Eagle Scout fights tooth and nail for his dream

The former youth group president at Blessed Sacrament parish in Albany and graduate of the diocesan Christian Leadership Institute (CLI) credits faith for helping him on his journey.

"Getting up to this point faith played the biggest role possible," he said. "I knew that God would never give me more than I could handle."

Busy life

In addition, he was on the varsity soccer and tennis teams at Colonie High School, involved in the parish youth group and retreat team, and served as a lector.

Throughout the year, he relied on his faith even when it appeared that his dream of attending Annapolis would not become a reality because of an accident.

Into the gap

After he was accepted, however, he was hit in the mouth and the tooth cracked. It couldn't be fixed and needed to come out. Much confusion ensued as to whether he would be able to attend the school and what dentist would do the dental work -- the family dentist or a naval one.

During this time, Bryan was on his parish retreat team, leading a retreat for youth and beginning to accept that he would not attain his dream of attending the academy.

"The retreat was the day before I could find out [if I could still attend]," he said. "I made it part of my talk. There was nothing I could do but put all my faith in God."

The Navy decided to accept him and to have a naval dentist fix the tooth. "The message was that God really wants me to go," Bryan said. "My faith hasn't been tested yet; but up to this point, it's shown me that anything is possible."

CLI credit

Bryan attended CLI three summers ago. "That was my first time on a real retreat," he said. "It got me started in the Church and believing. I'll never forget that week. What you learn you take with you for the rest of your life. I think CLI is a great place to start. It shouldn't end with CLI. You need to bring back [what you've learned] to the parish and your peers."

He called CLI an investment all parishes should make. "It gives you the fundamentals of leading in the Church," he said. "You'll have that for the rest of your lives. It's an investment that keeps giving back."

Church work

His project was to build shelves for the Welcome Table, a soup kitchen at St. John's Center. To earn his Eagle Scout award, a rank achieved by only 2.5 percent of Boy Scouts, Bryan planned the project, gathered all of the materials for it, and supervised 18 scouts and seven adults in constructing 185 square feet of shelving.

He selected the project because of his involvement in his parish's youth ministry program. "I had done a lot of work with St. John/St. Ann's through my youth group," he said. "It came to my attention that they needed shelves. I came down here to see and, boy, did they need shelves."

Helping pantry

"It gives us more storage space," she said. "It gives a smoother path to the Welcome Table, and it looks good. Bryan is wonderful, organized, and has the patience of a saint. He's a wonderful example for youth."

While the fruits of Bryan's project are now a permanent part of St. John's Center, the teen is looking forward to life outside of the diocese.

"This is a dream," he said. "Actually, it's more than a dream. When I went down to the Naval Academy last fall, I got a feeling like I never felt before. I belong there. It's my destiny."

New life

"It's a new way of life that's totally different from what I've done," he said. "I'm anxious. The only thing I'm afraid of is that I'm going to fail. But this is the only thing I ever wanted in life, so I don't think I will."

At an age when many young people stop attending church services, Bryan will be going to a school that requires weekly attendance at religious services. That doesn't bother him.

"Going to church is a very small part of what religion is about," he explained. "Anybody can go to church. If you practice it outside that one hour a week, that's when you're a true practicing Catholic."

(06-25-98) [[In-content Ad]]