By Natalie Romano
In a matter of moments, the Aquinas Catholic High School Choir captured the attention of the crowd…with their beautiful voices harmonizing “You are lifted high, holy. Holy forever.”
The talented teens performed at the LA Religous Education Congress (RECongress) Youth Day in Anaheim on February 19 and were among the nearly 800 young people from the Diocese of San Bernardino that attended the annual faith-building event.
“I was inspired by all the people praying and adoring God,” said Aquinas senior Kassy Valle. “It brought me to tears on stage as we were singing.”
In total, some 9,000 teens from Confirmation classes, youth groups and Catholic schools swarmed the city’s convention center to discover how “Real Love Carries the Cross,” this year’s Youth Day theme. The following three days of the RE Congress, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, were geared to adults.
Exclusive for our diocesan youth was a meet and greet with Bishop Alberto Rojas. Teens formed a lengthy line that roped around a conference room and down the hallway as they eagerly waited for a moment with the bishop, who took photos and offered blessings.
“They are so very good, and I want them to leave with hope,” said Bishop Rojas, gazing out at the crowd of young people. “When they come here, there is something about God, about peace, about good relations, that they feel from their peers and from us…This can bring change, positive change.”
For the first time, Youth Day welcomed middle schoolers with a track created exclusively for them. The pre-teens’ morning started with Mass celebrated by Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Marc Trudeau then moved on to uplifting talks, prayer and music. Molina Erb from the diocese’s Office of Ministry With Young Catholics was there making sure things were running smoothly for attendees and their chaperones. Erb says she’s pleased that faith and fellowship were being offered to kids during this transitional phase.
“It’s such an opportune time to engage a demographic that can get lost between elementary and high school. They’re just trying to identify who God is calling them to be,” said Erb, Consultant for Confirmation and Youth Ministry. “This is going to allow them to feel God in a way they’ve probably never encountered. This is new and dynamic and I’m really excited that we did it.”
Meanwhile older teens attended Mass celebrated by Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Brian Nunes and received age-appropriate sessions like navigating a digital world, coping with tough times, and forming meaningful friendships, all as a young Catholic.
Confirmation student Gabriel Villanueva liked the talks that focused on self-acceptance and self-improvement. He says they made him view challenges in a new light.
“The speaker was talking about embracing our mistakes so we can better ourselves,” explained Villanueva, a parishioner at Sacred Heart, Rancho Cucamonga. “I feel like I mostly ignore them instead of trying to fix them. That really touched me.”
Alexander Cazares from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in Ontario came to Youth Day to be in the presence of God and learn more about Him.
“There’s been times where I haven’t been the best and I lost my sense of self and struggled and don’t know what to do,” admitted the 16 year old. “It’s good to have that sense of stability that God is there for you…You just gotta trust God.”
During a break from the lectures, Francis Cabildo entertained the crowd with upbeat worship music. In the concert-like atmosphere, teens were clapping, bopping around smiley-faced balloons and, at one point, formed a jubilant conga line that snaked around the arena.
After the music, speaker Father Agustino Torres, CFR, took the stage. The well-known Franciscan Friar kept the teens engaged by employing props, music and humor, joking that people sometimes mistake his robe for a Star Wars costume. Yet all the colorful stories were building up to something deeper; the meaning behind the theme “Real Love Carries the Cross.” Fr. Torres described it as a love that’s “self-sacrificing” and in that vein encouraged the youth to “Go be Jesus.” He also stressed that the Savior understands their hurts, their burdens, their fears.
“Jesus knows what it’s like to feel pain. He went to the cross,” said Fr. Torres. “This is why real love carries the cross because it needs to show us His love is greater than any pain we could possibly endure…If you’re going through something Jesus’ cross is an answer.”
Both age groups spent time in Eucharistic Adoration led by liturgical musician and Aquinas Choir Director Chris Estrella. The selected music and guided prayer also aligned with the event’s theme. Estrella asked the teens to think beyond themselves and focus on others who are suffering.
“Pastoral care for another human being is something that needs to be taught at a young age,” emphasized Estrella. “It is easier to teach this unselfishness through intercessory prayer. Can we pray for other people, can we make it not about ourselves? That’s my goal, to get young people to care for each other.”
Catherine Gallegos, the Youth and Young Adults Coordinator from Sacred Heart, Rancho Cucamonga has high hopes for her Confirmation students as well. She says Youth Day helps bring the teens out of their shell and bonds them together. She’s also praying for their spiritual awakening, an idea that moves her to tears.
“It’s just joy knowing that they’ve experienced their faith in a new and beautiful way and that they might have an encounter with God,” said Gallegos. “Most teens believe church is just about rules…but it’s our community and that community aspect is what I want them to know.”
Information booths on how to serve said community following the Youth Day experience dotted the building- anything from training as a missionary for NET Ministries to entering the priesthood and religious life. Father Hau Vu, Vocations Director for the diocese, was ready to answer questions. On his display table were prayer cards highlighting our seminarians now in formation.
“The cards let you see these are real seminarians. They’re not AI produced,” chuckled Fr. Vu. “We currently have 28 seminarians and we’re hoping to get ten new seminarians every year. I’m here to plant the seed of vocation through witness, joy and love and even get some names.”
Matthew Mejia, a 17-year-old from St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Chino Hills, says he believes his peers want to do good in their homes and beyond.
“There’s always hope in the younger generations,” said Mejia. “I want to experience more with the Lord, deepen my faith and spread love to my parish as much as I can.”
Kierstyn Gatdula, another senior from the Aquinas Choir, beamed as she described her first Youth Day.
“It was the best experience I’ve had, just seeing everyone my age love Jesus and the Lord. It really felt like the Holy Spirit was there.”
Natalie Romano is an award-winning freelance writer based in Southern California.