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Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, N.J.
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Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, N.J.
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Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, N.J.
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Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, N.J.
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Holy Cross Preparatory Academy, Delran • Feb. 9, 2019
THE
Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, N.J.
A Supplement of
A Supplement of
THE
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Newspaper of the Diocese of Trenton
FEBRUARY 10 • CHRISTIAN BROTHERS ACADEMY, LINCROFT
Newspaper of the Diocese of Trenton
#BeGodsServant Diocesan Youth Conference inspires hearts, minds of young Catholics By Mary Morrell, Contributing Editor
E
mpowering! Energizing! Inspiring! Youth across the four counties of the Diocese used these words to describe “Servant,” the 2019 Diocesan Youth Conference – a yearly gathering for teens in grades 8-12 in which they encounter Jesus through a joyful celebration of their faith while connecting with other young Catholics from across the Diocese. Held Feb. 9 in Holy Cross Preparatory Academy, Delran, more than 600 youth and their adult leaders, attended the day-long conference which called participants to discover their unique gifts and use them in service to God. Young people moved throughout the day in what seemed like a sea of blue, wearing t-shirts illustrated with #BeGodsServant and the vivid Conference logo – a crown of thorns, a cross and the letter M, representing Mary as the perfect witness to life as a servant of Christ. Mary’s words to the Angel Gabriel, “I am the servant of the Lord” (Luke 1:38), served as inspiration for the 2019 DYC theme. Two keynote presentations, a breakout session, Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, Reconciliation and Mass with Bishop
David M. O’Connell, C.M., were at the heart of a day designed to “make God’s call real in the lives of youth”, said Dan Waddington, diocesan director, Youth and Young Adult Ministries. “This year’s DYC was meant to affirm young people for the many ways they are already living as God’s servants and to be an opportunity for them to grow as servants, to be intentional in their faith. We want them to realize how much they are loved by God, who gave them amazing gifts and talents and invites them to use those gifts for him and in the service of others. We want them to know that the calling they feel in their hearts comes from God,” Waddington shared.
The Servant Call Youth from more than 40 parishes and
Teens stop by one of the stations for Jenna’s Blessing Bags to pick up Bibles and write prayerful messages that, along with other items, will fill backpacks for the homeless.
Y2 DYC 2019 | THE MONITOR • FEBRUARY 21, 2019
DYC participants place ribbons carrying their intentions on a prayer loom which was moved to the auditorium for Mass where intentions were included in prayer.
“This
year’s DYC was meant to affirm young people for the many ways they are already living as God’s servants…
”
schools in the Diocese began the day with praise and worship as the sounds of the DYC band, led by Gez Ford, youth ministry coordinator and leader of the praise and worship band in St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton, filled the auditorium. Franciscan Sister of the Renewal Mother Clare Matthias, from Our Lady of Guadalupe Convent, Bronx, N.Y., laid the foundation for the day with the first keynote presentation, “Called to Serve,” which enabled youth to reflect on the many gifts and talents they already possessed. “She focused on all the things that make youth, and adults, qualified to be servants of God,” said Waddington, who noted that following the presentation teens had the opportunity to answer the servant call and practice it immediately through a special service project set up in the exhibit hall. Tucked between exhibits from various religious communities, service organizations, respect life and vocations ministries, were five stations set up to fill Jenna’s Blessing Bags – backpacks for the homeless which would See DYC • Y11
All news photos by Craig Pittelli
Bishop reminds youth that they were
born to serve
During his homily for the DYC Mass, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., reminds teens that servants of God must follow where He leads.
The congregation prays the Lord’s Prayer.
Gospel, to trust God without any proof. That kind of trust requires faith.” “To be God’s servant, my sisters and brothers, we must first trust him, and then spend the rest By Dubravka Kolumbic-Cortese, Correspondent of our lives seeking out his will. A servant is one he 600 or so young people who attended the who does the will of an2019 Diocesan Youth Conference focused a lot other. We are called to be God’s servant. And if of attention on the theme of “Servant.” we are God’s servant, we But probably the most powerful message follow where he leads – and that’s the service they heard came from Bishop David M. O’Conand care of one another.” nell, C.M., who offered simple, yet profound The young people heard from Bishop O’Coninsight on how one goes about becoming a nell during the DYC’s closing Mass he celebrated servant. in the auditorium. Along with the Bishop, a “We were born to serve,” the Bishop said. number of priests from around the Diocese had “How we do that is as different as each of us, also traveled to Delran, some taking the time but we need to trust God, like Peter [did] in the to hear Confessions or concelebrate the Mass.
T
Bishop O’Connell offers the final blessing to the DYC congregants following the Mass. Among the clergy joining the Bishop at the altar are from left, Deacon Nicosia of St. Thomas More Parish, Manalapan, Father Martin O’Reilly, pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, Bordentown, and Father Christopher Colavito, chaplain of Holy Cross Preparatory Academy.
“Let’s
While the auditoall make a rium had already been filled with commitment to the spirited youth remain a people whose energy was palpable, their revof faith erence was moving and their desire to serve was inspirational, the enthusiasm was further enhanced by the youthful and upbeat music played by the DYC band. “All of us, as different as we are from one another, we have a reason for being, a reason that God had in mind when he created us,” Bishop O’Connell said in his homily. “We spend our lives trying to figure out what that reason is, and what our purpose in life is. You are never too young to think about that.” The Bishop reminded the young people to trust in God – to have faith – and that “he will lead us to where he wants us to be.” He then explained that faith is the grace to believe and trust is the result of faith. “Let’s make a commitment to keep this day alive, to keep the things that we talked about alive,” said Bishop O’Connell. “Let’s all make a commitment to remain a people of faith who trust God to lead us wherever we need to go.” Alexis Valverde, 16, and Christian Lopez, 13, who are both active in the youth group in St. Joseph Parish, Trenton, reflected on how their See Finding • Y10
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”
DYC 2019 Y3
Mother Clare Matthias, a Franciscan Sister of the Renewal, leads the DYC’s keynote presentation on ‘Called to Serve’.
Youth reply ‘yes’ to ‘Called
A
s a 19-year-old from St. Mary of the Lakes Parish in Medford, I was blown away by the welcoming atmosphere of the Diocesan Youth Conference. The gym was crowded with all different types of people who shared one common thing. They all said yes to the call to serve.
A reflection by Matthew Mitchell
“… God
abides in all of us and that God is calling us in similar and unique ways.
”
I was lucky enough to be able to experience the morning session, “Called to Serve,” in the theater. The theater was filled with energy from over 700 people from our Diocese. Together, we all had the opportunity to pray. Every person there was being a servant of God, and being with that many people who share the same belief as I do showed me that we really are one family. Dan Waddington, the diocesan director of youth ministry, introduced us to Mother Clare Matthias, a Franciscan Sister of the Renewal. The theater was filled with cheers and claps when she was introduced. The whole room was loaded with excitement. Mother Clare asked us a very simple, but important question. “How do you identify yourself?” Most people would answer by gender, nationality, or sports ability, but she taught us all that, as Catholics, we are more than that. We are children of God. People often forget their spiritual sense, and we lose our identity sometimes, but what is important is that we find it. The best way to do that is saying yes when we are called to serve. Mother Clare also taught us the importance of prayer. Prayer is the foundation of a good relationship with God. Mother Clare shared a story from her heart.
Y4 DYC 2019 | THE MONITOR • FEBRUARY 21, 2019
to Serve’
She was in line when she was younger, complaining. A man in front of her was organizing a retreat and overheard her. The man prayed that God would change her heart. This was one of the moments where Mother Clare felt the impact of God. God impacts all of us and we should say yes every time. Finally, we were taught the best way to build a relationship with God. We should go to Mass and listen to the readings with our hearts. We should have an understanding of what the Creed means to us. Reading Scripture while learning about Jesus Christ and journaling about how we can be like him are very important, as well. If we do these things, we feel closer to God, and we will be just like Mary and say yes to God when we are called. The session, “Called to Serve,” really meant a lot to me. Some of the things that were said that really stood out to me were that God abides in all of us and that God is calling us in similar and unique ways. I feel being there that day was a call from God telling me that I am on the right path. I feel like saying yes to the call of God was important because I have a family now. Family is more than who you live with. Family is your Father in Heaven and a Holy Mother and a world of brothers and sisters who we are called to serve. At “Called to Serve” I was able to meet other people who said yes to the call and were very excited about serving. Matthew Mitchell is a member of St. Mary of the Lakes Parish, Medford.
‘Hard to Serve’
inspires youth to overcome pressure
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here were probably about 50 to 100 girls sitting all together in the auditorium for the “Hard to Serve” breakout session led by Amy Raimondi. We were not shy to sit together because we were all there to learn how to be God’s servants. Even though we were in a large space, I felt like we were bonding, getting to know each other and really learning together. A reflection by Caitlin Clayton, Kate Rowe and Bridget Morris
“…there will
always be obstacles that make it hard to serve…
After we played a quick game to get to know each other better, Amy told us to break into groups of eight to 10 people to start our activity. Our goal was to come up with six reasons why it is hard to serve in today’s society and to write them on notecards. As a group, we were to decide which of our six reasons was the hardest of them all and put the notecard in a bag. We were given pennies and told to put the most pennies in a bag with that notecard. We chose how many pennies to put in the bag based on the difficulty of the reason. Many groups had reasons that went along with family, such as family not supporting decisions and family not getting along. Others had reasons that went along with the pressures of soci-
ety, like peer pressure, not knowing how people will react to your service, and today’s busy life. We then had to put all six of our bags, with the notecards and pennies, into shopping bags that two girls volunteered to hold. They were not allowed to put their arms down until Amy told them to. They were holding all of the wide variety of reasons it is hard to serve today. Amy wanted us to remember that there will always be obstacles that make it hard to serve, but we are all called to serve in many different ways and we need to follow that. After listening to Amy’s talk, I realized that there are times when I have given up such a good opportunity to serve God, all because I felt pressured to do another thing. I’ve also been given the opportunity to serve God by simply talking, and it’s hard to do, but I know now that I need to follow what my heart says, and that God will call me to serve him in the way he wants me to. There is no right or wrong way to serve God, as long as you believe you are doing an act for him and to better ourselves. Caitlin Clayton, Kate Rowe and Bridget Morris are members of St. Martha Parish, Point Pleasant.
”
During the breakout session, “Hard to Serve,” high school girls demonstrate the challenge of carrying the weight of so many reasons not to serve.
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DYC 2019 Y5
While processing out after the DYC Mass, Deacon Matthew Nicosia of St. Thomas More Parish, Manalapan, and a participant exchange a ‘high-five.’
The DYC band, under the direction of Gez Ford, who is also the youth ministry coordinator in St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton, leads praise and worship.
Bishop O’Connell and priest concelebrants sing during the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
R O L E H T F O T N A V R E S E H T M “I A Youth clap their hands and sing along during praise and worship.
Y6 DYC 2019 | THE MONITOR • FEBRUARY 21, 2019
A number of priests from around the Diocese were on hand to hear Confessions during the DYC including Msgr. Joseph Roldan, rector of St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, shown at left.
RD”
A visiting Franciscan Sister of the Renewal shows off her juggling prowess to youth in the exhibit hall.
DYC 2019
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS!
LK 1:38
At the close of Mass, teens received a reusable cup displaying #BeGodsServant filled with small helps for their journey as servants of God. Go to dioceseoftrenton.org/dyc and watch the DYC video to catch the coffee cup connection. Video screenshot
Get a look inside “Servant” including teen interviews, speakers’ talks, music, Adoration, the Bishop’s homily and more! Go to TrentonMonitor.com> Multimedia>Videos
Youth and adults dance to the music provided by a volunteer DJ during their time in the exhibit hall.
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DYC 2019 Y7
Brian Greenfield offers insight to teens on listening to the call of God, during his keynote presentation, “How to Serve.”
‘How to Serve’ helps youth meet the challenges to service
T
he 2019 Diocesan Youth Conference was one to remember. One of the many highlights was the “How to Serve” keynote session, which was a talk meant to mentor teenagers on how to serve God in their everyday life with happiness. A reflection by Christina Sheehan
“This
deep unity really brought everyone together…
”
The speaker was Brian Greenfield, who connected with the audience with his blend of humor and faith. He definitely captured everyone’s attention. Love and laughter was abundant. I could feel the joy and faith throughout the crowded auditorium. The speaker told the audience about a time when a youth retreat changed his life, and everyone listened as he told his story. He spoke of relatable topics, and made the very powerful point that God called each and every one of the audience members to the conference for a reason, and that God has been with them through the tough times in life. The topic that really touched me and the rest of the audience was that God is calling us to serve him, and he is speaking to our hearts. Mr. Greenfield explained that Jesus would do anything to bring us to him, and that we were deeply loved by the Father. One of the pivotal and powerful moments was when everyone held hands and prayed for each other, and the deep sense of unity was ever
present as we prayed silently together. This deep unity really brought everyone together, and the presence of God was very strong. In our modern age, it can be incredibly hard to love, serve, and follow God. With the ever-present media and culture pressures, it may seem uncool and old-fashioned to praise God and respond to his call in our lives. For many teens, it is scary to live out the faith. The temptations that come with social media and technology can make it seem even harder to worship and follow him. I found that the conference brought comfort to teens. I was surrounded with like-minded teens in whom I found support and comfort. It felt as if you weren’t alone, and that we all were going through the same issues. Most importantly, we found comfort in knowing we are loved and cherished by the Father. We laughed, worshiped, and prayed together. I could feel the connection between everyone. The conference was an empowering experience. Teens can leave the conference, go into the world with confidence and pride knowing they can do God’s will in their everyday lives. Christina Sheehan is a ninth grader in Steinert High School, Hamilton, and an alumni and member of St. Gregory the Great Academy and Parish, Hamilton Square.
Q: What was your favorite part of DYC today? Maura Graves St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton “Doing all of the service work because you were giving back and it was a great way to get involved.”
Y8 DYC 2019 | THE MONITOR • FEBRUARY 21, 2019
William Dory St. David the King Parish, Princeton Junction “Hearing Brian talk about his childhood and how that affected his youth and later life.”
Brian Spencer St. David the King Parish, Princeton Junction “Was hearing Brian talk because he’s very relatable and I think he had an important message for everyone to hear.”
Mariaelena Fiordelisi St. Paul Parish, Princeton “My favorite part was the service project and being able to make an impact in the local community.”
Hundreds of teens and adults gather for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, encircling the “burning bush” upon which the Monstrance sits, for quiet, prayerful time with Jesus.
Youth moved by the beauty, power of
Adoration A reflection by Samuel Garcia and Faith Wittstruck
A
t this year’s Diocesan Youth Conference, the teens and youth leaders had the opportunity to spend time with the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration. This gave all the chance to be with Eucharistic Jesus, and contemplate his presence and role in our lives. Adoration, essentially, is a simple, reverent time in which worshippers converse with the Lord about anything that is in their hearts. It gave adorers a calming peace, where for a moment all their troubles seem to fade.
“These
moments of silence gave us a new perspective…
”
Approximately 650 people were present during the Eucharistic Adoration. This included teens attending the Conference, the volunteers, and youth leaders. Everyone who showed up throughout the day went to this celebration. As everyone entered the dark gymnasium, the monstrance holding the Eucharist was centered on a platform with candles surrounding it. People encircled the monstrance, kneeling as they arrived to their spots and as time went on, they began to sit. Throughout the entirety of the hour, Confession was available and many took the opportunity to unburden themselves of their sins. Also, the DYC band led by Gez Ford, shared their talents
Sarah Bielaus St. Paul Parish, Princeton
Lauren O’Shea St. Paul Parish, Princeton
“Adoration was very raw and I got exposed to a lot of things and it was refreshing for me. Helping the homeless people was fun too.”
“Helping the homeless because it felt good to help people who really needed it instead of just saying that you were going to do something and never really doing it.”
to play for both the worshippers and for the Lord. People demonstrated their connection with the Lord in many forms, some by singing or adoring in silence, while others were moved to tears. Many teens and youth leaders alike were seen crying, either from the beauty of Adoration or from a spiritual connection with God. During our time praying at Adoration, we had a lot of time to think. We thought about our lives and of situations we had been in this past week. These moments of silence gave us a new perspective, so that now we can shape this next coming week to be more in line with God’s plan. I (Sam) am confident that, with the knowledge I gained, I can handle social situations better with the help of God, such as preventing bullying instead of standing and watching. I (Faith) had the reassurance that I am never alone and that no matter what is happening in my life, God is always there by my side. This experience was the perfect time for all gathered to have the time to contemplate on the Conference’s theme of “becoming God’s servants.” And we have to say, all the teens gathered took full advantage of this moment to connect with our Savior. Overall, the DYC was an amazing experience, one that we shall remember for the rest of our lives. Samuel Garcia and Faith Wittstruck, St. Veronica Parish, Howell
Samantha Chipman St. Mary Parish, Middletown
Patrick Gesualdo St Mary Parish, Middletown
“Experiencing God’s love.”
“That we all know and turn to God.”
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DYC 2019 Y9
Two DYC participants join in the Presentation of the Gifts. Here they carry the gifts of bread and wine that they went on to hand to Bishop O’Connell.
A DYC participant leads the congregation in praying the Responsorial Psalm.
Finding reason and purpose Continued from • Y3 faith had been strengthened by attending events such as DYC. “It doesn’t matter if people put labels on you. Don’t be afraid to show people Jesus,” Valverde said, adding that the day’s events inspired him to “help bring people to the Catholic community.” Lopez said he appreciated learning about “how to be God’s servant. “I feel like I have more knowledge on how to serve him and how to teach others the way of the Lord,” he said. Siblings Nick and Natalie Foley of St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square, were all smiles as they participated in the closing hymn. It was the second youth conference for Nick, 16, but the first time for Natalie, 14. Natalie Foley said she was moved by the enthusiasm of the crowd, adding that the DYC experience further strengthened her belief in God. “As you get older, you learn more about what you believe in,” she said. Nick Foley, a leader in his parish’s youth group, pointed out that, “It’s about being close with Jesus, no matter what, even in your darkest moments, he is always with you. Even when you don’t think of him, he is always thinking of
you. You lose yourself if you don’t have faith.” Caitlin Clayton, Catherine Rowe and Bridget Morris, from St. Martha Parish, Point Pleasant, talked of how energized they had been by attending DYC. “Because of the inspiring words of all the speakers, and Bishop David O’Connell’s homily, I know to use my talents in the way I feel God is calling me to serve him, and not to worry about how others will perceive me in my doings,” Clayton said. “I want to continue to sing and play at Mass and to use my talents I was given by God. I want to always have the good feeling I have after serving God.” Rowe spoke of how personally moved she was after having received the Sacrament of Reconciliation. “When I came back from Confession and sat down in front of our Lord during Adoration I felt relieved,” she said. “It was so wonderful to listen to the music and to be with Jesus, knowing he forgave me. I want everyone to know that feeling.” While Morris admitted to already having a strong faith, she said that DYC “really helped me to realize how important and easy trusting in and serving God can be.
DYC youth participants kneel in prayer after the reception of Holy Communion.
Y10 DYC 2019 | THE MONITOR • FEBRUARY 21, 2019
“I was able to get a clean slate after Confession and be open to God and talk to him about everything – good and bad – that’s been going on lately, and how I plan on serving him in the future,” she said. Samuel Garcia of St. Veronica Parish, Howell, smiled when he talked about DYC being “unbelievable.” “I had no idea that there were so many teens in my area that cared for the faith as much as I did. Knowing now that it is possible for young people other than myself and [my] youth group to have a relationship with God, I plan to use my faith to help my friends and family form a lasting relationship that will benefit them for their entire lives,” Garcia said. Fellow DYC participant and St. Veronica parishioner Faith Wittstruck reflected on how one of the most important things she learned at DYC was “that we, as children of God, become his servants when we put all of our trust in him without hesitation, and follow his plans for our lives. “Although sometimes there are challenges for us as teens, there is always a God who loves us and has open arms, waiting for us to come and serve him and live his will.”
DYC a day of affirmation for ‘servants of Christ’ Continued from • Y2 contain food, hygienic supplies, socks, emergency blankets, and Bibles. Slipped between the pages of the Bibles were spiritual and encouraging messages written by DYC teens. Jenna’s Blessing Bags for the Homeless is a charitable outreach begun by Jenna Burleigh, a Temple University, Philadelphia, student who lost her life tragically in 2017, at age 22. Her memory is being kept alive by her family through the Blessing Bags initiative. Jeff Siedlecki, youth leader in Holy Eucharist Parish, Tabernacle, knew Jenna’s family and contacted them for permission and to make arrangements for the DYC service project. Teens picked up a backpack at the first station, which included directions on how to fill the bag. All the donations and items needed could be picked up at the other four stations. Donations of food, hygienic products, and other items were made by youth, parishes and private donors, including St. Gregory the Great Parish,
Dan Waddington, director of the diocesan Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, talks about the theme of “Servant” as he welcomes the throng of youth, their chaperones and youth ministers for DYC 2019.
This DYC participant takes the theme of the day to heart and lets it be known that he is one of God’s servants.
Hamilton Square, which donated 300 pairs of socks and a private donor who provided 150 Bibles. The goal of 150 filled backpacks was exceeded, said Waddington who shared, “One of the best parts for me was that on Monday morning, 154 filled backpacks were dropped off at a local soup kitchen and would be distributed with meals to the homeless.”
Responding to God’s Call An afternoon breakout session, offered in five simultaneous sessions to meet the unique needs of eighth grade boys, eighth grade girls, high school boys, high school girls and adults, addressed the challenges of culture, schools and families in making it hard to serve; obstacles that get in the way of hearing God’s call to be a servant. Teens expressed appreciation for the sessions which provided time for bonding and shared learning with others who face the same challenges and share the same faith. During the day’s second keynote address, Brian Greenfield, nationally known Catholic evangelist and youth minister who was featured as keynote speaker for the 2017 National Catholic Youth Conference, shared with teens the transforming power of an encounter with Christ, helped them set goals and learn to listen to the call of God in their hearts, especially if that call is to a vocation. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, led by Father Martin O’Reilly, pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, Bordentown, and chaplain for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, brought
youth into a transformed exhibit hall, which now housed a “burning bush” of lit candles upon which Jesus resided in the Monstrance. The image of teens, kneeling in in full circle around the Monstrance to pray to Jesus in the Eucharist, was breathtaking, relayed Waddington. The image of some 300 teens later standing silently in line waiting for Confession with one of 21 priest confessors was something “truly awesome,” he added. At the close of Benediction, with hearts and minds well-prepared, youth and adults gathered in the auditorium for Mass celebrated by Bishop O’Connell, who reminded those present that the key to being a servant of God was trust in God.
Wrap Up Waddington also stressed the importance of the many volunteers, noting that seemingly small things, like building a prayer loom or buying and cutting prayer ribbons, “have some of the greatest impact on the day.” He acknowledged that the day unfolded as it did through the efforts of leaders from the four county youth ministry teams, who, with their youth, were responsible for the multi-level details of the conference. . Also deserving accolades, said Waddington, “was the amazing support from Holy Cross Academy and staff, especially a team of 15-20 volunteer students who went above and beyond to help us with set up during the day and with clean up. In conjunction with the great work of so many volunteers, they helped make the day a very blessed experience for our young Church.”
Q: What was your favorite part of DYC today? Samantha Rivas St. Veronica Parish, Howell “I really liked the speakers, they were funny and nice and they were very insightful.”
Emily Floyd Lifeteen Group member at St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton. “It’s the smiles that we put on people’s faces for God. It makes me so happy because I’m doing something good for our Lord and I love that so much.”
Matt Paolini Student at Holy Cross Preparatory Academy, Delran (Parishioner in Diocese of Camden…) “Seeing the youth coming together to put our faith first and do what we love.”
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Andrew Paolini Student at Holy Cross Preparatory Academy, Delran (Parishioner in Diocese of Camden…) “Seeing everyone be so happy walking out of Church, handing them the coffee cups, everyone had a big smile on their face.”
DYC 2019 Y11
Q: What was
COVER PHOTOS: (top to bottom)
your favorite part of DYC today?
1. Exhibits, ice breakers, refreshments and music opened DYC 2019 in Holy Cross Preparatory Academy, Delran. Here a group of energetic teens dance to music provided by a DJ. 2. Brian Greenfield, a nationally known Catholic evangelist and youth minister, leads a break out session for boys in the Holy Cross cafeteria.
Moira Gellman Lifeteen Group member at St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton “I’ve definitely been one of those people where I’ve just been closed off and not wanted to do anything and coming here really opens me up.” Moira Courtney Lifeteen Group member at St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, Hamilton “Always great lessons, always great music, love the energy.”
3. All DYC participants were given a tee-shirt bearing the day’s hashtag #BeGodsServant. Throughout the day, there were many posts of comments and photos to the Diocese’s social media outlets including Twitter and Facebook. 4. DYC participants raise their hands for a blessing over keynote speaker, Mother Clare Matthias.
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Dwayne Cordes St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square “I learned how we can connect with Jesus better throughout your daily life. The Breakout Session was easy to relate to, since the speaker talked about what we are going through as teenagers. At the DYC you can meet new people, have fun, and learn things you never knew before.”
Watch for our special coverage of these upcoming youth events:
Joseph Stillwell Our Lady of SorrowsSt. Anthony Parish, Hamilton “At the DYC I learned the functions of the Catholic Church and how it relates to the youth, and how we are to live out and practice the faith. It’s important for the youth to attend because the Faith is such a beautiful aspect of our lives and we should embrace it, and our Faith is an outlet to make the world a better place.”
July & August: Mission Jersey
Thomas St. Aloysius Parish, Jackson “In the DYC I learn how to push myself closer to God, this is my third or fourth year coming to it, it changes a bit each year, and I can learn about myself and God in a different way. Since I’m a youth leader, I see how my group finds themselves and God. I think it’s interesting how everybody finds their own way.”
March 1: Presentation/screening of the movie “Paul, Apostle of Christ.” May 19: NJ Catholic Youth Rally at Great Adventure featuring MASS with Bishop O’Connell followed by a FREE concert with MATT MAHER! June 21: Year of Youth Closing Event PLUS …. The Monitor’s magazine – Graduation 2019 – set for release June 27 For all that, and much more, visit TrentonMonitor.com> FEATURES>YOUTH
OR CONNECT WITH US ONLINE…. SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS: Like us on FACEBOOK.COM @DOTYYAM (DOT Youth and Young Adult Ministries) Follow us on TWITTER.COM @TheCatholicDioceseofTrenton @TrentonDiocese @TrentonMonitor @TrentonMonitor @RealfaithTV @RealfaithTV Find us on INSTAGRAM.COM Watch us on YOUTUBE.COM @YOU.DOT RealfaithTV @Catholic_DoT Get your youth ministry news front and center! Share events, projects and news about your friends who are doing good works by emailing The Monitor at Monitor-News@dioceseoftrenton.org.
Y12 DYC 2019 | THE MONITOR • FEBRUARY 21, 2019