In front of a crowd of more than 1,000 middle schoolers, speaker Paul J. Kim launched into a fast-paced beatboxing solo that produced cheers and wild applause. His musical talents and humor complemented his clear message to the youths at BASH 2023: “You are hungry for God.”
BASH is an annual event for middle schoolers hosted by the diocesan Office of Youth, Campus, and Young Adult Ministries at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington. Sixth through eighth graders from parishes across the diocese enjoyed inflatable bounce houses, obstacle courses, a rock climbing wall and a gaga ball tournament. In addition to the activities, they listened to talks on growing in their faith and discerning their vocation. Before Kim’s opening talk, Executive Director Kevin Bohli shared that this year’s BASH was the largest ever hosted by the diocese, with more than 1,200 people total, including volunteers and diocesan staff.
In his talk, Kim shared how he fell away from the faith in college but, after fostering a devotion to the rosary, he felt called to return to the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist. Today, he said, many young Catholics fall away from the faith because they don’t fully understand God’s love and mercy for them in the sacraments.
“We are hungry for God,” Kim said to the kids. “I don’t care what age you are, whether you’re in middle school or you’re an adult. The truth is, we’re all hungry for God.”
Shortly before the vigil Mass, Kim challenged the youths to “open up your hearts” to God’s love and mercy.
In his homily at Mass, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge said that he sympathized with young people living in a fast-paced culture.
“My young friends, all of you have to travel on difficult roads in life,” he said. Listing challenges and hardships such as family tensions, school, social pressure or personal shame, Bishop Burbidge continued, “but it’s precisely at those moments when life is most difficult, that Jesus reminds us that we are never walking alone. He is with us every step of the way.”
He encouraged the youths that while receiving the Eucharist, “just entrust to the Lord in silence the most difficult thing you’re experiencing right now, the thing that might be weighing you down, and just say softly in the silence of your heart, ‘Stay with me, Lord, stay with me.’ ”
Following Mass, middle schoolers enjoyed pizza and free time and had the option to attend vocation talks, presented by Dominican Sister of St. Cecilia Alexandra Prosser, Salesian Sister of St. John Bosco Elfie Del Rosario and Father Peter M. McShurley, O’Connell chaplain.
At the end of the evening, Kim gave a sendoff talk.
“Young brothers and sisters, you’re not too young to say ‘I want to have God in my life.’ Because before you put that missing piece in your life, you will continue to run in circles and not know why,” Kim said.
Seventh graders Andrew Hurley and John Paul Engelhard from Christ the Redeemer Church in Sterling agreed that their favorite part of the day was Kim’s talk.
In order to grow in their relationship with God, Hurley said, middle schoolers should be “going to church consistently and praying.”
After hearing about BASH from a friend, sixth grader Annabelle Mikkelson decided to attend. Mikkelson said she enjoyed Kim’s story on conversion. “It always interests me (to hear) stories about people who converted. I really liked the part where he went back to Confession,” Mikkelson said.
