Shrewsbury – Saint John's High School seniors Jacob Dubois of Shrewsbury, Michael Smalanskas of Holden, Tim Bibaud of Worcester, and Brian Tomlinson of Worcester were awarded the Thomas Merton Award for exemplifying lives of service to others at the school's Mass of the Holy Spirit Thursday, Sept. 19.
The Thomas Merton Award was established by Jan and Peter O”Malley in 2010. Thomas Merton, for whom the award was named, was a Catholic monk whose writings examine the evolving relationship between reflective spirituality and one's place in the dynamic outside world.
Headmaster Michael Welch “78 remarked that Thomas Merton Award recipients are leaders, and “leadership is about serving others. Because of their leadership, Saint John's is a better place and a better community. This is one of the most prestigious awards offered to a present student at Saint John's.”
All four recipients of the award have been heavily involved in both the school and Campus Ministry service programs throughout their previous years at Saint John's. Tim Bibaud and Jacob Dubois traveled to Grand Goave, Haiti, in February with a group from Saint John's to work on the Be Like Brit orphanage. Michael Smalanskas has served as an altar server and gives the daily school-wide prayer intention with Tim Bibaud. Brian Tomlinson was instrumental in starting the Coffee House at Ascension Parish in Worcester.
