Scouts encouraged to be inspired by saints at Mass #Catholic - Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney urged scouts and leaders to find inspiration in the saints, such as Ss. Cyril & Methodius, while celebrating the annual Scout Sunday Mass of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey on Feb. 14, the feast of the two Slavic saints and St. Valentine’s Day. The liturgy was held at Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) Church in the Pompton Plains neighborhood of Pequannock, N.J.
After presiding over the Mass, Bishop Sweeney presented religious awards to Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and adult Boy Scout leaders to inspire and strengthen their Catholic faith.
Among the priests concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Sweeney were Father Frank Agresti, chaplain of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Girl Scouting who is offering pastoral assistance to St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, N.J.; Father Christopher Barkhausen, pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in the McAfee neighborhood of Vernon, N.J., and chaplain of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Boy Scouting; and Father Benjamin Williams, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in the Oak Ridge neighborhood of Jefferson Township and St. John Vianney Parish in the Stockholm neighborhood of Hardyston, N.J. who is involved in several capacities with the Boy Scouts’ Patriots Path Council.

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Father Darwin Lastra, pastor of OLGC, also concelebrated the Mass. Father Jared Brogan, director of the diocesan Worship Office, was master of ceremonies for the liturgy.
On social media, Bishop Sweeney posted after the event, “I was blessed to celebrate Mass this Morning with our Catholic Scouting Community and be part of their annual Awards Ceremony. I thanked the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, their parents, Scout Leaders, and Chaplains for their dedication, generosity, and example of servant leadership. I encouraged them to learn from and be inspired by the saints, especially Ss. Cyril & Methodius.”
Ss. Cyril and Methodius were two missionaries, brothers from Thessaloniki in Greece, who popularized Christianity among the Slavic peoples. Such was their influence that they are now known as the “Apostles to the Slavs.”
Deacon Marc Mackin of OLGC assisted with the Mass. Several Scouts participated in the Mass.
The diocese’s Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have been holding a Scout Sunday Mass collectively for at least 10 years. Last year, the Boy Scouts of America rebranded as Scouting America to be more inclusive to all youth.
A list of Boy Scout and Girl Scout award recipients will follow soon.
BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI
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Scouts encouraged to be inspired by saints at Mass #Catholic - <img width="150" height="150" src="https://beaconnj.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/ScoutMass_3448-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" /><p><strong>Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney urged scouts</strong> and leaders to find inspiration in the saints, such as Ss. Cyril & Methodius, while celebrating the annual Scout Sunday Mass of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey on Feb. 14, the feast of the two Slavic saints and St. Valentine’s Day. The liturgy was held at Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) Church in the Pompton Plains neighborhood of Pequannock, N.J.</p> <p>After presiding over the Mass, Bishop Sweeney presented religious awards to Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and adult Boy Scout leaders to inspire and strengthen their Catholic faith.</p> <p>Among the priests concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Sweeney were Father Frank Agresti, chaplain of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Girl Scouting who is offering pastoral assistance to St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, N.J.; Father Christopher Barkhausen, pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in the McAfee neighborhood of Vernon, N.J., and chaplain of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Boy Scouting; and Father Benjamin Williams, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in the Oak Ridge neighborhood of Jefferson Township and St. John Vianney Parish in the Stockholm neighborhood of Hardyston, N.J. who is involved in several capacities with the Boy Scouts’ Patriots Path Council.</p> <hr> <h6 style="text-align: center"><a href="https://beaconnj.org/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.</span></a></h6> <hr> <p>Father Darwin Lastra, pastor of OLGC, also concelebrated the Mass. Father Jared Brogan, director of the diocesan Worship Office, was master of ceremonies for the liturgy.</p> <p>On social media, Bishop Sweeney posted after the event, “I was blessed to celebrate Mass this Morning with our Catholic Scouting Community and be part of their annual Awards Ceremony. I thanked the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, their parents, Scout Leaders, and Chaplains for their dedication, generosity, and example of servant leadership. I encouraged them to learn from and be inspired by the saints, especially Ss. Cyril & Methodius.”</p> <p>Ss. Cyril and Methodius were two missionaries, brothers from Thessaloniki in Greece, who popularized Christianity among the Slavic peoples. Such was their influence that they are now known as the “Apostles to the Slavs.”<br /> Deacon Marc Mackin of OLGC assisted with the Mass. Several Scouts participated in the Mass.</p> <p>The diocese’s Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have been holding a Scout Sunday Mass collectively for at least 10 years. Last year, the Boy Scouts of America rebranded as Scouting America to be more inclusive to all youth.</p> <p>A list of Boy Scout and Girl Scout award recipients will follow soon.</p> <div style="text-align: center;margin-bottom: 24px"><strong>BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI</strong></div> <div> [<a href="https://beaconnj.org/scouts-encouraged-to-be-inspired-by-saints-at-mass/">See image gallery at beaconnj.org</a>]  </p> </div> - <img width="150" height="150" src="https://beaconnj.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/ScoutMass_3448-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" />Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney urged scouts and leaders to find inspiration in the saints, such as Ss. Cyril & Methodius, while celebrating the annual Scout Sunday Mass of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey on Feb. 14, the feast of the two Slavic saints and St. Valentine’s Day. The liturgy was held at Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) Church in the Pompton Plains neighborhood of Pequannock, N.J. After presiding over the Mass, Bishop Sweeney presented religious awards to Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and adult Boy Scout leaders to inspire and strengthen their Catholic faith. Among the priests concelebrating the

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney urged scouts and leaders to find inspiration in the saints, such as Ss. Cyril & Methodius, while celebrating the annual Scout Sunday Mass of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey on Feb. 14, the feast of the two Slavic saints and St. Valentine’s Day. The liturgy was held at Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) Church in the Pompton Plains neighborhood of Pequannock, N.J.

After presiding over the Mass, Bishop Sweeney presented religious awards to Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and adult Boy Scout leaders to inspire and strengthen their Catholic faith.

Among the priests concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Sweeney were Father Frank Agresti, chaplain of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Girl Scouting who is offering pastoral assistance to St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, N.J.; Father Christopher Barkhausen, pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in the McAfee neighborhood of Vernon, N.J., and chaplain of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Boy Scouting; and Father Benjamin Williams, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in the Oak Ridge neighborhood of Jefferson Township and St. John Vianney Parish in the Stockholm neighborhood of Hardyston, N.J. who is involved in several capacities with the Boy Scouts’ Patriots Path Council.


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Father Darwin Lastra, pastor of OLGC, also concelebrated the Mass. Father Jared Brogan, director of the diocesan Worship Office, was master of ceremonies for the liturgy.

On social media, Bishop Sweeney posted after the event, “I was blessed to celebrate Mass this Morning with our Catholic Scouting Community and be part of their annual Awards Ceremony. I thanked the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, their parents, Scout Leaders, and Chaplains for their dedication, generosity, and example of servant leadership. I encouraged them to learn from and be inspired by the saints, especially Ss. Cyril & Methodius.”

Ss. Cyril and Methodius were two missionaries, brothers from Thessaloniki in Greece, who popularized Christianity among the Slavic peoples. Such was their influence that they are now known as the “Apostles to the Slavs.”
Deacon Marc Mackin of OLGC assisted with the Mass. Several Scouts participated in the Mass.

The diocese’s Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have been holding a Scout Sunday Mass collectively for at least 10 years. Last year, the Boy Scouts of America rebranded as Scouting America to be more inclusive to all youth.

A list of Boy Scout and Girl Scout award recipients will follow soon.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI

Scouts encouraged to be inspired by saints at Mass #Catholic –

Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney urged scouts and leaders to find inspiration in the saints, such as Ss. Cyril & Methodius, while celebrating the annual Scout Sunday Mass of the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey on Feb. 14, the feast of the two Slavic saints and St. Valentine’s Day. The liturgy was held at Our Lady of Good Counsel (OLGC) Church in the Pompton Plains neighborhood of Pequannock, N.J.

After presiding over the Mass, Bishop Sweeney presented religious awards to Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and adult Boy Scout leaders to inspire and strengthen their Catholic faith.

Among the priests concelebrating the Mass with Bishop Sweeney were Father Frank Agresti, chaplain of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Girl Scouting who is offering pastoral assistance to St. Anthony Parish in Hawthorne, N.J.; Father Christopher Barkhausen, pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in the McAfee neighborhood of Vernon, N.J., and chaplain of the diocesan Catholic Committee on Boy Scouting; and Father Benjamin Williams, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in the Oak Ridge neighborhood of Jefferson Township and St. John Vianney Parish in the Stockholm neighborhood of Hardyston, N.J. who is involved in several capacities with the Boy Scouts’ Patriots Path Council.


Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Father Darwin Lastra, pastor of OLGC, also concelebrated the Mass. Father Jared Brogan, director of the diocesan Worship Office, was master of ceremonies for the liturgy.

On social media, Bishop Sweeney posted after the event, “I was blessed to celebrate Mass this Morning with our Catholic Scouting Community and be part of their annual Awards Ceremony. I thanked the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, their parents, Scout Leaders, and Chaplains for their dedication, generosity, and example of servant leadership. I encouraged them to learn from and be inspired by the saints, especially Ss. Cyril & Methodius.”

Ss. Cyril and Methodius were two missionaries, brothers from Thessaloniki in Greece, who popularized Christianity among the Slavic peoples. Such was their influence that they are now known as the “Apostles to the Slavs.”
Deacon Marc Mackin of OLGC assisted with the Mass. Several Scouts participated in the Mass.

The diocese’s Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts have been holding a Scout Sunday Mass collectively for at least 10 years. Last year, the Boy Scouts of America rebranded as Scouting America to be more inclusive to all youth.

A list of Boy Scout and Girl Scout award recipients will follow soon.

BEACON PHOTOS | JOE GIGLI