Diocesan Youth Rally: All in a Day's Work

By Mary Frances McCarthy
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 9/26/02)

Over 600 high school students gathered at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington Saturday to attend "All in a Day’s Work," this year’s Diocesan Youth Rally. The students came from almost 50 different parishes to join together to celebrate and be proud of the fact that they are Catholic.

The Youth Rally is sponsored by the Office of Youth Ministries and is their largest outreach event each year. They aimed to excite the youths of the diocese about their faith through "Three bands, Two performers and One Mass with the Bishop."

Catherine Barron, Katie Dial, Becky Dial, Kelly Wilson and Chris Kepler came with 30 or so students from Our Lady of Angels Parish. Katie Dial had been to the Youth Rally before and thought that it was an "awesome" experience. She also mentioned how it is a great way for Catholic youths to unite with their faith. She liked how in this environment "It’s ok to be Catholic and express your feelings."

Confessions were heard throughout the day. There was a steady stream of students participating, and at times there were up to five priests hearing confessions.

The day opened with music from "Scarecrow and Tinmen." They played a unique mix of pop, techno and folk. They were a favorite among many who attended.

"APeX Ministries" also entertained the students. Their incredible juggling skills entertained the audience while they explained that everyone should focus on the apex in life. They taught that everyone must juggle things in life. If someone focuses only on one problem, then they will lose sight of everything else and all the balls will go crashing to the ground. However, if a person focuses on the apex, or the highest point in their life, Christ, then a balance can be achieved.

"Just 1 Blood" re-energized the students after a short break. The Latin-influenced music of this local band had many of the students dancing and swaying together. Two students started a conga line during one song which grew to include almost every student and many of the youth ministers.

Following "Just 1 Blood," Jesse Manibusan continued the musical entertainment when he sang about SPAM. This served to entertain, but later it also served to teach, when Manibusan spelled out the acronym—Spirit of Peace And Mercy. Manibusan spoke to the youths about how they should bring whatever they can to God’s table. He invited audience participation in many ways. He would yell out, "God is good," and the audience would yell out, "All the time." He closed his performance with music and included the audience throughout his show.

The headlining band for the rally, "Superchic[k]", played at the youth rally two years ago. They were enthusiastically welcomed back by many students who had seen them before. With a distinctive "punk" sound and style, they are visually not what most people think of in the "Christian rock" genre. Their goal is to appeal to youths, and to show them that they do not have to be like everyone else, that other people’s opinions of them do not matter. They believe that God created everyone for a purpose, and that God does not make mistakes when he creates.

Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde closed the youth rally by celebrating Mass in the auditorium. During Mass, there was a commissioning ceremony for the new youth board. This board was prayerfully selected at youth retreats held the previous weekend.

Christine Najarian, youth minister of Holy Spirit Parish has been to a total of three youth rallies. She brought five students with her. Of the three she’s attended, she thought that this event was the best. "They’ve done a really good job of mixing acts. The kids are really picking up on it."

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