87 ‘distinguished’ teens earn awards
Scores of teens who are “using their gifts generously” in parishes throughout the Diocese of Tucson were awarded medallions by Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas last month at the diocese’s fourth annual Pope John Paul II Youth Awards ceremonies at St. Francis de Sales Parish in Tucson.
Describing the celebration as “a wonderful experience,” Bishop Kicanas said:
“These young people are assisting in the teaching of the faith to little ones. They have distinguished themselves in their service and outreach to the poor and marginalized. They actively help in the celebration of the Eucharist as lectors, members of liturgical choirs and as Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist.”
Clearly, the Bishop said, “young people matter in the Church. They have much to bring to the work of the Church, not only in the future but right here and now.”
Bishop Kicanas said he enjoyed seeing “the pride and delight in the faces of the parents” as their daughter or son received “this distinguished recognition.”
Talks were presented by three students – Kelsey Jane Cummings of St. Thomas the Apostle in Tucson, Chris Delgado of Our Mother of Sorrows in Tucson and Elena Corella of Lourdes Catholic High School in Nogales.
Awards were presented to 87 young people from 29 parishes and three Catholic high schools.
Father Bob Tamminga, pastor, and Marian Gilbert and some 40 teens and volunteers from the St. Francis de Sales Youth Group prepared and served the food to the 250 people who attended the celebration.
The awards were presented in three categories: Catechesis and Evangelization; Community Service and Social Justice; Prayer and Worship.
Among those honored were:
Two who were nominated by both their parish and their high school, David Loeffler, Yuma Catholic High School, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, and Jessica Luebbering, Salpointe Catholic High School and St. Thomas the Apostle Parish.
Four who were nominated in all three categories, Michael Harnick, Sacred Heart, Tucson; Diego Hoyos and Nicole Suarez, St. Michael’s Mission, Naco; Kelsey Mart, St. Patrick, Bisbee.
Four were nominated in two categories:
For Catechesis and Evangelization and Prayer and Worship, Andrea Alaniz and Angelica Alaniz, San Martin de Porres Parish, Sahuarita; Jacqueline Serrano, St. Joseph, Hayden.
For Community Service and Social Justice and Prayer and Worship, Bryan Earnest, St. Patrick, Bisbee.
Award winners
Here are the teenagers from throughout the Diocese of Tucson who received the 2008 Pope John Paul II Youth Awards, listed by category.
CATECHESIS & EVANGELIZATION:
Alexandria Alaniz, San Martin de Porres, Sahuarita;
Andrea Alaniz, San Martin de Porres, Sahuarita;
Angelica Alaniz, San Martin de Porres, Sahuarita;
Matthew Archuleta, Infant Jesus of Prague, Kearny;
Christopher Badilla, St. Mary of the Desert, Three Points;
Louie Benitez, Jr., Yuma Catholic High School, Yuma;
Allison Brice, Ss. Peter & Paul, Tucson;
Madaleine Bustamante, Most Holy Nativity, Rio Rico;
Cindy Cardenas, San Martin de Porres, Sahuarita;
Elena Corella, Lourdes Catholic High School, Nogales;
Kelsey Jane Cummings, St. Thomas the Apostle, Tucson;
Colleen Flanagan, St. Francis de Sales, Tucson;
Alexis Gomez, St. Joseph, Hayden;
Peter Gonzales, Most Holy Trinity, Tucson;
Michael Harnick, Sacred Heart, Tucson;
Diego Hoyos, St. Michael’s Mission, Naco;
David Loeffler, St. Francis of Assisi, Yuma;
Mary Elizabeth Lopez, Sacred Heart, Tucson
Jessica Luebbering, Salpointe Catholic High School, Tucson;
Kelsey Mart, St. Patrick, Bisbee;
Michelle Nguyen, Our Lady of La Vang, Tucson;
Sophia (RenÈe) Olivieri, St. Odilia, Tucson;
Wesley Pallanes, Our Lady of Fatima, Tucson;
Clarissa Quiring, Our Lady of the Valley, Green Valley;
Suzette Ramirez, Lourdes Catholic High School, Nogales;
Yovanka Rivera, St. Ann and Missions, Tubac;
Joseph Robinson, Santa Catalina, Tucson;
Jaqueline Serrano, St. Joseph, Hayden;
Tara Sonderman, St. Mark the Evangelist, Tucson;
Nicole Suarez, St. Michael’s Mission, Naco;
Sarah Tanberg, Our Mother of Sorrows, Tucson;
Katie Tierney, Corpus Christi, Tucson;
Jose M. Valadez, Jr., St. Francis of Assisi, Yuma.
COMMUNITY SERVICE & SOCIAL JUSTICE:
Erica Aguirre, Infant Jesus of Prague, Kearny;
Matthew Brian Calderon, Blessed Sacrament, Mammoth;
Ryan Davis, St. Francis de Sales, Tucson;
Christopher Delgado, Our Mother of Sorrows, Tucson;
Adam Delgado, Salpointe Catholic High School, Tucson;
Don Do, Our Lady of La Vang, Tucson;
Bryan Earnest, St. Patrick, Bisbee;
Jewelle Flores, Blessed Sacrament, Mammoth;
Michael Harnick, Sacred Heart, Tucson;
Isabelle Heilman, St. Odilia, Tucson;
Diego Hoyos, St. Michael’s Mission, Naco;
Peter Le, Our Lady of La Vang, Tucson;
Kelsey Mart, St. Patrick, Bisbee;
Adrianna Rivero, Our Lady of Fatima, Tucson;
Cheyenne Samorano, Most Holy Trinity, Tucson;
Nicole Suarez, St. Michael’s Mission, Naco;
Vicente Vasquez, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Tucson;
Tiffany Velez, Our Lady of the Valley, Green Valley;
Jamie Vigil, St. Helen, Oracle;
Andrew Vo, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Tucson;
Kellie Wallace, Our Lady of the Valley, Green Valley;
Matthew Wisely, Ss. Peter & Paul, Tucson;
Lauren Worcester, St. Thomas the Apostle, Tucson;
Alma Zaragoza, Yuma Catholic High School, Yuma.
PRAYER & WORSHIP:
Andrea Alaniz, San Martin de Porres, Sahuarita;
Angelica Alaniz, San Martin de Porres, Sahuarita;
Valerie Andree, Ss. Peter & Paul, Tucson;
John Bribiescas, Blessed Sacrament, Mammoth;
Manuel Aristeo Chavez III, Blessed Sacrament, Mammoth;
Jeremy Covell, Our Mother of Sorrows, Tucson;
Benjamin Diehl, St. Francis of Assisi, Yuma;
Bryan Earnest, St. Patrick, Bisbee;
Alex Frankart, St. Francis of Assisi, Yuma;
Teresa Frazier, St. Odilia, Tucson;
Brittany Gender, St. Francis de Sales, Tucson;
Michael Harnick, Sacred Heart, Tucson;
Diego Hoyos, St. Michael’s Mission, Naco;
Christopher Kane, St. Ann and Missions, Tubac;
Jacob Klein, St. Andrew the Apostle, Sierra Vista;
Emily Kram, St. Helen, Oracle;
Kylla LeCompte, Most Holy Trinity, Tucson;
Kayla Leon, Immaculate Conception, Ajo;
Paul Leonardi, Salpointe Catholic High School, Tucson;
David Loeffler, Yuma Catholic High School, Yuma;
Jessica Luebbering, St. Thomas the Apostle, Tucson;
Kelsey Mart, St. Patrick, Bisbee;
Andrew Maya, Immaculate Conception, Ajo;
Savannah McCasland, Immaculate Conception, Ajo;
David Navarro, St. Helen, Oracle;
Carolina Perez, Sacred Heart, Tucson;
Molly Powell, St. Andrew the Apostle, Sierra Vista;
Edward Rivera, St. Ann and Missions, Tubac;
Kyle Rohlik, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Tucson;
Ricardo Romero, Most Holy Nativity, Rio Rico;
Alberto Salazar, Most Holy Nativity, Rio Rico;
Ignacio Sanchez, Lourdes Catholic High School, Nogales;
Charles Schied, Santa Catalina, Tucson;
Hans Sebastian, Mission San Xavier del Bac, Tucson;
Jaqueline Serrano, St. Joseph, Hayden;
Sarah Smith, Infant Jesus of Prague, Kearny;
Nicole Suarez, St. Michael’s Mission, Naco;
Aaron Taylor, Corpus Christi, Tucson;
Rita Weinzettle, St. Mark the Evangelist, Tucson;
Steven Wilson, St. Andrew the Apostle, Sierra Vista;
Chris Yanez, Holy Family, Tucson;
Matt Yanez, Holy Family, Tucson.