Diocese to award Pope Saint Pius X Youth Award to 42 young people in Fall River, Cape Cod, New Bedford, Taunton, Attleboro Deaneries

FALL RIVER — Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha, S.D.V., will present the Pope Saint Pius X Youth Award to 42 young persons from parishes throughout the Diocese of Fall River in the context of a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 21st, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fall River.

The annual award, named for the pontiff who created the Fall River Diocese in 1904 and presented for the first time in 2001, recognizes teens who serve their parish community with selflessness, commitment, and dedication.

The Pope St. Pius X Youth Awards Ceremony will be livestreamed on the St. Mary’s Cathedral/Our Lady of Fall River website at www.olfallriver.com/watch

Nominated for the honor by their pastor, recipients support their parishes and the wider community through a variety of ministries and activities. Some are lectors, altar servers, sacristans, and catechists; others have helped with various parish events, served on parish councils, assisted in parish ministries, and helped with community initiatives.

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.

The award itself is a medal bearing the image of St. Pius X along with his motto, “Restore all things in Christ.”

Here are those that will be honored with the 2026 Pope St. Pius X Youth Award and their parishes followed by area deanery.

​Attleboro Deanery

Peyton Belbin, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Attleboro; Lily Delisle, St. Mary Parish, Norton; Samson Larkin, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Seekonk; Alexa Padilla-Ardon, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish, Seekonk; Brian Parkinson, Transfiguration of the Lord Parish, North Attleborough; and Cameron Peterson, St. Mary Parish, Mansfield.

Cape Cod Deanery

Isaac Eldredge, Holy Trinity Parish, West Harwich; Daniel Garcia, Good Shepherd Parish, Martha’s Vineyard; Kaylee Koch, Our Lady of Victory Parish, Centerville; Angela Manchuk, St. Pius X Parish, South Yarmouth; Nora McDonald, Corpus Christi Parish, East Sandwich; Mason Smith, St. Joan of Arc Parish, Orleans; Daniel Sullivan, St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish, Falmouth; and Kellen Tejada, St. Mary-Our Lady of the Isle Parish, Nantucket.

Fall River Deanery

Michael Barreto, Santo Christo Parish, Fall River; Marissa Duff, St. John of God Parish, Somerset; Hailey Koster, Divine Mercy Parish, Westport; Roberto Lozano-Melara, Good Shepherd Parish, Fall River; Emmanuel Ojadi, Holy Name Parish, Fall River; Elizabeth Pay, St. Bernard Parish, Assonet; Nathaniel Tello, St. Mary Cathedral Parish, Fall River; Ariana Tello, St. Mary Cathedral Parish, Fall River; and Brendon Verissimo, St. Stanislaus Parish, Fall River.

New Bedford Deanery

Emely Ayala, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James, New Bedford; Ethan Cleveland, St. Julie Billiart Parish, North Dartmouth; Vincent Couto, St. Joseph Parish, Fairhaven; Robert Delaney III, St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish, New Bedford; Maria Cecilia Dos Santos, Immaculate Conception Parish, New Bedford; Ryan Fernandes, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, New Bedford; Madeline Knowles, St. John Neumann Parish, East Freetown; Niel Labalan, St. Mary Parish, Fairhaven; Margaret Martin, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Acushnet; John Paul Morris, Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, New Bedford; Helena Morrison, St. Patrick Parish, Wareham; Herica Pires, Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, New Bedford; and Wendy Say Olmos, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, New Bedford.

Taunton Deanery

Kyle Cibotti, St. Ann Parish, Raynham; Laura Cruz, St. Nicholas of Myra Parish, North Dighton; Samantha Duarte, Holy Family Parish, East Taunton; Clare McFaul, Holy Cross Parish, South Easton; London Murphy, Immaculate Conception Parish, North Easton; and Adam Pereira, Annunciation of the Lord Parish, Taunton.