Submit Eagle of the Cross Award nominations

Staff report

youngstown

The Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry (OY&YAM) of the Diocese of Youngstown is accepting nominations for the 13th annual presentation of the Eagle of the Cross Awards.

This award was created by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM), and is the highest honor the diocese presents to youth.

The Eagle of the Cross is given annually in the Diocese of Youngstown to high school juniors and seniors who show particular zeal in the improvement of their parish youth ministry program, high school ministry teams or other ministries within the diocese.

The nominees must be practicing Catholics and exemplify the qualities of moral integrity, prayer and spiritual life, personal outreach to church and community, contribution to parish and/or school programs, and Christian leadership. Involvement in diocesan programs will also be considered.

Anyone may submit a nomination for the Eagle of the Cross, including parish staff members, high school personnel, parishioners, family members and peers.

Each nominator must complete short essay questions regarding the nominee’s participation in parish and/or Catholic high school youth ministry programs, as well as providing specific examples of the aforementioned qualities. The award is not geared toward quantitative service hours, but to the integrity of the individual and how well she or he is perceived as an outstanding Catholic Christian.

The nomination form can be downloaded from the diocesan website at www.cathdoy.org/docs.

Nominators must obtain the signature of the nominee’s pastor for parish nominees, or high school principal for Catholic school nominees. Nominees in the Catholic high school category must attend one of the six Catholic high schools within the six-county Diocese of Youngstown.

Nominations must be received at the OY&YAM by Feb. 14, 2011.

The Eagle of the Cross Awards liturgy and banquet will be April 13.

For information, contacct Cindee Case in the OY&YAM by e-mail at fabbondanza@youngstowndiocese.org or call 330-744-8451, ext. 280.