The Tablet . Youth | Diocese of Brooklyn

The Spirit was movin’ at the Immaculate Conception Center, Douglaston on Saturday, Oct. 13, for the young people and adults who attended the diocesan Fall Junior High Youth Day. Youth experienced community, prayer and a variety of tools to assist them in their journey of faith.

“Discover the Way/Descubre El Camino” was the theme for the day which began with a Teen Expo. The young people arrived to a variety of activities, from computer catechism games, arts and crafts, to dancing the “cha-cha slide.” Seminarians Jason Espinal and JunHee Lee were on hand to help animate and interact with the close to 250 young people who attended. The adults were impressed with how the seminarians interacted with the kids.

The day then proceeded with a keynote address, workshops, adoration, dinner and Mass. Father Caleb Buchanan, coordinator of Black Catholic Concerns and administrator of St. Gregory the Great Church in Crown Heights, delivered the keynote address. Father Buchanan spoke on how they had to “unplug” from so much of what exists in society in order to truly listen to God. He reminded them that they’re the “now” and not just the future of the Church. His words were enhanced twice by music provided by the St. Andrew the Apostle Life Teen Choir from Bay Ridge.

Father ended with calling them up to the altar for praise and prayer and then led them in procession to the Blessed Sacrament, where they formed “a human prayer chain.” Father Buchanan reminded them, “The Christ Power is in you!”

Dr. Phil Franco, director of the diocesan Office of Faith Formation, and Marilyn Santos, coordinator of Adolescent Faith Formation, hosted the day, which was sponsored by Alive in Hope Foundation and the Faith Formation Office.

Dr. Franco said, “In 1989, JP II challenged young people to know that Jesus is the way. These young people could have chosen many different ways to go this day but they chose to come and meet Jesus today.”

“When we plan these days, our goal is to provide as much as we can for the kids, and the end result is that we, ‘the adults’ end up receiving just as much if not more than the kids,” said Santos.

The diocesan seventh- and eighth- graders and their chaperones represented approximately 15 parishes. The energy and enthusiasm was high as teens donned the bright red T-shirts they were given as a memento of the day. Rudolph Cyrus-Charles, principal of St. Gregory the Great School, Crown Heights, said that he and the students that attended would be wearing the T-shirts as a “special dress down day” on the following Monday in appreciation of the experience.

Several young people remarked they were having a lot more fun than they had anticipated. They were truly appreciative of all the goodness and generosity that was provided. It showed on their faces, they were truly grateful.

Several breakout sessions, conducted by Father Kevin Sweeney, vocation director; Jasmine Salazar of the Jornada Movement; Jeff Hicks, youth minister at St. Catherine of Sienna, St. Albans; Steve Pulick, youth choir director at various parishes including St. Matthias, Ridgewood; Father Rocco Danzi, S.J.; Angela Lewis, religious education director at St. Bonaventure, Jamaica; and Georgeann Campbell of Our Lady of Charity, Weeksville, showed teens various ways they could continue to discover Christ.

After a hearty meal of spaghetti and meatballs, the group headed into the chapel for Adoration. It wasn’t just a moment of prayer along with praise and worship hymns, but a teachable moment as well. Father Sweeney presided and began with an age-appropriate explanation of the tradition and ritual of Adoration.

Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros celebrated the 6 p.m. closing Mass, which was concelebrated by Father Michael Tedone, parochial vicar at Our Lady of Lourdes, Queens Village, Fathers Buchanan, Sweeney and Danzi.

Bishop Cisneros related the Gospel reading, the parable of the 10 lepers, to the day’s theme. He spoke to the young people how it is important to always be thankful.

He told them a story of a young boy he encountered a few years ago. The legally blind young man was in the hospital about to have a leg amputated. When Bishop Cisneros went to visit him, he was surpised to find the young man was joyful. The boy said, “If I go to ‘Papa Dios’ I know I will be happy. If ‘Papa Dios’ keeps me here, I want to work with the young sick people in this hospital.” Bishop Cisneros held this youth up as a role model who had discovered the way.

Another Junior High Youth Day is scheduled for the spring. For more details, contact Marilyn Santos, 718-281-9584.

Alyson Caiazzo
St. Saviour H.S.
Freshman

A vampire. I was 10 years old and I wore it trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. It was my favorite costume because I helped to make it.

Justin Farnum
Msgr. McClancy M.H.S.
Senior

A telephone. I was about eight and I wanted to be something new. My mom made the costume for me and I wore it in the Halloween parade in Glendale. I won first prize.

Kristine Gonzalez
St. Saviour H.S.
Senior

Pippi Longstocking. My mother made the costume and braided hangers in my hair so my braids looked just like Pippi’s pigtails. I was in fourth grade. I remember that like it was yesterday.

Maggie Coughlin
St. Saviour H.S.
Freshman

A wizard. I must have been seven or eight and my mom made it for me. She made this purple robe, which I still have, and I had a hat that moved back and forth.

Saturday, Oct. 27
• Xavier H.S., Manhattan (Boys) – 1 - 4 p.m. Call 212-924-7900 ext. 1442.

Sunday, Oct. 28
• Bishop Ford Central Catholic H.S., Park Slope (Co-ed) – 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Call 360-2500.
• Bishop Loughlin M.H.S., Ft. Greene (Co-ed) – 1 p.m. Call 718-857-2700.
• Nazareth Regional H.S., Flatbush (Co-ed) – 1 - 4 p.m. Call 718-763-1100, ext. 226.
• Notre Dame School, Manhattan (Girls) – 2:30 - 5 p.m. Call 212-620-5575.

Tuesday, Oct. 30
• St. Saviour H.S., Park Slope (Girls) – 7 - 8:30 p.m. Call 718-768-4406.
• Loyola School, Manhattan (Co-ed) – 6 - 8 p.m. Call 212-288-3522.

Wednesday, Nov. 7
• Catherine McAuley H.S., Flatbush (Girls) – 6 - 8 p.m. Call 718-462-7282.

Kids, adults and even pets will don costumes this Oct. 31, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2007 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch.

Girls ranked princess as their top choice, while Spider-Man comes in first for boys. Rounding out the top five are: pirate, witch and fairy.

Devils and pumpkins top the list for pets, according to their owners, followed by witches, princesses and angels.