By Kathi Stearns, Staff Writer

ATLANTA--When Melissa Layng traveled to Denver for World Youth Day in August 1993, she had no idea that her journey would be a pivotal experience in the development of her Catholic faith.

“I have always been a believer, but seeing the pope became a turning point in my life,” she said. “It was as if I were beginning a personal journey with Christ.”

Miss Layng, a parishioner at St. Oliver Plunkett Parish, Snellville, was rewarded for the strides she has made in her journey Feb. 25 as she was named Outstanding Youth of the Year at the Atlanta Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women’s (AACCW) Recognition Day at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

At her parish Miss Layng, 17, serves as lector and eucharistic minister and is a member of Life Teen’s core group. At the request of her pastor, Father Tom Carroll, MS, she organized a nursery for pre-schoolers during the Sunday liturgies. She also trains parish children of elementary and middle school age to serve as lectors at the monthly family liturgy. During high school Miss Layng has also been a member of the Life Teen choir, a vacation Bible school volunteer and a participant at the Christian Leadership Institute in 1993.

“I was totally surprised when they called my name,” she said of the AACCW honor. “There were so many qualified people in the running that the thought of winning never occurred to me.”

In a speech given to help prepare St. Oliver’s 1994 confirmation class Miss Layng said, ‘My journey is far from over; I will travel until I die and along the way I will continue to grow into the person God wants me to be...It won’t always be easy, but I believe nothing is earned or learned without a struggle, be it big or small. In the long run I can look back and see how this journey made me the person I am and how I helped shape others along the way. My advice is to take life one day at time and treasure every moment as if it were your last; but most of all enjoy the journey.”

A senior at Brookwood High School, Miss Layng plans to attend the University of Georgia and major in communications. Currently she is ranked 27th in her class and has earned a Georgia Certificate of Merit and is a member of the National Honor Society. She was one of 32 young people chosen as outstanding from their respective parish or mission.

Father Melvin Shorter, CP, spiritual moderator of the northwest deanery and pastor of St. Paul of the Cross, Atlanta, was the principal celebrant of the Recognition Day Mass concelebrated by 15 priest of the archdiocese. Steve Dalton and Michelle Williams led members of the St. Paul of the Cross music ministry in song. The Gospel was proclaimed by Deacon Hilliard Lee, Jr.

During Father Shorter’s homily he encouraged the congregation to “accept the kingdom of God, like a child accepting a new toy; accept it, that is, with wonder and enthusiasm, with gratitude and single-minded attention, with wholehearted and exuberant delight.”

“Jesus advises his disciples that it is a person as vulnerable as a child who must be his followers’ object of concern,” he said. “In accepting the kingdom of God one must accept all of humankind, all, including the powerless and the helpless, those too often overlooked and left out; thus one accepts Jesus and his creator. In accepting others for Jesus’ sake, we lose our lives for His sake.”

Father Shorter told the honorees that they were being recognized because they had accepted the kingdom of God in this way and had lived in a manner that others knew them for their works. “Because of your good deeds, we can see what the face of God must look like,” Father Shorter said. “Continue to walk together, children and don’t stumble. Remember, at the end of your journey there is plenty of room. All you need to do is come in and sit down.”

On this annual Recognition Day the AACCW also recognized forty-four women nominated by their parishes and missions of the archdiocese for their contributions to the church and community.

March 4, 1995, marked the 75th anniversary of the National Council of Catholic Women. To commemorate this occasion the AACCW presented special certificates of recognition to its six members who have served or are presently serving on the national board. Honorees included Ruth Maguire, former director of the Atlanta Province; Murphy Faust, secretary; Mary Wells, former director of the Atlanta Province and a member of the nomination committee; Carroll Quinn, immediate past president; Marie Doyle, former director of the Atlanta Province and Joan Lucas.