During the peak of summer, local Catholic teens were not found at the beach, the mall, or even in front of their phones, they were found encountering Christ. From July 31 through August 2, parish youth groups traveled to the University of San Diego to experience the annual three-day Steubenville Conference, which celebrated its 50th year anniversary.
Some of the diocesan youth groups that traveled South for this annual conference were from St. Frances of Rome, Wildomar, St. Peter & St. Paul, Alta Loma, St. Patrick, Moreno Valley, St. Christopher, Moreno Valley and Sacred Heart, Rancho Cucamonga.
The Diocesan Office of Vocations and Ministry with Young Catholics helped lead the parish teen groups while at the conference and the offices captured some of the youth’s testimony in a social media post.
“My experience was fulfilling and brought me closer to our Lord in a beautiful and an amazing way,” said David Satina, diocesan teen participant. “Right when I walked in, I felt this presence of all these teens, like 2,000, of us coming together, and just that unity knowing that we’re all teens in unity loving our Lord together, it was truly amazing and beautiful. I wouldn’t change [it] for anything. It was so emotional during Adoration and everything I went through with my friends and just being able to worship together in this way that I don’t get to do it anywhere else.”
“This is my first year at Steubenville, I had a really great experience, I would definitely come next year,” said Isabelle Robles, Diocesan teen participant. “It was full of so much singing and so full of the Gospel and full of the Holy Spirit that I could feel it and it was so amazing. I would definitely come back every year and would learn as much as I can.”
Produced by Franciscan University of Steubenville and hosted by Life Teen, the Steubenville Conference is a Catholic gathering for high school teens to encounter Christ through Eucharistic Adoration, the Sacraments, dynamic sessions, and small group time. At each Steubenville Youth Conference, the goal is to provide teens an experience of a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ that ignites their faith, strengthens their prayer life, and empowers them to live in mission long after the conference ends.
This year’s theme was, “Worthy,” accompanied by the scripture, “For the Battle belongs to the Lord” (1 Samuel 17:47).
In a video message to the Steubenville Youth Conference, and reported by Vatican News, Pope Leo XIV revealed “the secret” to being able to face challenging circumstances with a smile and reassured all participating that “Only the love of God can provide us with true and perfect joy. If we have the profound conviction that God cares for us as His beloved children, we will not be flustered or discouraged, even in difficult situations.”