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Teens learn value of saints, Eucharist at convention

‘Victory through surrender’ annual theme highlighted April 5-7 at youth convention

Published: April 11, 2024      

By Katie Zakrzewski
Associate Editor

Brad Farmer, co-founder of APeX Ministries, balances a chair on his chin during his talk at the statewide youth convention April 5. (Katie Zakrzewski)

Brad Farmer, co-founder of APeX Ministries, balances a chair on his chin during his talk at the statewide youth convention April 5. (Katie Zakrzewski)

Nearly 260 teens braved traffic across the state for the total solar eclipse to participate in religious camaraderie at the DoubleTree Hotel in Little Rock April 5-7.

The final statewide youth convention before schools wrap up the school year allowed high schoolers from across the state to worship together before many members of the Youth Advisory Council graduated and went to college. 

The weekend convention was the culmination of a year of planning by the Youth Advisory Council, a group of Catholic high schoolers picked from across the state to help plan and lead diocesan youth events. 

Abner Sierra, 17, a member of St. John Church in Russellville, said he was excited to see old friends and meet new friends.

“I’m feeling very excited. This is my first (statewide youth convention) as a YAC member, so I’m excited for the new members, but I’m also sad that the old ones are leaving,” Sierra said. “I’m going to miss them a lot.”

Parker Vail, 17, a member of Immaculate Conception Church in North Little Rock, said the convention was bittersweet since it’s his last YAC event.

“I’m very excited for this weekend, but I’m sad that it’s my last YAC event and last youth event in the diocese besides Search, so there are definitely some sad feelings there, but I’m excited,” Vail said.

Hannah Ehlinger, 18, of St. Peter the Fisherman Church in Mountain Home, said she was glad to see so many people even though many parishes didn’t send their youth group because of the expected traffic because of the solar eclipse.

“I’m feeling great,” Ehlinger said. “I’m really looking forward to adoration because that’s always been a big thing for me to connect to the Eucharist. I think I’m most looking forward to seeing the community of people around us and seeing all the people come out to be together despite the solar eclipse and to meet the new YAC members.”

Larry Desiderio, 16, a member of St. John the Baptist Church in Hot Springs, said he also was looking forward to adoration.

“Every adoration has always had a big impact on my life, and I really hope this one does too,” Desiderio said. “I hope everybody will feel that their burdens are taken off of them and they can surrender themselves to Christ, and that they feel more alive in Christ.” 

The conference’s keynote speaker was Brad Farmer, co-founder of APeX Ministries, a Catholic evangelization and apologetics ministry. Farmer has made occasional appearances at youth conventions for the Diocese of Little Rock since 2006. He combines his talents of juggling, comedy and theology to talk about the lives of the saints and the power of the Eucharist. 

The convention was also a chance for graduating members of the Youth Advisory Council to say a final goodbye to friends. Liz Tingquist, director of the Catholic Youth Ministry Office, announced the new Youth Advisory Council members at the conference. Teens also got to meet the diocese’s seminarians. 

“We chose ‘victory through surrender’ (theme) by looking through readings for convention weekend,” Tingquist said, explaining how the annual state convention theme is selected each year. “We have come full circle with this group. Now we’re doing the convention. I remember when we picked out the theme this past summer based on the readings for this weekend.” 

“You get to build friendships with people in Arkansas that you’re likely to go to school with and make lifelong friendships,” Office of Youth and Campus Ministries program director Trish Gentry said. “Catholicism is not predominant in the state of Arkansas, and it’s like look, see, there are people just like you who are in love with their faith, and you get to enjoy just being together as a Church.”

“People are chasing some esoteric thing out there for happiness, and really the people who are the most peaceful and the happiest have surrendered their lives to the Lord,” Tingquist said. 

In a keynote speech Friday night, Farmer reminded attendees of their uniqueness and value in God’s eyes. 

“The miraculous isn’t just something that happens around a particular group of people. The miraculous is constantly happening,” Farmer said. “The miraculous is in this room right now, but we don’t notice it, we walk right past it. … We only pay attention to what we perceive with our physical senses … What the saints do, is they surrender themselves to something that’s greater than themselves. … You were made for nothing less than to be a real-life superhero. You were made to be a saint. … There has never been anyone like you. From the moment that God said, ‘Let there be light,’ something then began that wasn’t there before. … From that moment to now, there’s never been anyone like you. You are unique. … There will never be another you. You are unrepeatable.”

On Saturday morning, Farmer returned to talk about the importance of saints in the Church and the value of Eucharistic miracles. 

“The Eucharist is one of those things that’s difficult to understand,” Farmer said. “And polls say that a lot of Catholics who attend Mass don’t really get it, don’t understand it. … But God is something beyond, that transcends, is above, is outside of all time and space. God is bigger than all of creation and all of the material world … There are other moments where God gives what’s called private revelations. And we have these moments where the veil is pulled back just a little bit.”

Farmer discussed a handful of Eucharistic miracles and the science behind them in his morning talk to attendees. 

Annaliese Cartaya, 17, a member of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Benton, said, “I love how he used modern-day things we can understand to explain how things went in the Bible.”

Emma Allison, 16, a member of St. Joseph Church in Conway, hoped the conference awakened the faith of attendees.

“I’m on a Jesus high. I’m really excited for this weekend and I think everyone is going to have a great weekend and feel how I feel spiritually right now,” Allison said. “Just awaken your faith. I’m really excited for what this weekend has to hold.”

Madeline Corballis, 17, Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Little Rock, appreciated Farmer’s sentiments about uniqueness.

“I think the whole, ‘you’re unique’ thing, really stands out every time somebody says it because I think a lot of people don’t realize how special they are,” Corballis said. “It’s important to see that. I think God makes us special in our own little ways.”

This year’s convention was unique not just because of the eclipse, but because of new events and free time built into the schedule to allow attendees to enjoy nearby amenities and events, such as a weekend concert lineup. Attendees at this year’s state convention also participated in a cookout hosted by the Christ the King Church in Little Rock’s Knights of Columbus council. 

After a five-year absence, parishes created banners to carry into this year’s closing banquet. 

“We’re doing a retro theme,” Tingquist said. “We used to have every parish create a banner and then parade them in. This year we brought back the banners and the awards again. We haven’t done them since before COVID. We’ve got a spirit stick too. Everyone is coming in with their banners and their chants, so we’re emphasizing the ‘victory’ theme, but we also want participants to have fun with the eclipse.”

“Everything old is new again,” Gentry added with a laugh.

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