Seeds of SEEK25 already bearing fruit

Friday, Jan. 17, 2025
Seeds of SEEK25 already bearing fruit + Enlarge
Father Joshua Santos, pastor of Saint Joseph Parish and Saint Florence Mission and associate chaplain of the Weber State University Newman Center (front row, left), is shown with a group of parishioners who attended SEEK25 in Salt Lake City.
By Laura Vallejo
Intermountain Catholic

OGDEN — About 300 Catholics from various parishes and missions in Utah joined 16,000 of the faithful from throughout the United States and other countries at SEEK25, the national Catholic conference that took place Jan. 1-5 in Salt Lake City.  
SEEK is an annual conference sponsored by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students [FOCUS], a Catholic outreach organization that “shares the hope and joy of Jesus Christ with the world,” the conference web page says. 
The conference provides opportunities for fellowship as well as presentations about the Catholic faith. Attendees include lay people of all ages, priests and members of religious orders. 
After attending SEEK25, many of the local Catholics say their lives will never be the same. 
“I cannot describe it with words,” said Michelle Patterson, a parishioner of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ogden. “Trying to explain with words all that I was able to experience, … I am still processing all the joy that it has brought to my life.”  
Seeing all those Catholics together in one place, especially in in Utah, “was a big joy – all those people shared my faith and my beliefs,” she said. “Here in Utah, it is hard to have a sight like that.” 
 Learning about the many different religious congregations whose members attended the conference reignited a flame in Patterson’s heart, she said. 
Previously, she had no idea some of those religious orders existed, and “Every time that I talked to them, I discovered so many beautiful life experiences, and I was able to get some tips on how to implement that into my own life,” she said. 
Getting to know them nourished her spirit and also gave her tools that she urgently needed for her spiritual healing, she said.  
“I realized that despite feeling broken inside they were able to make the decision to offer their lives to God,” she said, adding that she also is very grateful for all the talks that she heard at the conference and all the other people that she talked to. 
The keynote address by Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT touched Patterson’s heart in a very special way, she said, because she has been looking for a spiritual direction for quite some time. She volunteers with the Carmelite sisters, but feels this is not her calling, and had become frustrated in her search, she said. 
After attending SEEK25 and meeting other religious women, her calling has reignited, she said. “I feel like I want and desire the apostolate, working directly with people, and getting to know Sisters that do that was eye-opening.” 
Although she hesitated to approach Sr. Miriam James, she eventually found the courage to talk to her one on one. Sr. Miriam James told her about the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, and Patterson immediately felt motivated to volunteer with them. 
“I was like, ‘Wow, God! You really know your ways,’” Patterson said.  
Sr. Miriam James is also affiliated with the Friends of the Bridegroom community and the John Paul II Healing Center in leading healing retreats for priests and religious sisters across America. 
“She made me cry as I heard her words,” Patterson said. “She made me feel like I was me again. … Hearing the sister was hearing God answering all my prayers. God was speaking to me through her. … All my worries and hurts disappeared and now more than ever I want to follow him.” 
After attending SEEK25, “now the homework is to put all those feelings and emotions [into action] with everyone around us,” said Patterson, who wants to share her life experience with the youth in her parish. 
“Now I feel like I am on fire,” she said. “I feel stronger to be able to share God with all, especially with the ones that don’t know him. I know this is a big challenge, but I am willing to do it.” 
The message that Patterson would like to share is that “when we feel disappointed in what God is asking us for our eternal life, sometimes we just turn our back to him, we don’t ask him what it is that is between us and him. We are scared and feel vulnerable, and as young adults it is hard to accept that we have needs and put names to them. … But our prayers are always heard. God knows when and what. … In my life I was feeling that he was not listening to me, but I know now that he was.” 
Like Patterson, Madelynn Wells from St. Florence Mission in Huntsville found SEEK25 to be a special experience. 
“I have never felt like that before,” Wells said. “In all honesty, I [felt] a bit hopeless to ever see so many Catholics together in one place.” 
Because everybody at the conference was Catholic, she felt more bold, she said. 
“Facing our fears and not being afraid to share our faith with others is something that I felt compelled to do,” Wells said, adding that now she is planning to do that with others. 
The opportunity to attend SEEK25 was the fruit of hard work by Patterson, Wells and others at St. Joseph and St. Florence, who did fundraising to pay the costs. They spoke to their congregations at Mass and took up collections, “but we also helped put on the festival [at St. Joseph Parish] and made snacks after all the Masses to sell,” Wells said.  
Having worked hard to raise the funds for SEEK25, “being at the conference made you feel like you earned it,” she said. 
Now she plans to put her faith into action by sharing her faith with others at Weber State University, where she goes to school. 
“Sometimes young Catholics in Utah might feel like the odd person but they are not; they just need [reassurance of] their faith, to find a community of Catholics, and realize that you are not alone. There are different communities that you can join,” Wells said. 
“I loved it,” Patterson added. “I wish that everyone will have the opportunity to attend these types of conferences. They change your life no matter if you are discerning or just trying to create a stronger bond with our Lord.” 
Editor’s note: The SEEK25 keynote addresses and other presentations are available at https://seekreplay.com/ 

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