Annual Diocesan Scout Mass

By Bishop Paul S. Loverde
Special to the HERALD
(From the Issue of Feb. 13, 2003)

The following homily was given by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2003, at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington for the annual Diocesan Scout Mass.

Good people invariably attract us. We call them "heroes" or "heroines"; "role models" is another name. However we describe them, these persons command our attention, touch our hearts and inspire us to be like them. As we gather this morning for our annual Diocesan Scouts Mass, I would like to invite us all to reflect on some role models, who will inspire us to live life as Catholic Scouts.

As Scouts, our basic motto is to be prepared and to do good. This is essentially the message of Jesus Christ. In all the programs of Scouting, young men and women learn to serve God and country in very practical ways. American Scouting strives to form young men and women into young men and women of integrity. How similar this is to what our Catholic Faith calls us to. Our first reading this morning reminds us: "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have; God is pleased by sacrifices of this kind. Obey your leaders and defer to them, for they watch over you. …" As Scouts, we learn to become good citizens of both our Church and our country.

One week ago today, we were all terribly saddened by the tragic accident which caused the space shuttle Columbia to break apart on re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere. Those seven brave men and women dedicated their lives to serving the human family by exploring space in an effort to understand more fully God’s design for the universe and how this understanding can benefit the international community. The commander of the space shuttle Columbia, Astronaut Rick Husband, is, in my judgment, the kind of role model to which I referred just moments ago. What commanded my attention, touched my heart and inspired me was his deep practical faith in Jesus Christ.

As Catholic Scouts rooted in our Catholic Faith, we strive to live fully the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Astronaut Rick Husband clearly understood this. When he was 4 years old, Rick Husband wanted to be an astronaut. He played with toy airplanes, looked through telescopes, watched airplanes fly over in the sky and pretended that he himself was flying an airplane. As he grew older, he focused his energies on obtaining this one goal. In high school he had to give a speech for one of his classes on what he wanted to be when he grew up, and his classmates laughed at him when he said he wanted to be an astronaut. But, Rick Husband was committed to fulfilling his love of flying and his passion for being an astronaut. Rick Husband had to apply to the space shuttle program four times, and his perseverance paid off when he was finally admitted to the program. Along the way, his faith in Jesus Christ deepened. As he studied the universe through his telescope, and then in school, he began to be convinced of God’s existence. He once told his friends, "There is no way that you can look at the stars, at the Earth, at the moon, and not realize that there is a God out there who has a plan and who laid out the universe." In fact, he came to the conclusion that something was even more important than being an astronaut. That something was a Someone. Commander Husband spoke to the members of his church in Amarillo, Texas, and told them that being an astronaut "was not the absolute culmination of everything there is to life on Earth. As exciting as a ride on the space shuttle may seem, I have to say that it’s not as important as my relationship with Jesus. If it came to a point where I had to choose one or the other, I’d give up the shuttle ride in a minute." He also put the same conviction this way in a message he left for his pastor: "…tell them about Jesus. He means everything to me."

Another role model is someone not very familiar to us, although he was a native Virginian and himself a Boy Scout in Richmond. His name is Frank Parater, who died on February 7, 1920, in Rome where he was studying at the North American College in order to become a priest for the Diocese of Richmond. At the reception downstairs, prayer cards will be given to you, so that you can ask Frank’s help to live a good Catholic life and also ask God to proclaim him a Blessed in our Church. He was one of the first Boy Scouts in Richmond and from the day he enlisted, scouting was very much a part of his life. Let me quote from an article written about him days after his death. "Frank was a real scout, a four-ply scout, a scout of scouts. When the first troops were organized in Richmond, Frank was awkward, over-grown and by no means an athletic type. But he saw the possibilities of scouting, and after he had qualified as a tenderfoot, he worked his way patiently and painfully along the hard road of scout achievement. His merit badges did not come easily at the outset; he had to spend much time to prepare himself for every test. Conquering his mind by successive assaults and developing his body by exercise, he became ere many months had passed, a competent scout, then an exceptional scout, and, at the last, one of the very best the Richmond troops ever had" (The New Leader, February 13, 1920). While on summer vacation from seminary, Frank was the director of the scout camp in Chesterfield County -- a distinct honor for someone so young, about 17 years old.

Frank Parater was a Catholic Scout and his faith in Jesus was all important to him as it would be to Commander Husband many years later. Frank wanted to be a priest, so that he could bring many Virginians to Christ. Although he died before reaching this goal, he prayed to the end, offering his suffering and approaching death that people in Virginia – and in all the world – would come to know and love Jesus. Through scouting, Frank developed his mind, body and soul in order to be a more faithful follower of Jesus.

Obviously, the best role model of all is Jesus Himself, who is our Way, our Truth and our Life. The people in Jesus’ time realized this. People wanted to get close to Him in order to hear Him preach and heal. Jesus responded to them, as today’s Gospel reminds us: "When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things."

Yes, we are inspired by Commander Husband and Frank Parater. Even more, we are inspired by the One who inspired them: Jesus Christ. As Catholic Scouts, we strive to follow Jesus’ example. Moved by compassion for our brothers and sisters and our genuine desire to serve our country, we strive to always be prepared to lend a helping hand. We strive to become good citizens of both our Church and our country. As young Catholic men and women, like Commander Rick Husband and the young Frank Parater, you are preparing for your future and you have recognized that nothing is more central in your quest for happiness than an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ.

At the end of Mass, many of you will receive emblems and awards after having worked diligently over the past year to meet the requirements. Just as you strive to earn your emblems and awards, strive to attain the eternal rewards that come with being authentic followers of Jesus Christ. Learn to put into practice the teachings of Jesus. In order to do this, you must spend some time listening to Him by reading the bible and making time for prayer. As you strive to earn more advanced emblems and medals, ask God to assist you in attaining these goals and to show you how to serve Him more authentically. I am so proud of our Scouts here in the Diocese of Arlington. In you, I see our future astronauts, teachers, policemen and women, senators, congressmen and women, priests and religious. How many Scouts have gone before you armed with the experience of Catholic Scouting to serve both God and country. May you be like them and in doing that, command attention, touch hearts and inspire others – for the glory of God and the salvation of the world.

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