By Susan Gallagher

The Catholic Youth Coalition Convention set for April 9-11 in Helena brings workshops, worship, camaraderie and a theme–“Believe, Receive, Proceed”–chosen by young people.

The annual convention that draws high school students together “hopefully sends them forth to grow as disciples in their parish communities,” said Doug Tooke, diocesan youth and young adult minister. Several hundred students, leaders and chaperones participated in the CYC Convention last year.

Bishop George Leo Thomas will celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of St. Helena, and students at the convention will have the opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation. Convention keynoter Chris Stefanick directs youth, young adult and campus ministry for the Archdiocese of Denver, co-wrote the 2008 book “Do I Have to Go? _ 101 Questions about the Mass, the Eucharist and Your Spiritual Life” and speaks on Relevant Radio.

First-time participants in the convention will find it “a chance to experience your faith like you haven’t before,” said Alex Neu, who is the CYC Board president in the Diocese of Helena and a senior at Bigfork High School. “It’s a chance to meet so many new people that you wouldn’t otherwise meet. Maybe you’re a freshman and you don’t think there are that many people who share your faith. You think you’re alone. You’re not.”

Neu said the “Believe, Receive, Proceed” theme agreed upon during the CYC Fall Conference in October is easily explained. “The first part is one thing we all have in common that brings us together at this type of event – the faith that we share, the traditions that we share, the belief that we share,” Neu said. “The second part, ‘receive,’ is about being able to receive your Savior, being able to receive the gift and the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. It’s all about receiving God’s grace. `Proceed’ is where we all go from there. We take what we found and we proceed with that, we share that with the world.”

The convention will be at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds in Helena. Deadlines for registering at the rate of $65 per person are April 1 for participants ages 14-17 and March 20 for those 18 and older. Registrations received after April 1 will cost $100.

The convention is coordinated by the diocesan Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry, which prepared a booklet covering topics such as chaperone requirements, housing, conduct and transportation. Activities begin on the evening of Friday, April 9, and end at midday on Sunday, April 11.


Published in The Montana Catholic Online, Volume 26, No. 3, March 19, 2010.


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