Youth ministry sponsors rally for middle-schoolers

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

Stories about a “crazy” visitor, a “crazy” pope and a not-so-peaceful Christmas Eve led to lessons about the love of the Lord. Middle schoolers heard these stories at the diocesan youth rally Saturday at St. Peter-Marian Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School in Worcester. About 50 youth and adult leaders attended.
Matthew Hussey, a musician from Boston, led worship music, and Jacob DeRusha, a hip hop artist from Boston, sang a variety of songs and led activities. He told the youth they too can use their gifts to make a difference.
“Make sure you put God into it,” he said. “Sometimes there are obstacles,” like thinking, “I don’t really want to go.”
Illustrating the rally theme, “Light in the Darkness,” Mr. DeRusha had a boy help a blindfolded girl find a prize. He said that Jesus is the light who guides people.
After having youth act out the story of David and Goliath, he explained, “Goliath symbolizes darkness, and then David is … the everyday person … blessed with the light of Christ.”     
“We’re called to be this light of the world,” said Timothy T. Messenger Jr., director of New Evangelization Worcester for Youth & Young Adults, which organized the event. “God has placed that light in the soul of each and every one of us.”
The director of the diocesan youth ministry office told the youngsters that they were about to receive that light in a very real way at Mass.
He told about a “big, crazy” visitor coming to Pittsburgh when he and his wife lived there. No, it wasn’t the pope. It was a giant rubber duck!
“It was all over social media,” Mr. Messenger said. “The city of Pittsburgh went nuts.”
“When was the last time you felt that excited to be in the presence of God?” He felt Jesus asking him that question later when he was at Mass.
Mr. Messenger told rally attendees, “In a few minutes we are literally going to see God” at Mass. He thanked God for the day, the music and the opportunity to experience one another in community.
“Most of all, we thank you for the gift of your Son … we will be receiving,” he said.
Father Donato Infante, associate pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Charlton, preached about that gift – the Eucharist.
He told about the time he spent a Christmas Eve in the Holy Land. The plan was to have Mass, enjoy snacks, then light candles and sing Christmas carols until 10 minutes before midnight, he said. Then everyone would silently listen for the monastery bells.
At 11:57 p.m. bombs went off, lasting about 10 minutes. Father Infante and those with him couldn’t hear the bells.
“We actually didn’t know if we were safe,” he said. “This was a very haunting experience.” He said he told Jesus, “You said you were the Prince of Peace, and after 2,000 years we still don’t get it. What did you do?”
Father Infante then referred to Pope Benedict XVI’s books about Jesus that taught that Jesus didn’t bring perfect peace; he showed God’s merciful face. Christ comes to feed human beings “the food that gives us ever-lasting life – the Eucharist,” he said.
He talked about “24 Hours for the Lord,” a period of adoration and confession that Pope Francis asked parishes to hold. Four parishes in the Worcester Diocese, including his, had just held it.
“It was a very long night for me last night,” Father Infante said; he spent hours in the confessional and “people did come all night long to experience God’s mercy and love.”
Father Infante said he thought the pope was crazy to ask for this.
“Our Holy Father is crazy – crazy in love with Jesus Christ,” he said. “The act is kind of crazy – confessions at 4 o’clock in the morning.” But this “tells everyone, ‘Christ is waiting for you.’”
Father Infante told the youth they might find some Masses less suited to them – they might see older folks instead of their peers and the music might be less lively.
“None of that matters, because we have the Eucharist,” he said, and urged them to ask their parents to stop in to church sometimes.
“Visit our Lord,” he said. “He’s waiting for you. He loves you.”
Rachael Brouillet, a seventh-grader from St. Bernard Parish in Fitchburg, apparently got the message.
“It was an experience to remember,” she said of the rally.
Asked what will stick in her memory, she said: “How much Jesus loves you. Jesus will help you through a lot.”  
Her sister Jacklyn, an eighth-grader, said she’ll remember the songs. She said the rally was “so much fun,” and spoke of “the energy in the room.”
“I like being with the kids and watching them learn how they can relate to Jesus,” said their father, Christopher Brouillet.
Sister Barbara Collins, a Sister of Notre Dame who heads the religion department at Notre Dame Academy in Worcester, brought students to the rally. Since the students attend a Catholic school, they don’t go to parish religious education classes.
“So this has been wonderful,” she said; they enjoyed the rally very much.