had fun.”

Sullivan said participating in Catholic Youth Organization programs “runs in the family” because his brother, Kevin, is the director of CYO Camp Rancho Framasa in Brown County.

“To me, CYO is all about teaching young kids respect and sportsmanship,” he said, “lessons that they don’t realize they’re learning now, but they see them later in life when they’re adults.”

During the ceremony, Msgr. Albert Busald Awards were presented to Holy Name of Jesus parishioner Michael English of Beech Grove and Indianapolis residents Karen Yount from Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Scott Cullen and Mary Jo Stallings of Nativity Parish, Mary Johnson and Jack Warner of St. Barnabas Parish, Bill Nester from St. Christopher Parish and Teresa Keith from St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish.

Also receiving Msgr. Busald Awards were St. Lawrence parishioner Larry Leonhardt, St. Luke parishioners Pat Murphy and Jim Stark, St. Mark the Evangelist parishioner Mike Lewinski, St. Matthew parishioners Mike McNelis, Susie Sokol and Amy Stimpson, St. Pius X parishioners Kevin Bower and Henry Bryant and St. Simon parishioner Gina Faurote, all of Indianapolis.

Holy Spirit parishioner Eric Rhiver of Fishers, Ind., and Our Lady of Mount Carmel parishioner Brian Hunt of Carmel, Ind., both in the Lafayette Diocese, also received Msgr. Busald Awards for outstanding volunteer service to youth as participants in archdiocesan CYO sports programs.

Spirit of Youth Awards were presented to Good Shepherd parishioner Greg Kocher, Holy Cross parishioner Angela Werle, St. Luke parishioners Tom Berg, Claire Breen and Stacy Traylor, and St. Mark parishioners Casey Lewinski and Andrew Morris, all of Indianapolis.

Also receiving Spirit of Youth Awards were St. Matthew parishioner Alisa Benjamin, St. Michael the Archangel parishioner Theresa Hammond, St. Monica parishioners Josh Bolles and Colleen Scarry, and St. Roch parishioners Karen Dicks, Chris Feltman and Brian Leppert, all of Indianapolis.

St. Louis de Montfort parishioners Caitlyn Kelly and Elizabeth Perrin of Westfield, Ind., in the Lafayette Diocese, also were honored with Spirit of Youth Awards.

Catholic Youth Organization awards for distinguished youth and adult volunteer service in the New Albany Deanery are presented during a separate ceremony in southern Indiana. Those award recipients will be featured in a story in a future issue. †