Youth rally drawing teenagers

Michelle Smith, a high school junior and parishioner at St. John the Baptist in Valatie, will fly into Albany at 5 a.m. on April 26 after a week's vacation in Florida in order to participate in the Sesquicentennial Youth Rally at Siena College in Loudonville.

One of more than 100 young people planning the event, Michelle is looking forward to meeting other teens like herself. "It's a great way to get to know people -- people who aren't embarrassed about their faith," she said.

The rally, being organized by the Diocesan Youth Council, deanery youth councils, and the Office of Religious Education (ORE), includes a performance by internationally known guitarist Tony Melendez, 32 workshops, dinner, liturgy, dancing and games. It is a celebration of the youth of the Albany Diocese, said Mary Harrison, associate director for youth ministry of the ORE.

Celebration

"It's an opportunity for the young people of the Diocese to come together and celebrate their faith, supported by others with the same values," Mrs. Harrison said. "It's a day of growing in faith, and a time to celebrate and have fun."

Titled "Honoring Tradition, Discovering Tomorrow," after the Sesquicentennial slogan, the event builds on this year's World Youth Day theme, "Building a Culture of Life," Mrs. Harrison said. Workshops at the rally are designed to help support young people in living a full life.

Workshop topics include communication skills, prayer, conflict resolution, dealing with grief, sexuality and the use of modern media. Besides looking at how to become more critical consumers of mass media, participants will have the opportunity to explore popular media's relationship to Christianity.

The workshop "Finding our Faith in the Force," being presented by students from Notre Dame/Bishop Gibbons School in Schenectady, examines how the mythology in "Star Wars" parallels the Christian journey.

Impressed

Rev. George Fleming, associate pastor at St. John the Evangelist in Schenectady, who is involved in the planning, has been impressed by the young people's choice of workshops.

"A lot are affected by loss and death," he said. "It was unanimous to include workshops on grief. It's sad but beautiful that they would tie this in."

The young people involved in planning the event surprised the priest with their concerns. "I was overwhelmed by their sense of Church as a whole," he said. "They're not just focused on youth; they have a community focus."

Link to Church

Events like the youth rally are important because they link young people to the Church, said Mrs. Harrison.

"Young people have a place in this Church," she said. "They are gifts the Church needs today. They are the Church of today. A day like the youth rally fosters this."

Father Fleming agreed. "There are two purposes to the rally," he explained. "One is to recognize the history of the Diocese and help the youth connect with these roots. The other is to recognize the gift the youth of today are for the Church."

Spiritual need

Mrs. Harrison said young people have voiced their need for spirituality.

"We can be isolated in our culture today," she said. "There are time pressures; life is lived at a fast pace. There is a need to slow down and be connected. There is a real hunger for spirituality and a relationship with God. Young people are looking for hope and a personal relationship with God."

The rally will help point young people in the right direction for meeting those needs, Mrs. Harrison said. It will also help young people see that living the Christian life is something to be celebrated.

(The Sesquicentennial Youth Rally, to be held at Siena College in Loudonville on April 26, begins at 11:30 a.m. and concludes at 9 p.m. Bishop Howard Hubbard will celebrate Mass. Registration is required; the deadline has been extended to April 22. To register, call the Office of Religious Education at 453-6630.)

Excitement is spreading

Young people from Otsego and Delaware counties are well aware of the energy and excitement of participating in youth ministry, and are looking forward to the Sesquicentennial Youth Rally, according to Susan Nesbitt, director of religious education and youth ministry at St. Mary's Church in Oneonta.

"They are excited, very much so," she said. "They've done so much here; they're looking forward to taking this someplace else."

Young people from St. Mary's and other parishes in Otsego and Delaware counties are responsible for planning the liturgy, which will have youth participation in every aspect of the Mass, from leading the music and doing the readings to serving as Eucharistic ministers and dressing the altar.

Mrs. Nesbitt reports that music at the Mass will have a "big sound," and will include drums, keyboard, base guitar, trumpet and flute. Currently, there are 30 to 35 young people signed up to participate in music ministry for the Mass.

Youth participation in liturgy is important, according to Mrs. Nesbitt, who, along with Rev. Brian Raiche also of St. Mary's, will put on a workshop on contemporary liturgy at the rally. She said young people at her parish have been excited to share their gifts during liturgy.

"Young people have said, `This is something I care about. To have my Church value that is important,'" she said. At St. Mary's youth involved in chorus, band, dance and theater have shared their talents with the parish during weekly Mass.

Mrs. Nesbitt said the youth rally will be an opportunity for the young people of her parish to share with teens from other parts of the Diocese their involvement in liturgy. It will also be a learning experience for them.

"For our young people, it's important to see youth participate and to see the larger Church of the Diocese," she said. "They don't get to see what happens in other parts." (MM)

Return to top of page

(04-17-97) [[In-content Ad]]