Ad Altare Dei

[wahoonfp]

I'm leading a group of 10 scouts through the Ad Altare Dei program at our church--from 5 different troops. Some of you may remember my question before about devices and purple knots.

 

My new question--how does this emblem get recognized at different levels? I know the knot (or devices for boys who have already earned the knot at a prior level) are considered troop awards and would be received at a Court of Honor. The medal is traditionally presented at a diocesan Mass with the bishop.

 

However, our parish has an annual Scout Mass in early February before the diocesan one. What could be presented there? I would like some recognition to be available there for all their hard work, but don't know what's appropriate.

 

I've read about a Duty to God patch on the NCCS website--is that an option? Or other suggestions?

 

Thanks!

[ScoutNut]

What we usually do at Scout Sunday mass is tell a little about the medal & what the boys did to earn it. Then we present them with a certificate, & tell everyone when/where the actual medal will be awarded.

 

This year could get a bit tricky as both our parish & our Annual Cathedral Scout Ceremony are on the same day. We may have to just read their names & tell about the award.

[AwHeck]

Our scout have received their medal at Mass in their local parish, preferably on Scout Sundsy. They are invited to the diocesan Mass but I don't believe that there are individual acknowledgements done there other than perhaps being listed in a "program" type of handout. I haven't actually attended a diocesan Mass so I can't say for sure.

[SWScouter]

Wahoonfp,

 

I imagine that in February when your parish has its Scout Mass, the boys will still be busy working on the emblem since it is meant to be completed in six to eight months and work usually starts in September.

 

What works good in this case, is to recognize the scouts working on the emblem by giving a short description of the emblem and having the boys rise. For example, in a mass recognizing scouts earning all four awards (cubs through venturers), you may have something like this (from the Phoenix Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting Religious Emblems Counselor Reference Book, 1st Ed, June 2003):

 

The next step in the Catholic religious education program, which is geared for 13 to 14 year old Boy Scouts, is the Ad Altare Dei emblem. The Ad Altare Dei program is a 6 month long independent course with classroom discussion involving an intense study of the seven sacraments.

 

In church today we also have several Boy Scouts who are presently studying for or who have received the prestigious Ad Altare Dei award. They expect to receive the award in May by Bishop xxxxx. I ask those scouts to please stand up.

 

I hope that helps,

SWScouter

[Greying Beaver]

It is a matter of timing to be sure. The boys in our troop begin their AAD or PPXII work when school starts to have it finished in time for the mass on Scout Sunday. The boys have their medal presented to them by the Archbishop during the mass. It's a bit of an assembly-line proceedure because all of the boys in the district are presented their AAD and PPXII decorations at that mass. A narrow ribbon about 18"-20" long has its ends tied to the opposite ends of the pinning device on the reverse of the ribbon, forming a big loop. One of the priests is holding the medals, hands one in turn to the Archbishop who puts the medal over the boy's head, turns him around, shakes his hand while a photographer takes their picture. ("Congratulations, son; turn around; shake; Good!; Next?" He has it down to an art.) Six presentations a minute; seven when he's smokin'.

 

The Supply Division has little pin-on devices for CS, Webelos, BS, VS, and Venturing that you can use. There are th etiny little devices that are also used on adult leader training award knots. Ask the clerks at the scout store. They will know what I'm talkng about. They can be presented at any time.