ROCKPORT---“Convention just gives you a lot of joy. Once you’re done, you’re just so high, like up in the clouds.” The sentiment of Victoria Codrey, a teen from St. Mary of the Visitation Parish in Houlton, was shared by many of the young adults who participated in Convention 2016, held April 15-17 at Samoset Resort in Rockport.
Over 230 teens and adult chaperones traveled to the picturesque resort from as far as Kittery and Madawaska to participate in workshops, discussion groups, prayer, music, dancing, and other activities during the three days.
“I am here because I thought it would be a wonderful experience to be able to grow in my relationship with God. It was super fun,” said Carly Poulton from All Saints Parish in Brunswick.
The participants also gathered together for daily Masses including a closing Mass, celebrated by Bishop Robert P. Deeley, on Sunday. Bishop Deeley told the teens that Jesus is always looking out for them, but he said that they must take time to listen.
“Jesus says about his sheep, ‘I know them.’ He does. And he wants it that way. Jesus is always paying attention to us. He wants to stay close to us. And he wants us to listen to his voice. There are many voices in our world, many people who want to tell us how to live and what is important. Jesus wants us to remember that he wants us to listen to
his voice,” the bishop said. “His care for us results in his concern for what we do, how we live, and the choices we make. Jesus speaks to our heart. So, we need to be praying. We need to be attentive to the need for prayer in our lives. Jesus wants to stay close to us, but he wants us to stay close to him. We do that by prayer.”
It was a message that was shared with the teens throughout the weekend and one which resonated with them.
“I’m going to work on my prayer life more. I’ve learned new tricks on how to do that,” said Elijah Babin from St. John Vianney Parish in Fort Kent. “You can take 15 minutes to talk to God, and then, you can sit and just be quiet and think about it and listen, almost like he is talking back to you.”
The theme of “Seek and You Shall Find” was carefully chosen in this, the Holy Year of Mercy. The teens prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet during the weekend, and several workshops focused on God’s mercy, including one on the “Faces of Mercy,” offered by Catholic Charities Maine, and one on “Mercy in the Making” presented by Steve Angrisano, a longtime youth minister from Texas who was the keynote speaker. Angrisano spoke about the need to seek God’s mercy and about our call as Christians to be agents of God’s mercy in the world.
Attendance was significantly up this year with several parishes represented for the first time and several others sending more participants than in the past.
“This is an important event on the diocesan level because, for many young people, it’s a first-time diocesan experience, and it’s an experience of the broader Church,” said Maureen Provencher, director of youth and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Portland. ”They get to get together and celebrate. It’s a safe place where they can just be themselves, and they don’t have to worry about being judged or being seen as different."
“It really engaged everyone. Everyone was just jumping and having a good time. People were excited,” said Abigail Deschaine from St. Michael Parish in Augusta. “Convention is really a good place for people to just relax and have a good time.”
Convention is part of a triad of major youth gatherings organized annually by the Diocese of Portland’s Office of Lifelong Faith Formation. In July, the office presents New Evangelization Week, a week of leadership training aimed at helping teens become better disciples and evangelizers. In the fall, the office hosts the Journey Retreat, which invites young people to respond to Jesus by faithfully serving God and neighbor.