KARASZEWSKI: Your burning heart is holy ground
January 14, 2020
“Christ is alive! He is our hope and, in a wonderful way, He brings youth to our world, and everything He touches becomes young, new, full of life. The very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive, and He wants you to be alive!”
This is the first paragraph of Christus Vivit, the lastest apostolic exhortation by Pope Francis, written to young people and all the People of God.
Christus Vivit (CV) is a document that brings hope to everyone:
- To the Young People, it tells them to step up! “Take risks... Make a ruckus… Cast out fears… Live!” (CV 143)
- To older adults, it asks them to be young again: “At every moment of life we can renew our youthfulness.” (CV 160)
- To leaders, it points them to invest in young adults: “We are called to invest in their fearlessness and train them.” (CV 233)
- To everyone to accompany the young people in their journey: “If we journey together, young and old, we can... enable hope to blossom.” (CV 199)
It is with this hope and remembering that Jesus Himself was a young adult that a group of Archdiocesan single, engaged and married young adults in their 20s and 30s have designed a day of prayer, formation, music and fellowship to reflect on Christus Vivit this coming Lent on Saturday, March 21, titled “Your Burning Heart is Holy Ground” (CV 67).
In the morning sessions, the keynote speakers will focus on encountering Christ that is alive and wants us to be alive! In the early afternoon, we will discover God’s voice in our hearts. Especially, young adults are at a stage in their life in which they have several options, and many times it is difficult to make decisions while considering God’s will in their lives.
Hence, we will offer 15 workshops, including topics such as “Living your vocation at the workplace,” “Following the Good Shepherd with a Discerning Heart,” “Discernment of Relationships, Pathway to Destiny” and for those young adults already married we will offer a workshop titled, “How to make decisions as a couple.”
In the afternoon, we will finish our day by encouraging each other to pursue our mission with courage, boldness and enthusiasm. Walking our paths alone is never easy; this day will give young adults the opportunity to build community with other peers within the Archdiocese.
This will be the sixth year in which we offer an Archdiocesan Young Adult Day, and this year we are inviting not only single and dating young adults but also married young couples who want to grow in their relationship with God and with others.
The day will provide opportunities for formation in English and Spanish with local and national speakers, music and plenty of time to pray and fellowship along with a Mass celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop George A. Sheltz. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at St. Jerome Catholic Church, located at 8825 Kempwood Dr., Houston.
Early Bird is $25 per person before Feb. 21. For a list of presenters, the schedule and registrations, visit www.archgh.org/yacm or contact 713-741-8778 or email yacm@archgh.org.
Gabriela Karaszewski is the director of the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry.