The pavilion at Huntington Beach in Bay Village was abuzz with activity on July 17 as more than 100 teens, youth ministers and family members gathered for a Fanning the Flame youth rally, Footprints in the Sand, a midsummer night of reflection off the shore of Lake Erie. St. Raphael Parish in Bay Village was the host.
Jackie Vigneault of the Youth and Young Adult Ministry office of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland said the events are held quarterly. This was the second time for this type of summer event and the third time the group has celebrated a Mass on the beach. Bishop Nelson Perez was the celebrant for this year’s liturgy and keynote speaker at the rally.
Dobie Moser, who heads the YYAM office and Mark Delsander, who works with Moser and Vigneault to coordinate the ministry, also assisted with the event. Youth ministers from several parishes throughout the diocese were there with groups of teens. Many assisted with the breakout sessions, games, music and liturgy.
The teens gathered about 5:30 in the pavilion for conversation and games before enjoying a picnic dinner. The bishop arrived during dinner and visited each table.
After the opening prayer, Vigneault welcomed the group and explained the event theme, which is based on Psalm 139: 17-18: “How precious to me are your designs, O God; how vast the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sands; when I complete them, still you are with me.”
“I want you to know how much you are loved and appreciated,” she said, referring to the countless grains of sand.
Breakout groups, color-coded and called S.A.N.D., were organized after dinner, with the teens moving to one of three stations. Each teen received a kit with a ribbon and other materials for the various breakout sessions.
The “S” or blue group – storm station place -- remained in the pavilion and discussed temperance, including self-control and moderation. The “A” or yellow group – attitude station place – headed to the beach and talked about prudence, including right judgment and the “N” or red group – not standing firm, compromise station place, gathered on the grass outside the pavilion where they discussed fortitude, including courage. The “D” or transparent group, which included everyone, returned to the shelter to hear Bishop Perez speak on foundations – faith, hope and love.
He asked the teens to think about the foundations in their lives, including physical, family, education and faith. “You need certain things or foundations to survive, like air, food and water,” he said. But we also have other foundations that help support us throughout life like family and friends, he added.
“I couldn’t tell you where most of the people I knew in high school are today, but I know where my family is. They are always there. Friends come and go, but your family is a foundation. They are there for the long haul, despite the ups and downs of life. Families can be messy, they might not be perfect, but cling to your family because they are your family.”
The bishop also told the teens that education lays a foundation for their future, but it requires nurturing and work in order to solidify.
“I have a saying that you can’t go to Burger King and order a pizza. And you can’t make chicken salad without chicken. You can make something, but it won’t be chicken salad. You have to decide where you want to be and then decide what you need to do to get there,” he said.
Developing trust with those around you and building relationships of trust with people is important, he told the teens, adding, “Every choice has a consequence. There are no choices without consequences.”
For example, he told the youths that he made a choice that day about what color of shirt to wear. “I usually wear a black shirt but I decided to wear a light gray shirt today because it was hot. I knew that if I wore a black shirt, I’d be too warm,” he said, noting that was a consequence he’s learned over time.
He reminded the teens that foundations are important in their lives because they provide a place upon which to build. But it’s important to ensure that those foundations are solid, he said.
“Everything comes and goes. But the will of God is here always,” he added.
The bishop asked who among the group he had confirmed and questioned if they remembered what he had told them. “Remember that I said the Holy Spirit works in you, through you and sometimes despite you,” he said.
After two more breakout sessions so that each teen had a chance to participate in each session, the group moved to the beach for Mass at 8:30 p.m. The participants were asked to select the color of ribbon that corresponded to a foundation or virtue that they wanted to increase in their lives. The ribbons were tied to a net that was draped over the altar during Mass.
Joining the bishop as a concelebrant was Father Andrew Hoover, parochial vicar at St. Peter Parish in North Ridgeville, and a former member of Vigneault’s youth group at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Litchfield. He was ordained in 2016.
“It’s beautiful here, isn’t it? It’s like a cathedral,” Bishop Perez said to those gathered for Mass. He gestured to Lake Erie, just a few feet away, where ducks were floating by and people were wading, swimming and boating. “I celebrated Mass at Camp Christopher last week in another ‘cathedral’ outside that was similar to this.”
He told the gathering that the lake was a favorite place for Jesus. “It was a place of encounter. People who encountered Jesus were never the same.” In the first reading, the story of Moses and the burning bush, he said those who encountered Moses also were never the same. Using another example, he said you can use strong sunscreen, but the sun will still affect you because of its power.
“Pope Francis tells young people and people of all ages that Christ is alive,” the bishop said.
He shared a story about a man who asked him if, given all that is going on in the world, he still has hope. “I told him yes, I have hope. I gave my life to a faith that believes that a dead man came back to life.”
Bishop Perez said that according to the Holy Father, everything Jesus touches becomes young. “He tells them the first thing he wants to say is that Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive. He never abandons you. However far you might wander, he’s already there. When you feel you’re growing old out of sorrow, resentment, fear, doubt or failure, the Holy Father reminds us that Jesus will always be there to restore your strength.”
For more information on Youth and Young Adult Ministry, click HERE.