Charity & Social Service Honors
Basilica Launches 2011-2012 Charity and Social Service Honors
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is pleased to announce the launch of its Charity and Social Service Honors Program for the 2011-2012 academic year.
Established by the Basilica during its 2009 Jubilee Year, which commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the National Shrine’s dedication, this biennial honors program was established to honor “charity in action” as urged by Pope Benedict XVI to the youth of our nation during his Apostolic Visit to the United States in April 2008.
In a letter dated June 15, 2011, Monsignor Walter R. Rossi, Rector of the Basilica, invited each diocesan bishop to participate in the 2011-2012 Charity and Social Service Honors Program. Bishops choosing to participate have been asked to select a diocesan coordinator (e.g., a representative of the Diocesan Catholic Schools Office, the Diocesan Youth Ministry Office, etc.) to facilitate their diocesan effort to select and submit a nomination on behalf of their diocese. Detailed information on the honors program and the nomination process was included with the letter of invitation to each bishop for transmittal to the diocesan coordinator he selects.
Each diocese may submit one student-produced multi-media nomination (Video or PowerPoint presentation) of a senior high school student or group demonstrating their outstanding works of corporal and spiritual mercy, their charity in action. The effort and impact of the works of mercy performed by nominees will serve as the basis for the selection of five honorees for the 2011-2012 Charity and Social Service Honors Program.
The deadline for submission of nominations is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, 2011. The Basilica will announce its selection of five honorees on Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras, February 21, 2012. Each honoree (or in the case of a group, an honoree representative) will be awarded a trip to Washington, D.C., to receive their honor in person at the Basilica on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 15, 2012.
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception’s Charity and Social Service Honors Program endeavors to not only cultivate a stronger sense of charity within our nation’s youth, but also assist in the formation of a Christian conscience which focuses on one of the “essential aspects of the treasure of our faith…charity in action.” (Pope Benedict XVI, April 19, 2008, St. Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers, New York)
For additional information on the 2011-2012 Charity and Social Service Honors Program, please click here.
To view the presentations of the honorees of the Basilica’s 2009-2010 Charity and Social Service Honors Program, please click here.
