FALL RIVER — Forty-seven young persons were recognized by the Fall River Diocese for service to their parish in a ceremony on Tuesday evening, December 1, that became virtual this year because of the pandemic.

The annual Pope St. Pius X Youth Awards ceremony was shared online using Zoom communications video technology, and the award recipients, their families and friends, and the pastors who nominated them were invited to participate.

In the context of the ceremony, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., blessed the award medals, led a brief prayer service and spoke to the award recipients, thanking them for their dedicated service and pointing out that the future of the Church depends on their commitment and leadership.

As the name of each recipient was read in the virtual presentation ceremony, a slide with their photo and parish was featured onscreen along with a quote from their pastor highlighting their contributions to the parish.

The award medals will be conferred to recipients in their own parishes at some point in the coming weeks.

Named for the pontiff who created the Fall River Diocese in 1904, the Pope St. Pius X Youth Award recognizes the commitment and selflessness of teens towards Christ, the Catholic Church, and their local parish community. It was presented for the first time in 2001.

Award recipients are active in a variety of ministries and programs within their parishes. Some are lectors, Eucharistic ministers, teachers in parish religious education programs; others are altar servers, leaders in youth groups, and members of retreat teams.

Pope St. Pius X Youth Award recipients must have already received the Sacrament of Confirmation, be at least a sophomore in high school and not older than 19.

Those honored with the 2020 Pope St. Pius X Youth Award and their parishes are listed below by deanery.

Attleboro Deanery

Dereck W. Bamford, St. Mary Parish, Norton; Adam T. Bertrand, Transfiguration of the Lord Parish, North Attleboro; Hannah Caouette, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Seekonk; Philip J. Hanifin, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish, Seekonk; Daniel J. Hasenfus, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Attleboro; Tizia Hernandez and Tiziana Hernandez, St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Parish, South Attleboro; John Mahoney, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Attleboro; Mary E. Muldoon and Paden L. Palanza, St. Mary Parish, Mansfield.

Cape Cod Deanery

Colin A. Braley, St. Margaret Parish, Buzzards Bay; Waverly S. Brannigan, St. Mary-Our Lady of the Isle Parish, Nantucket; Kaitlyn Bresnahan, Our Lady of Victory Parish, Centerville; Julia D. DiPreta, St. Pius X Parish, South Yarmouth; Edward J. Geishecker, St. Patrick Parish, Falmouth; John J. Harney, Christ the King Parish, Mashpee; Rhyanna Hatch, Our Lady of the Cape Parish, Brewster; Timothy P. Lang, St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, North Falmouth; Michael Van Neste, St. Anthony Parish, East Falmouth; and Sarah E. Wall, Holy Trinity Parish, West Harwich.

Fall River Deanery

David Abgrab, Espirito Santo Parish, Fall River; Michael J. Banalewicz, St. Stanislaus Parish, Fall River; Devin A. Baptista, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Westport; Sarah G. Carreiro, Santo Christo Parish, Fall River; Jacqueline DaPonte, Good Shepherd Parish, Fall River; Emily A. DeFreitas, St. George Parish, Westport; Ethan A. Medeiros, St. Joseph Parish, Fall River; Tatiana U. Miranda, Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Fall River; Sonja Morin, Holy Name Parish, Fall River; Rachel B. Ochoa, St. John of God Parish, Somerset; Lucas Sousa, St. Michael Parish, Fall River; and Jack T. Wilson, St. Dominic Parish, Swansea.

New Bedford Deanery

Brendan Alexander, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Acushnet; Zyre Andrade, St. Lawrence Martyr Parish, New Bedford; Sean M. Carr, Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, New Bedford; Madison Costa, St. Joseph Parish, Fairhaven; Lucas A. Da Costa, St. Julie Billiart Parish, Dartmouth; Adam Fonseca, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, New Bedford; Natalia L. Moulding, St. Patrick Parish, Wareham; Joseph R. Paulo, St. John Neumann Parish, East Freetown; Noah Pollard, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, New Bedford; Audra L Saucier, St. Mary Parish, Fairhaven; and Heidi L. Seddan, St. Mary Parish, Dartmouth.

Taunton Deanery

Gisele DePina-Teixeira, Holy Family Parish, East Taunton; Joseph D. DiCorpo, St. Ann Parish, Raynham; Colin O’Leary, St. Nicholas of Myra Parish, North Dighton; and Lillian Sanpietro, Holy Cross Parish, Easton.

Diocese of Fall River
Diocese of Fall River
Office of Communications