By Montana Catholic staff

Approximately 300 people gathered for the third Son Light Celebrating Youth Ministry event in Helena, Oct. 3. The event included an opening prayer service, followed by a dinner and live and silent auctions.

During the prayer service at the Cathedral of St. Helena, Bishop George Leo Thomas spoke briefly about pivotal moments in life – when a groom raises his glass to honor friends and families, and parents whose role is vitally important.

The parents he spoke of are Tim and Sarah Kelly from Our Lady of the Valley Parish in Helena. To them he presented the Diocese of Helena’s stewardship award for their dedication to their children and to other youth in their parish and the diocese.

“Spread the Word, Lead the Herd”

Speaking for his family, Tim Kelly said they have been fortunate in the diocese to have many ways “that help bring our children to Jesus.”

Two ways near and dear to the Kellys are the faith formation programs at Our Lady of the Valley, where their children studied before being confirmed in 2006, and Legendary Lodge, which Tim and Sarah attended as teenagers. They encouraged their daughter and son to do the same.

Their children’s parish experience was so positive because good people unselfishly gave their time and talents to teach, Kelly explained.

As for Legendary Lodge, he and Sarah “couldn’t wait until Kaelyn and Patrick were old enough to go,” he said, adding that the youth “seem to return from camp with a renewed sense of commitment and deeper understanding of their faith.”

He talked about a middle school-age boy who spent a week at Legendary and then asked the pastor, Father Dan Shea, if he could serve as a Eucharistic minister at the parish.

Patrick went to the first 2006 camp – earlier than he wanted – but it turned out to be the “best camp ever,” he told his family afterwards. It was a smaller camp than others he’d attended, and seemed different, perhaps because of the unique group of campers and counselors, Tim Kelly said.

Soon after, Patrick composed a song titled “Every Time.” Its lyrics encourage people to “spread the Word” and “lead the herd,” which sums up our call to stewardship and service, his father said.

On July 8, 2006, Patrick died unexpectedly of an undiagnosed heart problem.

Since then, his parents have honored his place in their lives and the lives of others he touched, by helping out with the junior and senior high faith formation programs at Our Lady of the Valley Parish.

The Kellys join six other stewardship witness couples who have been honored at the two previous Son Light celebrations.

Youth, Young Adult Presence Adds to Evening

Several people were heard commenting on the powerful impact of having the youth and young adults’ visible, vibrant additions to the prayer service and the evening’s festivities.

“It just reminds us of what they have to contribute when given the opportunity,” said Kathy Ward, diocesan resource center manager.

As with last year’s event, youth and young adults provided music at the prayer service and before the dinner, and were also servers, spotters and speakers during the benefit.

Upon entering the Civic Center ballroom, people were greeted by cut-out silhouettes of various churches in the diocese, along with live music provided by youth and young adults Raven Dryden of Blessed Trinity Parish, Missoula, and Lauren Miller of Our Lady of the Valley Parish. Silent auction items – ranging from various wine baskets and framed artwork to weekend getaways and antique jewelry – ringed the ballroom.

During the gourmet dinner, diocesan Youth Minister Doug Tooke introduced the evening’s youth speaker, Willa Rector, a student at Montana Tech in Butte, originally from Christ the King Parish in Missoula. Rector served as the inaugural Catholic Youth Coalition Board president last year. She spoke of how Tooke encouraged her to embrace the change presented by the new form of leadership in the CYC board. Rector said she’d seen youth pulling away from involvement in parish life, and wanted to do something about it. She, in turn, encouraged other youth and young adults to believe in their ability to be leaders and make a positive impact on their parish communities.

Following Rector’s address, Sister Rita McGinnis, SCL, joined emcee Mike Seipp on stage for the game of heads or tails, with the prize of a backyard barbecue dinner for six with Bishop Thomas. As Seipp tossed the coin for each round, Sister McGinnis, chancery services director, provided musical accompaniment on her slide whistle and tambourine. After about 10 rounds, Father Bob Noonan of St. Ann Parish in Bonner was declared the winner.

Auction, Raffle Drawing Provide Impromtu Comedy

Then auctioneer Steve Mandeville took the stage for the live auction, combining humor and good-natured goading to drive auction bids higher. The trip for two to New York City, sponsored for the third year in a row by Clark and Toni Broadbent, of St. Mary Parish, and Mike and Kathy Dawkins, of New York City, drew the highest bid of the evening. Bishop Thomas then invited Rick and Lori Medeiros of St. Anthony Parish to draw the winning tickets for the raffle.

Susan Ward of Clancy won the second prize, $1,884 in cash, and the Esia Nobles family of Philipsburg was announced as the winner of the first prize, a 2008 Subaru Forester. The Forester was again sponsored by 4 Seasons Motors of Missoula and Placer Motors of Helena.

Bishop Thomas asked Bryan Bolstad of Philipsburg to let his friend Esia know that he’d won the vehicle. Bolstad called Nobles, who was eventually reached at a homecoming dance. As the conversation was broadcast, via speaker phone, across the ballroom, there was a “Who’s on first” exchange:

Bishop Thomas: “Is this Esia? Hey, we’ve got some good news for you.”

Esia: “What?”

Bishop: “This is Bishop Thomas calling, and guess what?”

Esia: “What?”

Bishop: “You’re the winner of the 2009 Subaru Forester….do you believe me?

Bryan: “Hey, Esia, you’re on speaker – do you have anything to say?”

Esia: “Uh, just that’s awesome.”

Silence.

Bishop: “He fainted.”

As the laughter dissipated, the 60 youth and young adult servers moved toward the stage, joining hands. Spanning the length of the ballroom, they joined Dan Thies of Kalispell, Catholic Youth Rural Outreach coordinator, in singing “You are Loved,” before the rapt crowd of 300 priests, women and men religious, and laity.

Thies’ song was earlier used as part of Leadership Camp at Legendary Lodge this year, where the Catholic Youth Coalition Board leadership was discerned.

Bishop Thomas invited Tooke to the stage, amidst enthusiastic applause from the youth and young adults, to acknowledge his contributions as diocesan youth minister, then gave the farewell blessing.

Stewardship manager and Son Light Steering Committee member Glenda Seipp said early figures indicate about $80,000 in profits from the evening. Charlotte Crary of St. Joseph in Choteau (Conrad Deanery), Russell Pfeifer of Our Lady of the Pines Parish in West Yellowstone (Bozeman Deanery) and Raven Dryden of Blessed Trinity Parish in Missoula (Missoula Deanery) all won iPod shuffles for the most individual ticket sales by deanery. And Our Lady of the Pines Parish was awarded a $1,000 Youth Ministry Grant for the most parish ticket sales. Two Legendary Lodge camperships have been awarded to the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for selling the winning ticket, Seipp said.

For video of the youth and young adults singing “You are Loved,” visit www.diocesehelena.org.


Published in The Montana Catholic Online, Volume 24, No. 10, October 17, 2008.