March out Like a Mighty Man: ACYC 2013

This past weekend I got a chance to go to ACYC in Orange Beach.

It was such a wonderful experience to see the lives of over 300 high school students become more "WIDE OPEN" to the love of Christ. It was heart warming to hear the amazing experiences that so many of them had at adoration on Saturday night and to see their lives change right before my eyes.

But the one thing that always gets me when you go to a High School retreat as opposed to when you go to a College retreat is the liveliness of these young people and what it takes to get their hearts warmed up:

First of all there was a great music team who knew how to just speak to the soul of a high schooler with a passion for music and a gift that they used to the fullest.
Second there was the crazy and holy seminarians of the Archdiocese of Mobile who showed these young people who might be discerning the priesthood or religious life what really goes on in the life of a seminarian and how much fun they have while at the same time striving for holiness and the vocation of the priesthood.
Then there was Father Frat the Rapping Priest, Father Victor Ingalls. No words can describe what he has done for CYO at Auburn over these past 8 months, the first 8 of his priesthood. He has been such a blessing and only time will tell what further surprises he has in store for us and for the rest of the world.
Finally there is the sisters and religious brothers speaking, praying, and giving advice to young people as well as playing football, frisbee, and volleyball on the beach Saturday. It is so powerful to hear the different ways in which people find their way in life especially from Nuns and Priests. It is even more important for these young people who are in one of the hardest places in their lives in deciding what they want to do next and to hear that it will take time, but that will only happen if you are "WIDE OPEN" to God's will and from their experiences to help these kids to open up is going to be something special that i look forward to seeing and hearing about over the next few months.