The Catholic Standard & Times - Meeting other Catholic girls and guys

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Meeting other Catholic girls and guys

Where can you meet other like-minded teens, besides at school and parties?

We’ve come up with a list of some of the cool places and events in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia that you’ll want to plug into, to deepen your faith, have fun and meet new people.

Check them out:

Chester County Coffee House at St. Elizabeth Church
At St. Elizabeth, you’ll see live entertainment, have fun, and meet great new people.

What: Coffee House

When: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Sunday, April 29.

Where: St. Elizabeth Church, 100 Fellowship Rd.,Uwchland, Pa.

Cost: $5.

If you would like to perform, please contact Andree at a_drouilhet@yahoo.com.

Chester County Youth Ministry: Spring Youth Mass & Coffee House
Another great night of praying, sharing talent and having fun with the youth of Chester County. Open to all youth.

What: Mass followed by the coffee house.

When: 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday, May 20.
Hosted by: SS. Peter & Paul Parish, 1325 Boot Road, East Goshen, Pa.

Bring: Each participating parish will bring a dessert to share.

If you know of a teen who would like to sign up to perform for the coffee house, please contact Father Stephen DeLacy, parochial vicar at SS. Peter and Paul, at 610-692-2216. All talents are welcome, including poetry, song and music.

Teen Holy Hour at St. Titus
Join teens from many parishes as they celebrate Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament on the second Sunday of every month, from June to November. Enjoy praise and worship music provided by the Bethany Music Ministry. Take advantage of the opportunity to go to confession, refresh yourself spiritually, and prepare for the week ahead.

When: 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays, June 10, July 8, August 12, September 9 and October 14.

Where: St. Titus Church, 3006 Kenwood Road, East Norriton, 19403.
For more information contact Maria Richardson at 215-965-4625.

Franciscan University High School Youth Conference
Join thousands of teens from around the world for a weekend of faith and fun in Steubenville, Ohio.

Teens from the Montgomery County Vicariate of the Office For Youth & Young Adults are attending the conference at Franciscan University June 22 through 24.

The conference is almost sold out but there are a few seats left. Go to www.franciscanyouth.com to find out more about this program. Call Maria Richardson for trip details at 215-965-4625.

Amazing Race for Grace
Join the archdiocesan bicentennial celebration for high school students and young adults — including a scavenger hunt, rally and Mass. Happy Birthday Philadelphia Archdiocese!

What: Amazing Race for Grace

When: Saturday, Sept. 29.

Where: The day will begin at the Cathedral and end at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood.

Stay tuned for more information. Visit www.oyya.org or call Andrea Myers at 215-965-4625.

National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC)
Join teens from throughout the United States in “Discover[ing] the Way” at this year’s youth conference in Ohio.

What: National Catholic Youth Conference.

When: Nov. 8-11.

Where: Columbus, Ohio.

Cost: Approx. $425.

Flyers and registration materials coming soon.

Visit www.oyya.org or call Andrea Myers at 215-965-4625.

World Youth Day 2008

The Aussies await down under. … Don’t miss the powerful experience of seeing the Church in a new way, in a new world. Join Pope Benedict XVI in proclaiming our faith to the world.

What: WYD.

When: July 12 - 22, 2008.

Where: Sydney, Australia.

Cost: Approx. $3,600 (Optional 4 day tour of the Australian coast and reef for additional $850; Approx. Cost: $4,450)

Publicity and registration materials will be coming soon to the Web site of the Office for Youth and Young Adults: www.oyya.org. Or call Andrea Myers at 215-965-4625.

Special Junior High Event:
Borromeo Boys Vocation Camp
Sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders who are interested in learning more about the priesthood are invited to spend a day of prayer and fun at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. The day-long camp is sponsored by the archdiocesan Office for Vocations. Discover what these “fishers of men” are really all about.

What: Borromeo Boys Vocation Camp.

When: Wednesday, June 20.

Where: St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, 100 East Wynnewood Road, Wynnewood, Pa. 19096.

For more information visit www.heedthecall.org

Compiled by Nadia Pozo, CS&T staff writer.

When dating gets real

By Bill Donaghy
Special to The CS&T

How can I bring God into a dating relationship?

What a powerful question — but I feel I should warn you right from the start, that’s dangerous business.

Once you let God in, there’s no telling where things might end up. In the immortal words of Kip Dynamite, you just might find your “soul mate” and be ridiculously at peace for the rest of your life.

First off, I think we should revisit just what we mean when we speak of the reality of God. I think this is key, because the world can often distort the true image of God.

The clear waters of our baptism can get a little muddied by our personal sins, and a true image of God can get twisted into something either scary, distant, or always wagging a finger at us when we mess up. Is that God?

Let’s go back to the beginning. Remember when you were 5 or 6 years old, and the world was one big wonderland?

Everything was a gift then, wasn’t it? From a snack to a bike ride to snowflakes. Here’s the thing: We need to see everything still as a gift, as something flowing from the Giver that is meant to bring us joy.

That counts for people, too. So as you grow older, meet new friends, start dating, the best attitude is to see in everything the gift that God wants to give. A mystic named Caryll Houselander once said, “Every ordinary thing in your life is a word of God’s love. Your home, your work, the clothes you wear, the air you breathe, the food you eat. … the flowers under your feet are the courtesy of God’s heart flung down on You! All these things say one thing only: ‘See how I love you.’” Wow.

So who is God? Ultimately the One whose love is the seed of all loves.

If that’s the case, how could we not have Him as a part, and, indeed, the heart, of all our relationships, especially the ones that have the spark of love in them? If we keep God (a.k.a. Love) out of our relationships, then what are they based on?

Startling News

All that is good, true, and beautiful participates in God.

When you see a great movie that moves you, and you talk about it, you’re sharing in God. When you go to visit your boyfriend’s sick grandfather, or go to Mass on a Sunday with your girlfriend (a great idea) you’re living in God. When you walk in the fields together and you’re struck by the beauty of creation, you are both sharing in the beauty of the Creator.

If you’re an honest seeker of the good, the true and the beautiful, then you already have God at the heart of your relationships. The next step is naming this — acknowledging Him — not being afraid to admit that He’s the One you want at the heart of your dating. (It’s a great way to clear away superficiality and pettiness, trust me.)

Letting God into our dating is a real adventure. It keeps things real, and wakes us up to the miracle of our uniqueness — the uniqueness of everyone, every shade and texture on this coat- of-many-colors that is the human family.

That is not easy, especially for teenagers with the weight of peer pressure bearing down.

But we must look into each other’s eyes. We must return to that innocence and openness that we had as children, looking, seeing, receiving the gift, not grasping at it. If we see dating as sharing in God’s gifts, then life will become that adventure.

There’s a line at the end of “Les Miserables”: “To love another person is to see the face of God.” Wow. Take that one to the dating scene. Make respectful love the first move, not lust, and you’ll find God in the center of that relationship.

Let the journey begin.

Bill Donaghy is a lay evangelist who writes and speaks on topics of the Catholic faith. He is a certified Theology of the Body speaker, and teaches Scripture at Malvern Preparatory School. He and his wife, Rebecca, live in Lansdowne, Pa. Visit his web site at www.missionmoment.org.