Group Pics

Check them out! Don't miss out on www.steubenville.org if you want to recall some of what you heard last weekend, or if you want to know more about what we did in Steubenville.

More Quotables

You are not better at sinning than God is at forgiving, so get over yourselves. - Brian Kissinger

If the Church comes from God and is our source of truth, then in holding any dissenting position, you are going against who? - Sean Forrest

I want God on my own terms. I create God in my own image, setting Jesus up as a false idol. This is my Jesus, what he looks like and what he says. But, we want the authentic Jesus...not an idea or philosophy or a pat on the back, but life in the full, flowing to us from God's grace flowing through the Church. - summary of thoughts from Fr. Dave and Sean

How would we know about Jesus if it wasn't for the Church. - Kissinger

Saturday

Today we had Mass with Fr. Dave Pivonka, before sessions with Matt Smith (who was on Real World in 2002) and Sean Forrest (who might be almost as funny as Brian Regan).

The afternoon sessions split up the boys and girls.

Tonight, we heard an awesome talk by Sean on the existence of God and how he came to believe in Jesus Christ. I am told that all of these talks will be available online next week, so parents and families will be able to tune in as well!

Adoration was sweet.

Quotable

God loves you enough that He comes to meet you where you are. But He loves you too much to leave you there. -Brian Kissinger

Friday Night

We had an awesome night of worship. I am not sure I have been to a Friday night session where the teens were so ready to enter in right off the bat.

Our teens are excited to be here. It seems like they are hungry for more.

Gearing Up

A few pics of our group getting ready for last night's session. Please keep us in your prayers.

Animal or Object

Circumstance had it that I had to pass through a group of high school boys several times on Saturday night.  I actually passed through them a few times because they are teens, and thus good at congregating near doorways and stairs in such an immovable fashion that the only way to get to where one wishes is to go right on through them.

Usually when I find myself passing through a conversation it is either about something ridiculous (and therefore, amusing) or the conversation stops completely and I am forced to awkwardly pass in silence.

Saturday was different.

The boys kept up their lively conversation which centered entirely upon various sexual acts with the opposite gender.

In situations like this one, I wish I had that impeccable gift of quick-  coupled with pastoral concern.  Usually I have one and not the other (or neither, as was the case that night) and I say nothing at all in the moment.

So, I will say it now:

Are we animals who have no constraint over our sexual organs, therefore making all forms of "sexual messing around" an accepted norm (even in conversation at very public events), or, the opposite gender is purely an object for use and selfish gratification. 

Based upon what I heard the other night, it is one option or the other for these youngsters.  Either way, personhood is reduced to nothing.

Let us continue to pray for the conversion of our own hearts in the midst of a society willing to reduce the human person to material as its norm.  And let us pray for an increase in purity and understanding of the body within the Catholic Church.