Margaret Mary “Meg” Miskin, a parishioner at Christ the King Church in Little Rock and a recent graduate of Mount St. Mary Academy, is one teenager who takes her relationship with Christ seriously.
For her dedication to attending Mass, participating in parish and diocesan youth events and growing in her faith life, she was chosen to receive the St. Timothy Award from the Diocese of Little Rock’s Youth and Campus Ministries Office. An adult committee who did not know the nominees made the selection.
The St. Timothy Award is the highest award that the diocese gives to high school students. The recipient of the award must “live as a disciple of Christ, setting a positive example for other youth, witness to their faith by exhibiting Catholic morals and integrity, demonstrate Gospel values through service to others and exhibit Christian leadership in parish, school and/or community settings.”
Miskin was nominated by Bevie Davies, the parish youth minister, and pastor Msgr. Francis I. Malone.
Msgr. Malone said when Miskin was chosen to be the candidate from the parish, most people were not surprised.
“Immediately when we looked at nominees, she came to mind right away … a lot of people have looked to her for leadership and for guidance because she is so strong and faith filled,” he said.
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Liz Tingquist and Trish Gentry of the diocesan youth ministry office did not have a part in selecting Miskin, but they were not surprised either. “She’s very selfless and I think she is a dynamic leader,” Tingquist said.
Miskin is the fourth of Mike and Anne Miskin’s six children. Her family has always been active in the parish, and she remembers “we always sat in the front pew of Christ the King every single week … (I) found out later that it was because we felt intimidated that Monsignor was watching us and so we would be on our best behavior.”
Miskin said she did not start taking her personal relationship with Christ seriously until she attended a Search retreat the summer before she entered her junior year.
“I realized that my faith life was extremely superficial … that’s when I started to use the tools from Search and build a real relationship with Christ,” she said. “It was hard and I had to build it, but I think I’m in a place now where I have a true relationship and not just a wish list that I’m sending up to God anymore,” she continued.
At a Steubenville University youth retreat that same summer, she said she started to truly look for a relationship with Christ.
“I realized that I hadn’t been giving anything to him except my own wants and desires,” she said.
Miskin became active in youth ministry at her parish and the diocese. She was active in her high school’s Liturgy Team, serving as chairwoman for Mother Daughter Rosaries and Rock Prayer Group. She spent three years on the parish’s Youth Advisory Team and two years on the diocesan Youth Advisory Council. She will serve as “Search mom” for Search #128 this month.
“I try to make my whole life a prayer,” she said.
Miskin will attend Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan., this fall and plans to study secondary education with the hope of becoming a high school English teacher.
Youth ministry awards
During the May 11-13 Catholic Youth Convention in Little Rock, the diocese also handed out other adult and parish awards.
Companions on the Journey, the highest adult award: Marvin Boyd, Christ the King, Little Rock
Most Improved CYM: St. James, Searcy
Most Outstanding CYM (small parish): Our Lady of Assumption, Booneville
Most Outstanding CYM (large parish): Christ the King, Little Rock