Fr. Chris Martin reminded everyone that when Jesus called His disciples, He then spent time with them. “The first step in following any vocation is friendship with Jesus… Seek holiness. Seek virtue. Continue to grow in intimacy with Jesus and everything else will be revealed.”

Continue reading

The Steubenville Mid-America 2022 conference concluded with Sunday Mass. This is our greatest form of worship and a fitting way to end this weekend together. We were blessed, not only to have so many priests with us, but also to have three Bishops present to concelebrate the Mass. Main celebrant, Archbishop Mitchell Rozanksi of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, was joined by current Bishop Edward Rice, and retired Bishop John Leibrecht, both from the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.

Continue reading

During our Sunday morning session, Cooper Ray shared a childhood story about his group of friends at recess. They invented a game where they linked arms and walked around chanting, “We never stop! We never stop!” Cooper used this story as a starting point for his message about how to take the experience of this conference into our daily lives at home.

“The Lord is not going to stop.” Philippians 1:6 tells us that God will complete the work He has begun in us this weekend. Our experience is not over. Even though we don’t get to stay here forever, the work that God is doing does go with us. “The Father is not done with you yet, but it doesn’t mean you get to stay here,” Cooper explained. Leaving this conference, we might miss the feelings, the atmosphere, the big experience, but we have to trust that God is still working.

Continue reading

The greatest commandments of our Catholic faith are to love God, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

But, as Bishop Edward Rice reminded the 3,000 teens, leaders, and volunteers today during the Steubenville Conference closing Mass, Jesus calls us to go a step further. We need to love with our whole heart, so we can become fearless disciples.

Continue reading

Our world is hurting. We all need healing, yet many of us are separated from the very source of our strength. Jesus Christ invites us to return to — or encounter for the first time — the very source and summit of our faith — His Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist (National Eucharistic Revival).

As we did tonight during Adoration, let us bravely approach Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament anytime we need His strength, peace, joy, and love. “There is no place He’d rather be. He’s for us. He’s for you. He delights in you. We believe in Your love for us, Jesus,” Fr. Joe Freedy reassures us.

Continue reading