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More than 27,000 young adults, college students, missionaries, parishioners, clergy, religious and others from across the country gathered in small groups Feb. 4-7 to participate in the SEEK21 conference.
It was an opportunity for individuals to gather in small groups to watch the event, broadcast online, and encounter the beauty of faith, the truth of the Church, and the joy, hope, and love of Christ. Hosted annually by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), because of COVID-19, 2021 marked the first year the conference was virtual.
In the Diocese of Metuchen, 40 young adults from Immaculate Conception Parish, Annandale; the BREAK Ministry at St. Cecelia Parish, Iselin; and the Somerville Young Adult Group from Immaculate Conception Parish participated in SEEK21. They were joined by 20 Seminarians from the Diocesan House of Formation. All utilized in-person and online options to experience the conference in community. They listened to talks, had time for fellowship, engaged in small group discussions, spent time in prayer, and received the sacraments.
Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, was one of the keynote speakers who opened the conference. Among the other 23 speakers were Sister of Life Bethany Madonna, known for her talks on vocations, and Immaculee Ilibagiza, a Rwandan American author and who wrote an autobiography detailing how she survived during the Rwandan genocide. They offered challenging as well as encouraging words.
During the Feb. 6 live session, Father Mike Schmitz, widely known for his YouTube videos, spoke of how to live in relationship with God the Father. He encouraged attendees saying, “Let yourself be known. Tell Him your story. Give the Father permission to love you.”
He asked, “Does the Father have permission to love you as you are? Let yourself be seen, let yourself be known, and let yourself be loved by the Father.” Those words led to powerful discussions by members from the diocese.
Reflecting on SEEK21, Seminarian Peter Tran said he was edified by the speakers and small group conversations. He noted, “I have known Bishop Barron for a long time, and I am always inspired by his words. I enjoyed listening to his talk about the Lordship of Christ.”
He said he was very moved by the story of Immaculee. “She is a strong woman and her story helped me to realize the importance of living my life with gratitude,” Tran explained. “I also loved Sister Bethany’s talk. She reminded me of the importance of discerning God’s voice and the power of asking God for help in our life discernment,” he added.
About the small group times, Tran said, “I am also grateful for the discussions after each session. Our brothers’ insights were very holy and edifying. I learned a lot from them.”
The gift of sharing the SEEK21 experience with a community also resonated deeply with Tori Furka, a member of Immaculate Conception Parish, Annandale. She told her discussion group, “I was nervous about moving back to New Jersey after college because I knew of very few other young adults back home who were serious about their Catholic faith.
“Taking part in SEEK opened my eyes to the fact that there is a flourishing community of Catholic young men and women right here in my home parish — a community that I had been hoping and praying for since I left school, and one that I am excited to share my journey of faith with.”
Finding community after college can be very difficult for young Catholics in a more transitional state of life. The SEEK conference served as a unifying event for a number of fairly recent-college graduates looking to live and share their faith alongside others.
While SEEK21 brought many people together, that was not its only goal. It also sought to help everyone participating to walk away with a mission. Jenthel Reyes, a member of St. Cecelia’s BREAK Ministry said, “Coming into SEEK I didn’t know what to expect. However, the conference exceeded so many expectations and has changed my life in a more positive and growing way. It has lit a fire in me that will be burning for a very long time!”
A major fruit of the conference for the BREAK Ministry was that SEEK acted as a catalyst for BREAK to launch its new discipleship program. The diocesan Office of Youth and Young Adult Evangelization will be working with Break and other groups to provide resources and encouragement to keep the missionary fire burning in our local Church.
Vantslot is director, diocesan
Office of Youth and Young Adult
Evangelization