Bishop urges Catholic youth to be bold in their faith

Catholic adults are not the only ones hearing Pope Benedict's message to be "steadfast in faith."

The Bishop of Harrisburg Pennsylvania, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades tells more than 500 Catholic youth," Never be ashamed of your faith." The bishop of Harrisburg presented strong reaffirmations of Christian faith in a homily he delivered to an audience of mostly middle-schoolers from Lancaster and Lebanon counties who are beginning their journey toward confirmation.

"It takes courage to be a Catholic today. Never be afraid to be a Christian," Rhoades said. The bishop's homily urged the mainly seventh-grade students to stand firm and profess a strong faith in Jesus Christ.

About 570 parishioners from 26 Catholic churches in the two counties attended the Mass, which kicked off the start of the Youth Education Summit, a two-year spiritual preparation for the seventh-graders' confirmation. Yolanda Larson, the pastoral associate for youth at the church, was the main organizer of the kick-off event. "Some of the parishes [in attendance] which are really small can't do this on their own," she said. "We looked at their needs, and there needs to be a first concrete step for them [toward confirmation]." "We've never done anything this large," said Sister Mary Elizabeth Schmidt of the Sacred Heart Convent in Lancaster. "The kids were excited to have the bishop coming."Schmidt sat on the committee that organized the event.

The committee was composed of five other members of the Lancaster and Lebanon deaneries. Rhoades also told the audience to affirm the centrality of Christ in their faith. "If one of your non-Christian friends asked who Jesus Christ is, what would you say?" he asked the students. Children in the audience gave a variety of answers for the bishop. "Jesus is the savior," one said."He is the Son of God," another said."He is part of the trinity," said still another."No matter what, he is with us," Rhoades said. "Don't let a day go by without cultivating that relationship.

"The 49-year-old Rhoades also detailed his own personal journey into the seminary in college. "Seventh-grade was the first time I started thinking about becoming a priest," he said. "I went to college, but the calling was still there. I kept resisting it. One day I surrendered. It is a big sacrifice."Be open to the Lord's call for your vocation," he told the audience. Afterward, the bishop spoke with parishioners in the church lobby. The homily and Mass were accompanied by music performed by Women at the Well.

I was amazed to learn that the youth from this diocese embark on a two year Confirmation spiritual preparation program. In our parish, the program is far less than one year. The youth and their catechists should be commended for their commitment.