A moving experience at Steubenville

By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press

Presence. Of God and his people.
Experiencing that was important to people from the Worcester Diocese who attended the Steubenville East youth conference last weekend at UMass Lowell.
“It was very moving being able to look into the faces” of the youth as they were sobbing, or laughing with joy, commented James Boulette, a seminarian serving at St. Gabriel, the Archangel Parish in Upton. Some remained composed, but “the Holy Spirit was moving within them,” he said.
He was talking about helping for the first time with Saturday’s eucharistic adoration, a conference highlight, for which a priest carrying the Host in a monstrance travels around the arena, blessing participants with Christ’s presence.
Mr. Boulette, who attended the conference once before, said he and fellow seminarian Lucas LaRoche, who’s serving at St. Joseph Parish in Charlton, volunteered to help with adoration when clergy, seminarians and religious were told where their help was needed. He was a candle bearer and Mr. LaRoche was thurifer, carrying the incense.
Mr. Boulette said that although he had to avoid tripping on the arena steps, and found the spotlight shining on the monstrance blinding, “all in all you had the sense that Christ was walking amongst us.”
He said the experience reminded him of scriptural accounts of people trying to touch Jesus – “the kids just reaching out; they’re looking to encounter Christ.”
Eighteen-year-old Diana Dillon, one of 20 participants from St. Patrick Parish in Rutland, was anticipating that for her 14-year-old brother, Conor. She said she’d been eager to attend the conference after their sister, Carina came. This year, Carina, now  20, was a volunteer. Diana said this was her fourth conference, and Conor’s first.     
“I can’t wait for him to experience adoration tonight,” she said Saturday. She said she likes the adoration and music best. The music, more modern than traditional hymns, pulls people in, and makes them more open to accepting Christ, she said.
“My first Steubenville conference was what made me start praying every night,” she said. “My faith wouldn’t be as strong as it is without her (Carina). So I hope I can do that for Conor.”
 “Adoration was amazing for our whole group” – a first for many – Christine Mulry, a conference chaperon and a religious education coordinator at St. Patrick’s, said this week.
The conference gets better and better, said Margery Pallotta, of Holy Family of Nazareth Parish in Leominster. She’s been chaperoning for many years and her seven daughters have attended, the youngest two this year.
Saturday she was expecting their pastor, Father José A. Rodríguez, to arrive at some point. The parish and Santisima Trinidad Chapel, for which Father Rodríguez is chaplain, brought four chaperons and 14 teenagers, she said.
“It just makes you so proud, because he’s always available – and with a joyful spirit,” she said.
Tuesday she said that he came late Saturday night with pizza and chicken wings, set up a nice blanket and talked with the teenagers, then had to head home for Sunday Masses.