There was no questioning the legality of the procures at this year’s Bishop’s Dinner for Scouting held May 8 at El Caribe, Mill Basin.
The Bishop’s Good Scout Award was presented to the New York City Police Commissioner, James O’Neill, as well as to two judges from Brooklyn, Judge Bernard J. Graham, of Kings County Supreme Court, and Judge Robert J. Miller, Associate Justice of NYS Appellate Division.
Also honored with the Good Scout Award was Christopher Coscia, CEO, Theodore Roosevelt Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Massapequa, L.I.
O’Neill credited his time as a Boy Scout as inspiring his vocation as a police officer.
Both judges, in their acceptance speeches, said the values of the Boy Scouts build good citizenship and provide leaders to many different professions.
Dinner Chairman Brian Long said that the four top honorees were chosen because they serve as excellent role models to today’s young people.
At the dinner, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, also a former Boy Scout in his hometown of Newark, accepted the Quality Diocese Award from the National Catholic Committee on Scouting.
The following awards were presented:
- Bronze Pelican Award: Father Lew Maynard, former assistant at St. Agatha’s, Sunset Park; and Harry D’Onofrio, St. Anselm’s, Bay Ridge.
- George Emblem: Msgr. Robert Romano, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dyker Heights; Msgr. John Maloney, St. Anselm’s, Bay Ridge; and Miroslaw (Mirek) Brzezinski, St. Anselm’s.
- Ann’s Award: Nalda Gomez, Incarnation, Queens Village.
- Elizabeth Ann Seton Award: Cheryl Nierer, Francesca Tessier-Miller, Dominique Pastrana, and Milagros Williams, all from Our Lady of Lourdes, Queens Village.
- Service to Youth Award: Father Edward Kachurka, St. Ann’s-Nativity, Flushing.
- Chairman’s Award for Service to Catholic Scouting: Deacon James Noble, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Kensington.
- Ann Mannix Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award: John Joseph Antoniello, St. Agatha’s, Sunset Park; and Charmaine Chung.