More than 700 students from schools and parishes across the diocese participated in this year's Youth Days, which took place from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3. They gathered in different venues to learn to be "missionaries in training." This is the fifth year that Kyle Holtgrave, associate director for Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Springfield diocese, has organized and hosted Youth Days, which began in Springfield and have grown to include many other areas.
Rich Curran, a Catholic youth minister and a part of the Parish Success Group, was the main speaker. He brought the message to younger adolescents in a way that was both engaging and timely for today's world, according to Holtgrave.
Each year Curran speaks to more than 50,000 teens, college students, young adults and adults about life, faith and what it means to be a follower of Jesus. He hails from Appleton, Wis., and travels the country, leading parish retreats and training. He uses humor, stories and activities to get his young audiences ready to "go out and make a difference."
Paul Rittof, director of Marketing and Development for Quincy Catholic elementary schools said he believed the goal for Youth Days was "to bring their Catholic faith to life by inspiring the students to open themselves up to a relationship with Jesus and with each other."
Quincy had over 330 elementary students from Blessed Sacrament, St. Dominic, St. Francis and St. Peter schools participating at the Oakley-Lindsay Civic Center. Additionally, over 50 students from Quincy Notre Dame High School participated, serving as group discussion leaders for the junior high students, said Rittof.
In addition to students from Quincy, those participating were from St. Agnes, St. Aloysius, Blessed Sacrament, Cathedral, Christ the King, Little Flower, and St. Patrick, Springfield; St. Agnes Parish, Hillsboro; Our Saviour, Jacksonville; St. Francis Xavier-Holy Ghost, Jerseyville; Holy Family Parish, Litchfield; St. Louis, Nokomis; Sacred Heart, Pana; and St. Mary, Taylorville.
Additionally, on Sept. 30, Curran led an in-service day at St. Agnes in Springfield for the see city's Catholic school teachers.