A 17-year-old member of Queen of Angels parish in Thomson was recognized as archdiocesan youth of the year at a liturgy celebrated in the Cathedral of Christ the King Feb. 27.

Mary Clair Almeter is a senior at the Alleluia Community-sponsored high school in Augusta. The oldest of six children, she is the daughter of Joe and Ngoc Anh Almeter. A song leader and lector at Queen of Angels, she is also secretary of the youth group. Last summer she volunteered to work with underprivileged Appalachian children in Jenkins, Ky. The summer of 1991 she taught in a rural South Carolina migrant workers’ camp.

“I was taken completely by surprise,” Miss Almeter said of the honor. “Being from a small parish, I didn’t know anybody.” The young woman plans to major in history in college and wants to teach or be an attorney. She hasn’t made a final choice of a college, she said.

The Atlanta Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women sponsors the annual Recognition Day. In addition to 32 young people, 52 women from parishes and missions in the archdiocese were recognized for their contributions to their church and community.

Father John Adamski, spirtual moderator for the south deanery, celebrated the Mass. The choir from Sts. Peter and Paul in Decatur, under the direction of Jack Tilson, provided the music at the Mass.

Betty Potheir, south deanery president, and women of the deanery were hostesses for the celebration. A reception followed the Mass in the Cathedral’s Hyland Center.

The outstanding youth honored by their parishes included Susan Alme of St. Catherine of Siena, Kennesaw; Gemini Bangs of St. Peter’s, LaGrange; Timothy Baracz of St. Andrew, Roswell; John Beal III of St. Paul of the Cross, Atlanta; Raymond Branon of St. Ann’s, Barnesville; Danny Brennan of St. Thomas the Apostle, Smyrna; Gina Cambardella of Holy Spirit, Atlanta; Christina Chiarella of St. Michael’s, Gainesville; Donnie Clark of Sts. Peter and Paul, Decatur; Carrie Connerat of St. Oliver Plunkett, Snellvelle; Kimberly Doyle of St. James the Apostle, McDonough; Catherine Elrod of St. Pius X, Conyers; Patrick Fagan of St. Lawrence, Lawrenceville; Alison Fink of St. Ann’s, Marietta; Bill Furin of Christ the King, Atlanta; Ana Haggaerty of Corpus Christi, Stone Mountain; Chris Jones of Christ Our Hope, Lithonia; Terry McBride of Our Lady of the Assumption, Atlanta; Sean O’Brien of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Atlanta; Julie Payment of St. Thomas More, Decatur; Kathy Spitts of St. John Neumann, Lilburn; Meredith Steve of St. Joseph’s, Dalton; Simone Turman of St. Thomas Aquinas, Alpharetta; Audrey Ueberschaer of All Saints, Dunwoody; Carrie and Crystal Velchek of Sacred Heart, Hartwell; Heidi Zakaluzny of St. John the Evangelist, Hapeville; and Laura Zander, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Carrollton.