AMS Young Adult Ministry Symposium

BY CASSANDRA (CASEY) LEE

The young adult ministry symposium gathered 46 priest-chaplains, active-duty, and spouse participants to explore their pastoral needs through prayer and discussion on key topics affecting Catholic military adults. The topics were discussed in plenary sessions with a panel format followed by table discussions. Each 45-minute plenary session included a priest-chaplain, two military young adults, and an AMS staff member. The panel format and following table discussions were crucial to fostering the vision that all the participants played a crucial role in outreach to the military young adult population.

In the 2019 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit (CV), Pope Francis highlights the difficulties and hard experiences of young people around the world. Some of those experiences are shared by service members as most of the U.S. military is comprised of the same population, young adults within the age range of 18-25 years old. The first plenary invited panelists

to explore questions related to the challenges met by young adults in military environments. Some of the identified issues related to struggles finding a community of faith, limited resources, and situations in military life that can exacerbate mental health.

The Holy Father shared that “to talk about young people is to talk about promise and to talk about joy. Young people have so much strength; they are able to look ahead with hope” (CV, 139). The second plenary invited panelists to discuss questions related to the ways military young adults thrive in their faith because of the opportunities afforded to them. In this plenary, panelists explored the gift of the sacraments, the

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ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO WITH THE YOUNG ADULT SYMPOSIUM PARTICIPANTS AT OUR LADY OF LOURDES CATHOLIC CHURCH IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA. (CENTER: LEFT - RIGHT) FATHER JOHN REUTEMANN, USAF CHAPLAIN; MR. REVEREND DARREN BALKEY, AMS CO-SPONSORED SEMINARIAN; ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO; FATHER MARK BRISTOL, USN CHAPLAIN

rhythm of military life that supports growing in prayer and the need for accompaniment.

“Filled with the love of Christ, young people are called to be witnesses of the Gospel wherever they find themselves, by the way they live” (CV, 175). The nature of the military environment lends itself to many opportunities to evangelize, whether that is to friends who slowly drifted away from the Catholic faith or fellow service members who are seeking to learn more about who God is. In the third plenary entitled “Evangelization,” panelists shared reflections related to evangelizing in ordinary situations, seeking mentors in transient communities, and trusting the Holy Spirit.

“The Holy Spirit fills the heart of the risen Christ and then flows over into your lives. When you receive the Spirit, he draws you ever more deeply into the heart of Christ, so that you can grow in his love, his life and his power” (CV, 130). In the fourth plenary, panelists explored themes related to discipleship that military young adults encounter such as deployments, finding time for prayer, and emphasizing the need to reach out to others.

The final plenary invited everyone to consider “so...what now?” “Where does Jesus send us? There are no borders, no limits: he sends us everywhere. The Gospel is for everyone, not just for some” (CV, 177). Panelists explored where the Holy Spirit was calling each of them, individually. This discussion was a good invitation to take the charge to be missionary disciples, no matter where one is training or stationed. One panelist mentioned that each military young adult can experience a greater openness with one’s faith as they become more senior in leadership, setting an example for those who believe.

This symposium was an opportunity to hear directly from military young adults and about their desire to live authentically as Catholics in the military. Many participants appreciated the opportunity for prayer and it was motivating to meet fellow young adults who are striving to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. Please pray as the Office of Evangelization discerns the time and location of the next symposium. V

“Prayer and Penance” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37

Before sprinkling the blessed ashes as a sign of penitence on the heads of the faithful, Archbishop Broglio said, “We will be marked with the Cross of Christ, a sign of our identity, and also a link between our sufferings and His. We know that conversion is possible. How appropriate it is that we begin Lent here with the perfect prayer. We want to make time for prayer, to listen to the Word of God, and heed the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Fasting allows us to open spaces within ourselves and to create a longing for that fullness that only the Lord can offer. It is so good to deny ourselves so as to be filled with Him.”

His Excellency advised the faithful not to be troubled. “Despite a new war,” he said, “and the vestiges of the (COVID-19) pandemic, we are always a people of hope, and we recommit ourselves to return to the Lord who calls us to perfection at the service of those who are lost.” V

Watch video of Archbishop Broglio’s homily at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uPn1OXysOA.

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CATHOLIC CADETS AND MIDSHIPMEN

STRIVE TO KNOW CHRIST

BY TAYLOR HENRY

Some of the nation’s best and brightest future military leaders were among more than 22,000 people from 20 countries to encounter Christ during SEEK22, a hybrid, immersive broadcast hosted by FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) over the weekend of 4-6 February. Clergy, parishioners, college students, and benefactors explored the Gospel and the call to missionary discipleship in local and regional gatherings around the broadcast. Participants included a gathering of 80 midshipmen at St. Andrew by the Bay Catholic Church near the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and 25 Air Force Academy cadets at the Omni Interlocken Hotel in

Broomfield, CO, not far from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Additionally, more than 80 Cadets from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London, CT, held a similar gathering the following weekend (11-13 February) over a recording of the broadcast in Norwalk, CT.

The ongoing participation of Catholic midshipmen and cadets is coordinated by FOCUS missionary teams at the respective military academies. The Evangelization Office of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), under the direction of Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, collaborated with the FOCUS missionaries. Mark Moitoza, Th.D., AMS ViceChancellor for Evangelization, facilitated discussion at the Colorado gathering while Mrs. Cassandra (Casey) Lee, Associate Director for Young Adult Ministry, did so in Maryland. Mrs. McKenzie Mauss, AMS Young Adult Missionary Coordinator, administered the convocation in Connecticut.

Evangelization experts guided attendees through the crucial message of the Gospel, inviting them to encounter the person of Jesus Christ and live in a relationship with Him. Keynote speakers included Monsignor James Shea, Father Josh Johnson, Father Mike Schmitz, Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, Sister Bethany Madonna, S.V., Ms. Tina Augustine, Ms. Hilary Draftz, Mr. Jason Evert, Mr. Curtis Martin, and Dr. Edward Sri.

In the final SEEK22 keynote talk, Father Mike Schmitz, chaplain at the University of MinnesotaDuluth and host of The Bible in a Year podcast, urged participants to “not let what Jesus did go to waste on you … Jesus did not just come to help people, He came to save lives. As Christians, that is our call – to save lives. Acknowledging that sharing the Gospel is not easy, Schmitz emphasized, “People are worth saving. If you are a Christian, it is not an option. If you are a Christian, that is your job. Do not let what Jesus did stop with you.” Inspiring words for Catholics whose job will soon be to lead the U.S. Military. V