O'Malley singles out 8 youths for their service

Teresa Goggin helped start an anti-bullying program at Lyons Elementary School in Randolph and takes being called a snitch as a compliment.

The 11-year-old from Randolph also bragged yesterday that she has something in common with Mother Teresa, which made it especially "cool" that Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley presented her with a Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta Award for service she performs at the Immaculate Conception Church in Stoughton.

"My name is Teresa, and I got the Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta Award, and both our names are spelt without the 'h'," she said, beaming.

Teresa was among more than 600 youth altar servers O'Malley recognized yesterday with a Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in the South End.

The massive cathedral was packed with the youths and their families who came to hear O'Malley celebrate their service and announce eight winners - four girls and four boys - of the Pope John Paul II or the Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta awards.

"Bear in mind that Christ taught us that we come to serve, not to be served. And that we shall follow in his footsteps," O'Malley said. "I thank all of you for being servers here today and for helping to make the Lord more present and visible in our world."

Aaron Swenson, 13, of Waltham, who received the Pope John Paul II Award for his exemplary service to the Sacred Heart Parish and his community, said he was nervous about receiving the award. "It was amazing and scary because everybody's looking at you," he said.

Another recipient of the Mother Teresa award, 13-year-old Melissa Bolen of the Immaculate Conception Church in Revere, was excited about meeting the cardinal. "I was nervous at first, but when I got up to the altar, I was fine. I felt relieved when I met him, and I was happy to win the award."

Bolen believes she won the award because of her commitment to serving God. "I worked really hard over the years, and I'm always willing to serve. I helped out at the nursing home with my mom. I would see all the elderly and say 'hello' and say a prayer with them," she said.

Father Dan Hennessey, vocation director for the archdiocese, said it was important to recognize the service of young people and that there were twice as many servers recognized yesterday as there were last year.

"I thought it was a beautiful event for the church in Boston," he said. "What makes today such a beautiful day are the youth, who are a sign of great hope and inspiration of the goodness of God."

After the ceremony, Tanya Skypeck, a young adult leader in the archdiocese, called recognition by the cardinal "a pretty big moment. I think with Cardinal O'Malley's background as an altar server, it lets them really relate to him."

After Mass, people lined the cathedral's center aisle while O'Malley shook hands and took pictures with the alter servers and their families.

Most then went across the street to the Cathedral High School gymnasium for ice cream. "I think it's a special opportunity, after having a Mass dedicated to them, to be able to come and meet with their friends and family and enjoy some ice cream," said Kristina Henriques, who helped coordinate the event.

Hennessey predicted they will "have double the amount of people next year. I imagine we'll have a lot more kids and a lot more ice cream."