A commemorative stone emblazoned with the name of Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio will be unveiled at the Boy Scouts’ Ten Mile River Camp in Narrowsburg, New York, this summer, in recognition of his support for the scouting movement.
The announcement was made by diocesan Scouting Coordinator Brian Long at the annual Bishop’s Dinner for Scouting on Nov. 4 at El Caribe, Mill Basin.
A second stone will be engraved with the name of Paul Stanton, past chairman of the CCOS, who died in 2019 due to a 9/11-related cancer illness.
This year’s dinner was the final one that Bishop DiMarzio would be presiding over since he is scheduled to retire November 30.
Various speakers thanked the Bishop for his unwavering support for scouting over the past 18 years that he has been the Bishop of Brooklyn.
Long spoke about the Bishop’s “true devotion to scouting,” and “his legacy of service,” adding, “We’re going to miss you, Bishop. You’ve really been good to us.”
In response, Bishop DiMarzio explained how he had been a Boy Scout growing up with Troop #128 in Sacred Heart Cathedral parish, Newark, N.J. He rose through the ranks advancing to Assistant Scoutmaster prior to entering the seminary.
“The Scouts taught me leadership,” Bishop DiMarzio pointed out. “I believe the future for scouting is bright because young people today are so smart and much more aware of things than we were in the past.”
The dinner recognizes the contributions made by adults to Boys and Girl Scouts in Brooklyn and Queens. The Bishop’s Good Scout Award was presented to Dominic Cama, president of Investors Bank, and Deacon Jaime Varela, secretary to the Bishop, for being good role models to the youth of the diocese.
Msgr. David Cassato, pastor of St. Athanasius/St. Dominic, Bensonhurst, was presented the Ann Mannix Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award.
Father Kevin Abels, pastor of Our Lady of Angels, Bay Ridge, and Father Christopher Heanue, rector of the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph, were recipients of the Service to Youth Award. Father Christopher Piasta, chaplain of Our Lady of Skies Chapel at Kennedy Airport, received the Chairman’s Award.
Other awards and their recipients were:
Bronze Pelican: Alessandro Boselli and Michael Masgino, Our Lady of Mercy, Forest Hills; Father Kevin Abels, and Msgr. Steven A. Ferrari, pastor, St. Teresa’s, Woodside.
St. George Award: Harry D’Onofrio, Our Lady of Angels; John Mulvey, St. Fidelis, College Point; and James Sorenson, Oratory of St. Boniface.
St. Ann Award: Jeanne Marie Cirone, Chairperson of the Diocese’s Catholic Committee on Scouting.
Elizabeth Ann Seton Award: Jennifer D’Onofrio, Gladys Gonzalez, Natalie Jones, and Danielle Marie Stimus, all Our Lady of Angels.
