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| May 13, 2008 |
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Energetic teen event will make Florida debutSteubenville University will bring its popular teen conference to Florida.BOCA RATON | Popular teen conferences put on around the country by an Ohio-based Catholic university — and coming to Florida for the first time next summer — “are like a spiritual shot in the arm” for some teens, in words of one youth minister. “For others, it’s like ‘I never knew that God existed like this.’ So it’s kind of a real eye-opening event for them,” said Neil Kennedy, youth minister at Light of Christ Parish in Clearwater, who has taken teens to Steubenville Youth Conferences elsewhere. “For some it’s the beginning of them really kind of looking at their spiritual faith.” Steubenville Florida 2008, a three-day conference for high school students from all over the state and beyond, will be June 13-15, 2008, at Lynn University and Pope John Paul II High School in Boca Raton. It is sponsored by the Diocese of Palm Beach and the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio. “These conferences are amazing,” said John Beaulieu, director of youth and young adult outreach for Franciscan University. “The students who come to them will not just hear about God, they’ll come to know him. He comes from being a concept to reality in their eyes. They’ll know he is real and they’ll feel his love for them.” Steubenville Florida event coordinator Kathy Twist approached Palm Beach diocesan officials and Franciscan University about bringing a conference to the state after seeing the effects of a previous conference on her children. “Our daughter and son both attended (Steubenville) conferences,” said Twist, a resident of Palm Beach Gardens. “Our daughter came back after the three-day conference absolutely transformed. She came to realize Christ in her life every single day, walking with her, not behind her.” The conferences combine “praise and worship with powerful music,” “some of the finest Catholic speakers in the country,” eucharistic adoration, Mass and the sacrament of reconciliation,” said Beaulieu. The theme of next summer’s 19 conferences in the U.S. and Canada is “Witness.” Until now, Atlanta was the closest site for Steubenville conferences. The addition of the Boca Raton site will open up possibilities for potential participants from all over Florida. “We’d be interested in going,” said John Glynn, youth minister at St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Altamonte Springs. Glynn said he’s heard a lot from colleagues about the conferences. “They’ve said that these Steubenville conferences can be very powerful. They come back just raving about it. It’s something we’d be interested in hooking up our kids with.” Franciscan University offered its first youth conference for 500 teenagers 32 years ago on its Steubenville campus. With that, the demand for the conferences blossomed. “It grew and grew to the point we could no longer accommodate the conferences on our campus,” Beaulieu said. Twelve years ago, the first off-site conference was held. This year, 17 conferences attracted 38,500 youths. Steubenville Florida is one of two conferences being added for 2008. The other is in the Pacific Northwest. The Florida host site has experience with the Steubenville style. Pope John Paul II High School, next to Lynn University, hosted a one-day Steubenville rally March 17 that drew about 1,000 participants. “It gave us a wonderful opportunity to have our eyes opened logistically,” Twist said. “It takes a fair amount of room to put on a three-day conference like this.” Twist said she hopes for a turnout of at least 1,500. Keeping tabs on such a large number of teenagers is a formidable and daunting task. To help assure the participants’ safety, no drop-offs are allowed and every teenager must be chaperoned by an adult, such as a youth minister or a director of religious education. Teens may attend with their parents rather than with a youth group, but all adults who attend will require background screening, fingerprinting, and must show proof of having attended a child-abuse awareness seminar. Not all the teens who attend come willingly, Beaulieu said. Some are coerced by parents, cajoled by a boyfriend or girlfriend and some are skeptical but curious. Many return home changed, said Beaulieu and Florida youth ministers who have experience with the events. “The kids go crazy over it,” said Crystal Martinez, youth minister at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Milton. “It’s a wonderful spiritual experience. The youths love it; it’s so Christ-centered, usually with dynamic speakers. It’s just a beautiful experience.” “One of our teens went with another youth group and he came back really on fire,” said Laura Pardo, youth minister from St. Raphael Parish in Lehigh Acres. “He loved it.” Michael Florian, youth minister from St. Andrew Parish in Coral Springs, said he finds the eucharistic adorations particularly poignant. “A lot of times, that’s the most wonderful part of it because they receive a huge outpouring of the Holy Spirit and sometimes it reflects on their lives,” he said.
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