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Blog

Sunday Morning

Vocations Call for Women Considering the Religious Life

Adoration

We started Sunday morning with Jesus in adoration. This time we spent ten minutes in pure silence before the Blessed Sacrament. Adoration back at home will look more simple: not as much music, fewer lights, far fewer people, but Jesus is still there.

Discipleship Panel

From there we transitioned to a discipleship panel where each of the speakers from this weekend gave us practical advice that we can take with us as we return home.

Tim spoke of the need for community, a community that “will scream ‘Man overboard!’ when someone drifts away.” Christian community supports each other and then turns outward and goes on mission to serve in the world.

Fr. Rufino Corona, TOR reminded us that the Jesus we encountered in adoration is the same Jesus we consume at Mass in our home parishes; that the procession Jesus is the same Jesus that’s on the altar in the adoration chapel. Frequent the sacraments; they “are guaranteed grace”.

Sr. M. Karolyn discussed a personal prayer life. It’s wonderful to go on retreats, but the daily consistency of talking with the Lord will change our lives. “What if we operated less like motorboats that need to be refueled (only by retreats) and more like sailboats that open themselves up to God’s grace on a daily basis?”

Joel challenged us to go forth and serve those at home. Three places he specifically mentioned were our parish, our school or work community, and our families. Our families can be difficult places to serve at times, but it is so important to serve those closest to us.

Finally, Deacon Bob Rice elaborated on the concepts of consistency, starting small, and living in community. He encouraged us to love, even when it’s difficult and to commit to making prayer a consistent part of our lives.

Mass – Homily by Bishop Rice

Today’s Gospel is the story of Mary and Martha. Bishop Rice focused in on the conscious choice that each made and how we also have that choice in our own lives. “Mary consciously chose the better part, allowing herself to be consumed with the one who desired to be with her.” Jesus offers us fullness, abundance; He holds nothing back. “He desires to fill us fully with what’s best for us.” He challenged us to give Jesus our most valuable resource – our time – especially in silent adoration. Bishop Rice encouraged the youth ministers to “simply teach our young people that being in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist like Mary sitting at his feet, listening, praying with that heart, that’s enough.”

Baptism and Vocation Calls

In a tradition that started here at Steubenville Mid-America, Fr. Rufino called forward anyone discerning baptism and/or fully entering the Catholic Church. These young men and women will be connected with someone who will walk with them through the process of becoming Catholic in their home dioceses. Bishop Rice said a prayer specifically for them and gave them a blessing. Please pray for them!

Next, Sr. M. Karolyn invited any young women who feel called to discern religious life to come forward and receive a blessing from the Bishop. She explained that discernment of a religious vocation has to be more than something in your head. It needs to be in the context of a relationship with Jesus. A question to ask Jesus in your discernment: How have you created me to receive your love and give your love to the world? 

Finally, Fr. Rufino called on the young men to come forward. He specifically asked those who might feel a bit nervous or afraid to lean into what God may be calling them to do. He reminded them that to discern the priesthood, you need to fall in love with the Lord and His Church. Discernment requires growth in prayer, understanding the way He speaks, the way He moves.

We have been so blessed this weekend and have truly been lavished by God’s abundant love. We’ll see you next year!

Click here to watch the livestream.

2025

Saturday Evening Recap

Saturday Evening Recap

Afternoon Keynote – Tim Jara

“No storm is stronger than the Savior.” Tim spoke to us this afternoon about prayer and our relationship with God, especially in times of stress and anxiety. In our fallen world, we can sometimes succumb to negativity and doubt that God even cares about us, much less our problems. But just as He did 2,000 years ago with St. Matthew and again with the disciples in the storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus draws near. He loves us; he calls us. Jesus was sleeping in the boat when the storm popped up. The disciples woke him, fearing for their lives. Jesus calmed the storm. He has power over any storm in our lives. So “who do you take your cue from when life gets crazy – the storm or the Savior?”

Tim also invited us to pray using the ARRR method.

  • Acknowledge – What’s going on? What are you feeling? Acknowledge His love for you.
  • Relate – Share these things with Jesus. Talk to him like a friend.
  • Receive – Who does Jesus say that you are? What does He want to say to you about this situation? Pray with the Gospels.
  • Respond in Gratitude – Is there anything Jesus is asking you to do? Resolve to do it.

Finally, Tim suggested several scripture verses to reflect on:

  • Mark 4:38-41
  • 1 Peter 5:7
  • Mt 6:25-34
  • Philippians 4:6-7

Saturday Evening Keynote – Sr. M. Karolyn, Nunes, SFGM

“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”” (Dt 4:24)

Tonight Sr Karolyn opened up the scripture for this weekend in a deeper way. “Everyday He wants us to give Him a little bit more of our hearts.” She explained that He knows what’s best for us and what’s best for us is that our hearts belong totally to Him. God is always refining us and burning away the false idols in our lives that we place before Him. When we surrender those idols, we become more ourselves.

Sister guided us through the seven last statements of Jesus. From His forgiveness of those who were actively crucifying Him to the feeling of abandonment on the cross and ultimately His death, Jesus shows His love for us over and over again. The all-consuming love of God that will explode from the tomb on Easter Sunday morning brings new life and new freedom for us.

Sister showed several images of sacred art, but one of the most beautiful was that of the Sacred Heart. “The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the chief symbol of His love for us.” He offers us His Sacred Heart, if we want it. All He wants to do is love you. Will you let him? Will you let him burn away everything that is not of Him so that you might become radiant?

Adoration

Tonight we had the opportunity to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist in a personal and profound way. Fr. Rufino Corona, TOR processed through the arena filled with over 4,000 people, offering teens and volunteers the chance to worship the risen Lord closely.

Watch the livestream here.

 

 

2025, Blog

Women’s and Men’s Sessions

Consumed by the Love of God

Women’s Session – Sr. M. Karolyn Nunes, FSGM

Sr. M. Karolyn started women’s session with the statement, “Sometimes we fight battles we’re not meant to fight.” She continued on to explain that so many battles in our lives are not ours, but His. They are not ours to “figure out, fix, or fight.” And yet it is important to go to battle with Him.

Sister continued on to explain the effects of the fall: darkened intellect, weakened will, and disordered passions. It can be difficult to choose the good because of these effects. We need a renewal of our minds. “Be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good, pleasing, and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) God wants to consume us with His perfect love, to bring us into true freedom. He can enlighten us with His wisdom, strengthen our will through the Holy Spirit, and order our passions correctly.

Finally, He wants to give us rest and freedom, something we can struggle to receive. He wants us to live our true identity as his daughter who is free and delighted in.

Men’s Session – Tim Jara

As men, we carry a question, “Do I have what it takes?” Often, we can base our worth on our performance and the things we are capable of doing. But what happens when that’s taken away? Through a gymnastics accident and the subsequent discovery of multiple back injuries, Tim had to learn what it meant to live without his identity as a gymnast. He explained the importance of truly internalizing the scripture, “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.”” (Luke 3:22) Our worth isn’t based on what we can do or how we are labeled, but on how the Father sees us and loves us. Tim said that “If we don’t know the truth about who we are, we’ll buy the lies that hold us back.”

Next, Tim spoke of his first retreat experience, his first time hearing of a God who loves us completely, of reconciliation that offers freedom through His mercy, and of the real presence of Jesus in Eucharistic adoration. He gave the men a list of challenges:

  1. Move without motivation.
  2. Put down your phone and pray.
  3. Consume Jesus in Scripture and in the Eucharist.

Each session ended with the litany of all-consuming love and a time of adoration. God speaks to us in prayer. 

What part of the litany does God want you to focus on?

Watch the men’s and women’s sessions on our livestream.

 

Blog

Saturday Morning Mass and Keynote

Saturday Morning Keynote and Mass

The highest form of worship is praying the Mass.

We started this morning with an impactful talk from Sr. M. Karolyn, FSGM, about our capacity for receiving God’s love at Mass. She asked us to reflect on what distracts us at Mass, noting that we all get distracted. How do we show up for Mass? Do we show up with our hearts open and ready to receive? Are we expanding our capacity to enter into the greatest mystery of our faith? “There’s a receptivity that’s anticipatory,” she says, “Someone is coming.”

Next, Sr. M. Karolyn invited us to pray this Mass in the way many priests are reminded to celebrate it: as if it is our first, last, and only Mass. How would our participation change if this is how we entered into Mass, with reverence, intentionality, and joy?

Finally, Sister explained some of the “why’s” behind what we do at Mass, down to the offertory procession, that seems so simple, yet is significant. Those bringing up the offertory are representing us all, bringing our raw materials to God to transform them into something only He can create. What are we bringing to the altar today to be transformed by God’s love?

Homily – Fr. Rufino

His mercy endures forever. Do you ever feel like that’s not true for you? Like God will eventually get tired of you? Or maybe you’ve thought that you have to make sure to check the boxes and earn His love? What if you don’t ‘feel’ loved? Through personal experience and prayer, Fr. Rufino spoke truth into all of these lies. Fr. Rufino’s prayer to God was, “I just want people to see how good they are.” God responded, “Why don’t you believe it about yourself?”

How would you respond to this? Fr. Rufino reminded us that God’s love will always show up, no matter who else does or does not. It’s not dependent on our emotional response. God’s love will always show up. It endures forever.

Blog

Friday Recap

Steubenville 2025: Consumed

Deuteronomy 4:24 states, “For the Lord, your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” What does it mean to be consumed by God? This weekend, 4,026 teens from all across the region are gaining a deeper understanding of what a consuming relationship with our Lord entails.

Meet the Team

Our team for Week 2 of Steubenville STL Mid-America is packed with incredibly talented people with a sincere love for bringing teens closer to Jesus. Deacon Bob Rice will host the weekend, and Kyle Huelsing will lead worship. Sr. M. Karolyn Nunes, FSGM, Fr. Rufino Corona, TOR, Joel Stepanek, and Tim Jara will all give keynotes on a variety of topics for this year’s conference.

Friday Night Keynote – Consuming the World

“To be consumed by God’s love is freedom.” -Joel Stepanek

Tonight’s keynote set the tone for what promises to be a transformative weekend. Joel Stepanek described a time in his life where he was consuming what the world had to offer. He was focused on relationships, his studies in what promised to be a lucrative career, and other worldly things. “What I was consuming ended up consuming me. Everything felt disordered.” Joel went to prayer, and ended up switching his major from pre-med to ministry. The consuming love of God gave him the freedom he needed, something we all need. God’s love burns away all of the things in our lives that keep us from being free if we invite Him in. He never tires of giving us grace and the opportunity to turn to Him. His love requires us to grow and stretch, but the freedom He has for us is worth it.

Next, Joel then led a reflection on the parable of the sower and the seed. Our hearts can be like the soil. Is your heart like the smooth path: comfortable, living life in the world, mostly on autopilot? Or is it more like rocky soil: busy and filled with some good and some not so good things? Will the message of Gods love stay with you or fade in a few days? Next, is your heart full of thorns? Are there vices in your life that choke out God’s love? Has sin become rooted in your heart? Finally, is your heart a place of good soil? Do you hear God’s Word, let it consume your heart and give you the freedom to live as your truest self? “Lord, make me good soil.”

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“What kind of wonder does the Lord want to open “What kind of wonder does the Lord want to open up in my eyes, open up in my heart as I gaze upon His love?” -Sr. M. Karolyn Nunes, FSGM

May this love be present as we go back home and let the extraordinary consume us in our ordinary! 🤩

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🥳☀️🕺 #steubystl #steuby25 🥳☀️🕺

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Men’s and Women’s Session✅ aka Identity Chec Men’s and Women’s Session✅ aka Identity Check

Women’s Session: “We sometimes fight battles we aren’t meant to fight. They are not ours, but His.” -Sr. M. Karolyn Nunes, FSGM

Men’s Session: “If we don’t know the truth about who we are, we’ll buy the lies that hold us back.” -Tim Jara 

#steubystl #steuby25
“Are you willing today…to pray this mass as if “Are you willing today…to pray this mass as if it’s your first mass, your last mass and your only mass?” -Sr. M. Karolyn Nunes, FSGM

#steubystl #steuby25
Friday night we were reminded of the freedom we re Friday night we were reminded of the freedom we receive through God’s love. Lord, make us good soil this weekend and help us to grow closer to you! 

What are most looking forward to today Steuby?!

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Describe your night in three words! 🔥🤪🎥 Describe your night in three words! 🔥🤪🎥 

#steubystl #steuby25 #catholic #archstl
Raise your hand if you stopped at Buc-ee’s🦫🙋🙋‍♀️See you at the gates! 

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Volunteer Mass✅ Week 2 we’re ready for you! # Volunteer Mass✅ Week 2 we’re ready for you!

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“Don’t give up until you take your last breath “Don’t give up until you take your last breath & at that point… God takes over.” -Bishop Rice 

Thank you to all of those who attended Week 1, we were so glad you were here. 
Get ready week 2! 
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One moment with Him changes everything! #steubyst One moment with Him changes everything! 
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We’ll never get used to this ☺️ #stuebystl We’ll never get used to this ☺️

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In our Men’s and Women’s sessions we spent tim In our Men’s and Women’s sessions we spent time in adoration as sons and daughters of a loving Father. 
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