For the first time in the decades-long history of RALLY, attendance was so high that students overflowed onto the balcony of the auditorium at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington. “This is definitely the largest RALLY we’ve ever had,” said Kevin Bohli, executive director of the Office of Youth, Campus and Young Adult Ministries. “It shows that there’s more parishes with good youth ministry happening and those programs are growing in size.”
Amid the fun and games and palpable joy at Rally 2024 Oct. 27, keynote speaker Kris Frank shared a sobering statistic that resonated strongly with the more than 1,200 high school students. Frank cited the 2024 World Happiness Report that says Americans under the age of 30 rank 62nd in the world.
“I’m not surprised that people are depressed,” said student Sophia Pearce, a parishioner of Holy Trinity Church in Gainesville. “That’s just the way it is these days, especially in the public school environment. I’m surrounded by people like that who have issues and are depressed.”
Every student who spoke to the Catholic Herald agreed that social media was the common link between anxiety and widespread unhappiness. “Teenagers are spending too much time comparing themselves to others on social media and not focusing on what really matters and growing closer to God,” said Gregory Brooks of St. Theresa Church in Ashburn. “People are not happy. They’re stressed about schoolwork, sports and extracurricular activities. My hope is that teenagers can learn to focus on the Lord.”
Students said that authentic, church-based friendship is the path to healing. “It’s important to have someone you can go to that understands you from a God perspective,” said Wendy Barrios, who attends St. Anthony of Padua Church in Falls Church. “A lot of people are trying to fit in and they start doing things they really don’t want to do. They lose themselves and feel pressured that if they don’t do this, they’re going to get hated on or bullied.”
“When you’re a Christian, there’s a lot of peer pressure to cave into doing stereotypical, inappropriate things that other high schoolers do,” said Annie Bremberg of St. Rita Church in Alexandria. “Seeing all these Catholic kids together, who also share the same struggles, helps bring us closer to Christ. I’m fitting in here by loving God.”
Invoking the RALLY theme “Abounding in Hope,” Bishop Michael F. Burbidge urged students to be bold in telling Jesus exactly what they want him to do. “Pray for that grace to say ‘Yes, Lord.’ I do believe in your transforming power,” he said. “For if you do, dear friends, when people see you coming down the hall, they’ll recognize you as someone who abounds in hope. The hope breathed in Christ Jesus — the one who heals us, forgives us, and loves us, today and always.”
“The beautiful thing about hope is that it doesn’t put our eyes on our situation, but it keeps our eyes fixed on a savior,” said Frank in his keynote address. “We bring it all — our hurts, joys, faith and doubts, and we trust that God can do something beautiful with it.”
For eight hours on Sunday, there were no phones, no social media and not surprisingly, hope abounded. “I’m excited. I’ve been praying for them today that what Our Lord desires for them to encounter, they will encounter, and I believe that it will take place,” said Father Peter M. McShurley, O’Connell chaplain. “I have no doubt.”
