Youth encounter planned for Diocese of Salt Lake City

Courtesy photo/JesseDamara.com

+ Enlarge

Jesse Damara will be one of the speakers at the local youth encounter.

SALT LAKE CITY — The Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City has scheduled its 2013 Youth Encounter June 15-16.

"Young Men & Women Stand Up and Believe in Jesus" will be held at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Orem. The event will feature Jesse Damara and Jennifer Benitez as speakers.

Damara founded the "Música Alianza Juvenil" ministry in Yuma, Ariz. in 1995, focusing in the evangelization through music. In 2001 he was named as the coordinator of the Youth Ministry in Yuma. In 2005 he became the parish renewal youth coordinator for the Diocese of Tucson and in 2008 was named the youth representative to the region’s Catholic renewal. The region includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. In 2010 he finished his first album, produced by Son By Four.

Benitez is part of the Adore Ministries, which uses new media and social networking to impact youth. She is also part of the Catholic Charismatic Center in Houston, Texas.

"They have the capacity of touching young people’s hearts," said Socorro Espinoza, a Saint Francis of Assisi parishioner and member of the diocesan charismatic group, who is helping organize the Youth Encounter.

The Youth Encounter can help with all of the "‘noise" in today’s world that can mislead youth, and also help adults who don’t understand youth as well as they might wish, Espinoza said. "We want to understand what the youth think and these speakers will help them to be more open so Jesus can enter their hearts or at least they will see their joy and their testimonies," said Espinoza.

The two-day event is free and open to all diocesan youth.

"It’s important that our young people participate, because they are the soldiers of tomorrow, the ones that will spread the word and will bring Jesus to other youth," said Espinoza.

The youth encounter was organized in conjunction with the Charismatic Renovation and the diocesan offices of Youth Ministry and Hispanic Ministry.

"We want the best for them [youth]. We want to help them to have God present in their daily lives and never lose their faith and have the capacity of letting the Holy Spirit guide them," said Espinoza, adding that "all parents need to teach to their kids, but we need to start when they are little and keep on teaching them all the time."

For information, call Samantha Almanza at 801-328-8641 ext. 313, Socorro Espinoza at 801-362-9607, Daniel Carrillo at 801-554-2180 or Verónica Cruz at 562-682-9257.

What: 2013 Youth Encounter "Young Men & Women Stand Up & Believe in Jesus"

When: Saturday, June 15, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, June 16, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 65 East 500 North,Orem

Cost: FREE