Earth Day needs Catholics’ full engagement and hopeful vision, Ave Maria professor says
SALT LAKE CITY — Leaders of parishes and missions throughout the Diocese of Salt Lake City gathered in person and via Zoom for the Fall General Assembly on Nov. 25. Among the items on the agenda was a presentation on the SEEK25 conference, which will be held in Salt Lake City Jan. 1-5.
The conference will feature internationally known speakers such as Father Mike Schmitz and Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT. Thousands of Catholics from throughout the United States will gather to hear them and participate in opportunities for faith formation and fellowship.
Dr. Edward Sri, a well-known theologian, author and podcaster, is senior vice president of apostolic outreach at the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), the organization that produces the SEEK conferences. During the Nov. 25 meeting of local Church leaders, Dr. Sri gave a video presentation about the SEEK25 conference, at which he will be one of the speakers.
Addressing the local Church leaders, Sri said that by attending SEEK25, they can learn to evangelize not only people who do not believe but also those who attend church regularly but are not enthusiastic about the faith.
The SEEK25 conference will be centered on proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, he said. “Each night we’re walking step by step through the core Gospel message of God’s amazing love for us.”
The conference is meant to “lead to a personal encounter that we all deepen our own conversion with Jesus Christ,” he said, adding that the more that individuals deepen their own relationship with the Lord, “the more we can go out and give Jesus Christ and his Good News to other people.”
At the conference, in addition to younger participants, thousands of people ranging in age from their 30s through their 80s will hear the same keynote addresses, attend Mass each morning, and attend presentations focused on pastoral ministry, he said. “It’s called the ‘making missionary disciples’ track.”
This practical, hands-on training is meant to form lay leaders in the parishes and teach them “the vision and the practical skills to start leading a Bible study on their own, or leading a small group on their own, or sharing the faith in their ministry on their own or even in their families,” he said. It will include sessions on topics such as youth ministry, marriage ministry and family life, he said.
Bishop Oscar A. Solis thanked Sri for his presentation, and said that at last year’s SEEK retreat he himself witnessed people “filled with joy, the joy coming from the personal encounter with Christ.”
The bishop has urged Utah Catholics to attend SEEK25; in a Nov. 15 message, he wrote, “I strongly encourage faithful from the whole Diocese of Salt Lake City to take part in SEEK in some way, especially in reaffirming our common work as missionary disciples, proclaiming God’s love with our lives and in our communities.”
To register for the SEEK25 conference, visit https://seek.focus.org/general-registration/.
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