Young adults from across the eight-county Diocese of Cleveland are invited to attend Ignite 2023, the daylong Catholic Young Adult Conference set for April 29 at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown.
The event will begin with a special Mass celebrated for the team by Father Damian Ference, vicar for evangelization and head of the diocesan Parish Life and Special Ministries Office.
The doors open at 8 a.m. and the program begins at 9.
Three speakers – Father Jacob Bearer, administrator of St. Edward Parish in Parkman and St. Lucy Parish Middlefield – Pete Burak, vice president of Renewal Ministries and director of Intentional Disciples, and Sister John Paul Meyers of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. Talks will last about an hour with time for questions and answers.
The conference will have three themes: community, identity and mission, said Mike Hayes, director of the diocesan Office of Young Adult Ministry. His office, along with Matchbox Ministries, are organizing the event. Joe Vicario of St. Columbkille Parish in Parma and Coral Pais, a parishioner at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland, are among the event planners.
Father Bearer will discuss identity; Burak will focus on mission and Sister Meyers’ topic will be community.
Hayes said there also will be time for breakout sessions, adoration, spiritual direction and confessions with several priests from the diocese. The conference will conclude with a Eucharistic procession from the hotel to the cathedral where Bishop Edward Malesic will celebrate the vigil Mass.
According to the Ignite website, the conference is meant to instill young Catholic adults with the knowledge of their worth and dignity in the eyes of Jesus, to surround themselves with a community of other passionate young adults that they can grow with and equip them to be sent on mission to serve and evangelize, in ab effort to Ignite the nation on fire.
“There always is a need for small groups of young adults to gather together,” Hayes said. Ignite and Becoming Fire, another young adult ministry program, are among two of the events available. The station churches pilgrimage on Holy Thursday was another event that encouraged young adult participation, Hayes said. It was the first time 21 churches in the diocese stayed open after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper until 11 p.m. so the faithful could spend time with the Blessed Sacrament. Groups of young adults visited several of the churches that night.
“This is another wonderful opportunity for our young adults to get together from across the diocese to meet, to pray, to adore, to see one another in the Eucharist and to celebrate with our bishop,” Hayes said. “They’ll be able to hear some great speakers and to enjoy fellowship.”
Cost for the day, which includes breakfast and lunch, is $55. For more information on Ignite 2023 or to register, click here.