Teens from 14 Arkansas parishes participated in the Steubenville Mid-America conference July 11-13 and July 18-20. Youth from St. Mary Church in Paragould included Ben Kueter (back row, left), Drew Keith, Ally Sims and chaperone Traci Goodson; Reed Register (front row, left), Emmanuel Puello and Grant Register.
Rebecca Lane photo

The Archdiocese of St. Louis hosted 7,000 youth over the two weekends of the Steubenville Mid-America conference. Rebecca Lane photo

Grant Register (left), Reed Register, Emmanuel Puello and Ally Sims take a break between presentations during the conference. Rebecca Lane photo

Father Chris Martin carries the monstrance during adoration. Rebecca Lane photo

Christ in Eucharist at center of Steubenville events

More than 300 diocesan youth attend conference representing 14 Arkansas parishes

Published: August 18, 2014

By Madeline Roberts
Special to Arkansas Catholic

Rebecca Lane, St. Mary Church, Paragould

Members of St. Mary Church in Paragould pose with Father Chris Martin, one of the event's speakers. More than 300 Arkansas Catholic youth from 14 parishes attended the two sessions of the conference.

Rebecca Lane, St. Mary Church, Paragould

Members of St. Mary Church in Paragould pose with Father Chris Martin, one of the event's speakers. More than 300 Arkansas Catholic youth from 14 parishes attended the two sessions of the conference.

More than 300 Arkansas Catholic youth and chaperones attended the Steubenville Mid-America conference at Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo.

Hosted by the Archdiocese of St. Louis Office of Youth Ministry, the conference was divided into two sessions, the first July 11-13 and the second July 18-20.

Four parishes sent youth to the first session: Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish and Christ the King Parish in Little Rock, St. James Parish in Searcy (combined with St. Richard Parish of Bald Knob) and St. Joseph Parish in Conway.

Ten parishes sent youth to the second session: Sacred Heart Parish in Charleston, St. Mary Parish in Batesville (combined with St. Michael Parish in Cherokee Village), St. Mary Parish in Paragould, Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Benton, St. Joseph Parish in Fayetteville, Immaculate Conception Parish in North Little Rock, St. Stephen Parish in Bentonville, St. Joseph Parish in Tontitown, St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Rogers and St. Peter the Fisherman Parish in Mountain Home.

Since 1976, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, has sponsored Steubenville Youth Conferences across the country. Every summer, Steubenville Youth Conferences host more than 45,000 high school teens and their youth leaders at 20 different locations in North America. The conferences’ mission is to excite youth about their faith and the sacraments and to inspire them to have a closer relationship with Christ.

At the Steubenville Mid-America Conference, almost 7,000 attended the two sessions. During the conference, youth had the opportunity to go to reconciliation, listen to Catholic speakers in workshops and worship with thousands of other teens.

For Arkansas youth, the conference offered something different for everyone.

“I’m the only Catholic at my school, so it’s nice to have other Catholics around,” said junior Jay Chaney of St. Mary Parish in Batesville.

“Some of these kids are the only Catholics in their school,” said youth leader Eddie Ishmael of St. Mary Parish in Batesville and St. Michael Parish in Cherokee Village. “Being around other Catholic students is a big reason why I take them.”

What really seemed to affect the teens for both sessions was the chance to experience eucharistic adoration. The first night, the Eucharist remained on the altar while teens prayed for an hour.

The second night, however, was different. Thousands of youth gathered in the John Q. Hammons Arena at MSU with Father Christopher Martin of the Archdiocese of St. Louis leading the procession of the Eucharist in adoration. Father Martin led the procession in complete darkness, the only light shining on the Eucharist.

Youth leader Rebecca Lane of St. Mary Parish in Paragould said, “(The youth) were overwhelmed with a sense of peace they never felt before.”

Ally Sims of St. Mary Parish in Paragould agreed.

“I never really looked at adoration that way … It was really spiritual,” she said.

Eucharistic adoration also brought the youth together in community.

“It just gives you that confidence knowing that you’re not alone,” recent graduate Jake Allison of Christ the King Parish in Little Rock said.

“It’s the most incredible experience because you can tell in that moment everyone is there for that one cause (the Eucharist),” Kenzie Cundall, a recent graduate and Christ the King parishioner, said.

Be it learning about Christ or worshipping with fellow teens, teens praised the experience.

“Going to Steubenville … it opened my eyes,” said senior Jared Hanig of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Benton. “I’ll definitely go back next year.”