Tag: Christianity

Detroit, February 16, 2024

Photo: oca.org     

His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel of the Orthodox Church in America’s Romanian Episcopate underwent heart surgery yesterday morning, February 15.

Abp. Nathaniel, 83, will need a long period of rest to recuperate, and the Holy Synod has accepted his request for a medical leave of absence, the OCA reports.

OCA consecrates new bishop as vicar for Romanian EpiscopateThe newly-consecrated Bishop Andrei was elected by the OCA Holy Synod on November 12, thus confirming the vote of the Electoral Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America on August 31.

“>His Grace Bishop Andrei will serve as Episcopate administrator until Abp. Nathaniel’s return.

Cards and other correspondence can be sent to the Chancery of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America:

PO Box 309
Grass Lake, MI 49240-0309

May God grant Abp. Nathaniel a full and speedy recovery!

***

Abp. Nathaniel’s biography from the OCA site reads:

His Eminence, Archbishop Nathaniel was born in 1940 to Joseph Popp and Vera [nee Boytor], a family of Romanian heritage who attended the Saint Michael the Archangel Romanian Greek Catholic Church in Aurora, IL.

Having gained from his experiences at Saint Michael’s a desire to serve the Lord as a priest, he attended Saint Procopius College, a Benedictine-operated liberal arts school, and the “Pontifical Eastern Rite Center” in Lisle IL. Called to Rome, Italy, by the Romanian Byzantine Rite Catholic Bishop Vasile [Cristea], he studied at Gregorian University and resided at the Greek College of Saint Athanasius. Having completed his studies, he was ordained into the Holy Diaconate on July 17, 1966, at Colle de Tora, “San Anatolia” summer chapel of the “Collegio Greco” by Bishop Vasile. On October 23, 1966, he was ordained into the Holy Priesthood in the Romanian Catholic Church “San Salvatore” in Coppele, Rome, by the same hierarch. In January 1967, he returned to Aurora and appointed assistant priest of his home parish.

The spirituality, theology, and mission of the Orthodox Christian faith, which had been dormant in him, began to beckon, and within a matter of months, he decided to embrace Orthodox Christianity. Having left the Aurora parish, he visited with former classmates from Rome who had embraced Orthodox Christianity and were serving in various “jurisdictions” in North America. Through Father Vasile Hategan of New York, NY, and later Cleveland, OH, he was introduced to Archbishop Valerian [Trifa], who worked with him to be received into the ranks of the clergy of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America [ROEA]. He fully embraced the Orthodox Christian Faith in the Chapel of the Nativity of the Birthgiver of God at the Vatra Româneasca, Grass Lake MI, in the presence of Archbishop Valerian on February 15, 1968. For several years, he resided in a small monastic community on the Vatra property until he was appointed rector of Holy Cross Church, Hermitage PA.

An author of numerous articles, speaker, and lecturer, he also taught at the Episcopate’s summer youth camps. He was confessor to the sisterhood of Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Ellwood City, PA, and was instrumental in the founding of an inter-Orthodox women’s association in the Hermitage area. In April 1978, he was one of two representatives of the Orthodox Church in America [OCA] at the conference on monasticism in Cairo, Egypt. He also had served as spiritual advisor to the American Romanian Orthodox Youth and an active member of the Episcopate’s liturgical commission, late vocations program, and Episcopate Council. In addition to these duties, he pursued the painting of icons on glass (”icoane pe sticla”) in the Romanian peasant style and collected historical art and artifacts.

At the request of Archbishop Valerian for administrative assistance, he was called to the episcopacy at a special Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate on September 20, 1980. On the feast of the Feast of the Transylvanian martyrs Sofronie, Visarion, and Oprea, October 21, 1980, he took the Lesser Schema at the Vatra Chapel, taking the name of the Holy Apostle Nathaniel, and elevated to the rank of archimandrite. His consecration to the episcopacy took place at Saint George Cathedral, Southfield/Detroit MI, on November 15, 1980. He was consecrated by Metropolitan Theodosius of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada, Archbishop Valerian of Detroit and the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America; Bishop Kyrill of Pittsburgh [OCA-Bulgarian]; Bishop Dmitri of Dallas [OCA]; Bishop Christopher of the Eastern Serbian Diocese [Serbian Patriarchate]; Bishop Boris of Chicago [OCA]; and Bishop Mark of Boston [OCA]. He was installed the following day as Bishop of Dearborn Heights, with Saints Peter and Paul Church as his cathedral, and named an auxiliary Bishop for the Episcopate.

Bishop Nathaniel assisted Archbishop Valerian in this capacity until 1984. On Sunday, November 17, 1984, after the retirement of Archbishop Valerian, Bishop Nathaniel was enthroned at Saint George Cathedral as ruling Hierarch of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America. Since then, he has overseen the tremendous growth and expansion of the diocese with the establishment of dozens of new missions and parishes and monastic communities for women and men, while carefully maintaining the Romanian tradition and integrating many recent immigrants into North American society. At the same time, he recognized the importance of a united Orthodox Christian witness in this land, and has remained at the forefront of the movement toward this end.

Archbishop Nathaniel is chairman of the V. D. Trifa Romanian American Heritage Center in Grass Lake MI; and organizer of the “Help for Romania Fund.” In 1990, he co-founded the “Help the Children of Romania” project and, since 1991, he served as chairman of the Congress of Romanian Americans [CORA]. He has also served as President of the Board of the Center for Orthodox Christian Studies in Detroit and Spiritual Advisor for Orthodox Christian Laity [OCL]. He has served the Orthodox Church in numerous capacities including: Episcopal Moderator for the Pastoral Life Ministries Unit, and as Chairman of the Canonization as well as the Canons and Statute Commissions, and the Statute Revision Task Force.

In 1994, Archbishop Nathaniel fulfilled a desire to make a pilgrimage to Romania. In 1995, at the invitation of Patriarch Teoctist, he was a guest of the Patriarchate at festivities marking the 110th anniversary of the granting of autocephaly to the Church of Romania and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Romanian Patriarchate. In May 2003, he traveled to Romania again, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Oradea in recognition of his leadership of the Romanian Orthodox community in North America and of his humanitarian efforts in post-communist Romania. Under his direction, members of the ROEA came to the aid of their brothers and sisters in Romania immediately after the fall of communism, and continue to this day to petition for their rights. Concurrently, the ROEA resumed a relationship with the Church of Romania, with Archbishop Nathaniel working for a greater understanding between the Patriarchate and the Episcopate.

Archbishop Nathaniel has been an active member of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America since his consecration, and he has represented the OCA at numerous events in North America and Europe. On Wednesday, October 20, 1999, in its fall session, the Holy Synod elevated him to the dignity of Archbishop.

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An Indiana Catholic husband and wife are petitioning the Supreme Court to hear their case after the state government removed their child from their home after he began identifying as “transgender.”

Mary and Jeremy Cox refused to accept their son’s self-declared female identity in 2019, instead seeking therapy to address what they saw as underlying mental health concerns.

The Indiana government in 2021 began investigating the Cox family after learning that they refused to address their son by his chosen identity. The government subsequently removed their son from their home, placing him in another home that “affirmed” his transgender beliefs.

The state government subsequently dropped abuse allegations against the couple, though it still argued that the “disagreement over gender identity” was distressing to the child and was contributing to an ongoing eating disorder. Subsequent court decisions upheld the decision to keep the child out of the Coxes’ custody.

On Thursday the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty announced that Mary and Jeremy Cox had filed a petition with the Supreme Court, asking the high court to “hold the state accountable for keeping their child out of their home.”

“This is what every parent is afraid of. We love our son and wanted to care for him, but the state of Indiana robbed us of that opportunity by taking him from our home and banning us from speaking to him about gender,” the parents said in the release.

“We are hopeful that the justices will take our case and protect other parents from having to endure the nightmare we did.”

In their filing, the petitioners noted that Indiana “found the parents fit but still removed the child over an ideological dispute.”

“Although Indiana found all allegations of abuse and neglect unsubstantiated, it refused to return [the child] home, substituting the judgment of the state for that of admittedly fit parents,” the filing said.

“If this can happen in Indiana, it can happen anywhere,” Lori Windham, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, said in the group’s press release. “Tearing a child away from loving parents because of their religious beliefs, which are shared by millions of Americans, is an outrage to the law, parental rights, and basic human decency.”

“If the Supreme Court doesn’t take this case, how many times will this happen to other families?”

The filing called the dispute one of “nationwide importance,” arguing that Indiana’s actions conflict with Supreme Court precedent on free speech and religious liberty.

“Amid this fraught landscape, with the lives of real children and families hanging in the balance, this court should grant this petition and affirm its precedents on the right of fit parents to custody of their children,” the filing says.

Athens, February 16, 2024

Supporters of the LGBTQ community gather Thursday outside the Greek Parliament as lawmakers vote on a same-sex marriage and same-sex couples adoption bill in Athens. Aris Messinis / AFP – Getty Images     

Greek Parliament voted late last night, despite the fierce and persistent resistance from the Church and society, to legalize gay marriage and adoption by gay couples.

Greece thus becomes the first Orthodox nation to do so.

176 out of 300 MPs voted in favor of the relevant bill, 76 against, 2 abstained, and 46 were not present, reports the Associated Press.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted that Greece “is proud to become the 16th (European Union) country to legislate marriage equality.”

“This is a milestone for human rights, reflecting today’s Greece—a progressive, and democratic country, passionately committed to European values,” he wrote.

Greece had already legalized Greek Parliament legalizes same-sex civil partnershipsGreece’s parliament has overwhelmingly approved legislation legalizing civil partnerships for gay couples, two years after the country was condemned by a European human rights court for discrimination.

“>gay civil unions nearly a decade ago. Under that law, only the biological parents of children being raised by such couples were recognized as legal guardians, whereas now, gay parents can both be afforded legal rights over the children.

Unsurprisingly, the new law has divided Greek society, where the vast majority of people profess Orthodox Christianity. The Church has raised its voice against gay marriage many times over the past few months. Statements have come from the Greek Holy Synod against gay marriage and gay adoptionThe Holy Synod of the Church of Greece came out with a statement today addressing the ongoing scandal surrounding the possibility of legalized gay marriage in Greece.

“>Holy Synod, the broader Greek hierarchs unanimously condemn gay marriage and adoptionThe hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Greece met in an extraordinary session today, with the sole item on the agenda being the state’s intention to legalize gay marriage and adoption by gay couples.”>Council of Bishops, the Synod of Crete speaks out against gay marriage and adoptionThe statement emphasizes that the Church preaches the timeless Divine truth that marriage is between a man and a woman, and warns that gay marriage is detrimental for the children of such “marriages.””>Eparchial Synod of Crete, Mt. Athos (see Mt. Athos: We are opposed to any form of marriage that contradicts the GospelAmidst the controversy surrounding the Greek government’s proposal to legalize gay marriage and adoption by same-sex couples, the Holy Mountain has raised its voice.”>here and Athonite abbots and Sacred Community: Gay marriage bill threatens all of mankind and creationAnother statement has come from the Holy Mountain concerning the controversy over the Greek government’s plans to legalize gay marriage and adoption by gay couples.”>here), and from a host of individual hierarchs and groups of clerics throughout the country.

Tens of thousands rallied against the bill on Athens’ central square earlier this week, but their voices were not heard.

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Culturally we’ve been pondering the question: What is a woman? Maybe it’s time to ask: What is a man?

My father — a bricklayer with eight kids — saw the world as a place of mystery and beauty, but that things could go so consistently, abysmally, wrong gnawed at him.

“Doesn’t that get my goat!” he’d rail in the parking lots of grocery stores, spotting a cart left by a careless shopper. “If that thing ever got rolling, it could pick up momentum, barrel right into a 3- or 4-year-old kid…” He shook his head, leaving us to imagine the twitching limbs, the tiny skull bleeding onto the asphalt.

What he was really thinking, I knew, was that the kid would have to be brought to the doctor — and doctors cost money.

We had supper together every night. Around the dining room table we bonded, and made fun of one another, and endlessly bickered. Dad meanwhile totted up imaginary figures in the air, calculating the cost of a replacement window for the one we’d broken playing baseball (again), new winter jackets for the boys, piano lessons.

Milk in those days was delivered by Mr. Gilman of Runnymede Farms, and came in glass bottles. One night, we were eating supper and, as happened frequently, drained the gallon.

“I’ll get some more,” my younger brother Ross offered, and made for the kitchen. Right away, dad started in. “Don’t drop the milk.” “For Crimey’s sake, don’t drop the milk, it’s up to a dollar-thirty. Whatever you do, don’t drop the milk.”

Almost inevitably, just as Ross was about to reach the table, he dropped the milk. Glass shattered. Milk splashed, ran in runnels, and pooled on the floor.

My father wasn’t violent but for a second we stopped breathing and looked instinctively to the head of the table. A stricken, defeated look crossed his face, and then he bent over double and silently buried his head in his hands.

Had dad lost it for good? Had we finally pushed him over the brink? What if he pushed back his chair, put on his brown Carhartt jacket that smelled of White Owl cigars and Old Spice, climbed into his pickup, and left? Who would take us out in the boat to check the banged-up lobster traps? Who would bake bread on weekends, fuss over the tomato plants, and sit out on the breezeway with his buddies drinking Bud on Saturday afternoons and listening to the Red Sox?

Who would go around the house singing “How Great Thou Art” in that crackpot fake tenor? Who would recite Housman’s “A Shropshire Lad” with what sounded suspiciously like a catch in his throat?

Mom couldn’t leave us. But what if daddy, fount of all fun, all jokes, all food, shelter, clothing, security, order, warmth, bolted?

Was he crying? Had we made dad cry?

At last he straightened up. His beat-up hands dropped to his knees. His face, unthinkably, was wet with tears, and so red we thought he might have had a heart attack. He was still trembling. He was gasping. But finally we realized he wasn’t crying. He was laughing.

“Janet, get me a napkin,” he choked out, and moved to high-five Ross. “Don’t spill … HANH HAH … don’t drop … Lindy Gilman’s kids will eat even if we’re in the poorhouse!” … but he was laughing so hard he couldn’t go on.

Suddenly we sprang into action. One of us ran for rags. Someone else started picking out the biggest chunks of glass. Someone, maybe me, passed behind the back of dad’s chair and patted his thinning hair.

But in a way, I am still sitting at that table with my father: head in hands, face hidden, present physically, yet a million miles away.

Sitting with him while he perhaps contemplated the years stretching behind and ahead: of waking in the dark, of driving 40, 60, 90 miles to his job laying bricks, of standing all day in bitter cold or scorching heat, of constant anxiety, constant frustration, constant fatigue.

Sitting with him knowing that when he opened his eyes his family — whose entire purpose, it sometimes must have seemed, was to break his heart — was going to be looking back at him: waiting, bereft, refusing to leave.

Sitting with him while all that was good and kind and decent in him, and all that was fearful and weak and in pain had perhaps met, and clashed, and in some place that was unknown to us, where we could not follow, on some terrible battlefield in which our fates hung in the balance, he had chosen us over himself; had chosen the spark of life that is humor over despair, over death.

In a way, that is who I write to. My father, in that moment before he lifted his head — and stayed.

For weeks, we’d be finding splinters of glass under the sewing table, the desk, the radiators. There would be more anxiety. There would be more imaginary — and several real — catastrophes. But for now, God was in his heaven and all was right with the world. Until the next broken bottle of milk, or window, or leg, or spirit, life could go on.

Because dad had laughed. Daddy — our rock — had laughed.

Gem, Siaya County, Kenya, February 16, 2024

By H. David Sauls

This past weekend, Fr. Antipas Odhiambo hosted priests from the Kakamega Deanery in Western Kenya in the village of Gem to lay the cornerstone for the St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Mission and Refuge’s future church. The cornerstone consists of a large stone from the property as the center of a cross made from handmade, locally baked bricks.

On Thursday, ground was broken to plant the mission’s first corn crop. Several farmhands were employed as a part of the job creation aspect of the mission’s mandate.

A Liturgy was celebrated on Saturday the 10th, and an agape meal was served. In attendance were dozens from the village of Gem, many of whom have been employed to develop the property, along with their families and fellow villagers. On Sunday the 11th, a Liturgy was served at St. Panteleimon’s Church, where three children were baptized.

St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Mission is growing with the help of many private donors, its sister parish in the United States, St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church in Roswell, Georgia, and the mission platform, Orthodox Africa. St. Mary of Egypt Mission has created jobs and drawn the hope and interest of the local deanery, with the fathers’ express intent that it become the spiritual center of Gem and Siaya County, Kenya.

Orthodoxy is rapidly spreading in Eastern Africa. Mass Baptism celebrated in Kenya (+VIDEO)The Sacrament was celebrated by parish rector Fr. Prodromos Kabala and Deacon Anthony Chitwa following the Divine Liturgy. In all, 18 people received Holy Baptism after a year-long catechumenate.

“>Mass Baptisms are constantly occurring, and St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Mission and Refuge is adding to those numbers. Liturgies are being held twice a month with local clergy and scores of villagers streaming to the services.

Mission work in Kenya is both relevant and in need of support from the diaspora. The clergy who have taken the mantle and stole of spreading the Orthodox faith to those desiring to “come and see” require as much support from abroad as can be given.

    

As we prepare to enter the season of Great Lent, consider supporting the clergy of Africa who have quite courageously undertaken to do this. Almsgiving serves so much for us personally, for those in whose name we give it, and for those who receive the benefits of this virtue, and it goes a long way to reach those who are in need and seeking the truth. The work being done by our clergy in Africa is risky, but beneficial, and is loyal to the traditions of our faith.  

You can support St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Mission and Refuge of Kenya at any of the following links (if donating through Orthodox Africa, be sure to indicate your donation is for St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Mission and Refuge of Kenya):

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Gen. 9:8-15 / Ps. 25:4-9 / 1 Pt. 3:18-22 / Mk. 1:12-15

Lent bids us to return to the innocence of baptism. As Noah and his family were saved through the waters of the deluge, we were saved through the waters of baptism, Peter reminds us in today’s Epistle.

And God’s covenant with Noah in today’s First Reading marked the start of a new world. But it also prefigured a new and greater covenant between God and his creation (see Hosea 2:20; Isaiah 11:1-9).

We see that new covenant and that new creation begin in today’s Gospel.

Jesus is portrayed as the new Adam — the beloved Son of God (see Mark 1:11; Luke 3:38), living in harmony with the wild beasts (see Genesis 2:19-20), being served by angels (see Ezekiel 28:12-14).

Like Adam, he, too, is tempted by the devil. But while Adam fell, giving reign to sin and death (see Romans 5:12-14, 17-20), Jesus is victorious.

This is the good news, the “gospel of God” that he proclaims. Through his death, resurrection and enthronement at the right hand of the Father, the world is once again made God’s kingdom.

In the waters of baptism, each of us entered the kingdom of his beloved Son (see Colossians 1:13-14). We were made children of God, new creations (see 2 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 4:3-7).

But like Jesus, and Israel before him, we have passed through the baptismal waters only to be driven into the wilderness — a world filled with afflictions and tests of our faithfulness (see 1 Corinthians 10:1-4, 9,13; Deuteronomy 8:2,16).

We are led on this journey by Jesus. He is the Savior — the way and the truth we sing of in today’s Psalm (see John 14:6). He feeds us with the bread of angels (see Psalm 78:25; Wisdom 16:20), and cleanses our consciences in the sacrament of reconciliation.

As we begin this holy season, let us renew our baptismal vows — to repent and believe the Gospel.

Sevastopol, Crimea, February 16, 2024

Photo: crimea-eparhia.ru     

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the closure of the St. Vladmir Monastery in Chersonesos, Crimea, built on the site where St. Vladimir the Great was baptized in 988.

The monastery was constructed in the 19th century during the reign of Emperor Alexander II. It was closed in 1924 and its buildings were transferred to the Chersonesos Museum-Preserve. “In 2024, the time has come for a change and the restoration of monastic life in the Chersonesos Monastery,” the Museum writes.

Photo: chersonesos-sev.ru     

The beginning of the restoration of monastic life was officially marked yesterday with a Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) of Simferopol, concelebrated by his fellow Crimean bishops and clergy, reports the Metropolis of Crimea.

Photo: crimea-eparhia.ru     

“Undoubtedly, this is one of the most important events in the spiritual life not only of Crimea, but also of the whole of Russia, since this year marks the 100th anniversary of the closure of the glorious monastery built on the site of the Baptism of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir,” the Metropolis writes.

As St. Vladimir’s Cathedral is temporarily closed for restoration, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the territory of the ancient basilica of Tauric Chersonesos.

***

Photo: chersonesos-sev.ru     

During WWII, St. Vladimir’s Cathedral was seriously damaged, and in remained in that condition until 1994, when it was transferred back to the Russian Orthodox Church and the first Divine services began.

Five years later, the authorities decided to restore the cathedral, and on August 2, 2009, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrated the Divine Liturgy near the walls of the cathedral. And now the monastic life is also being restored.

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St. Onesimus was a slave to Philemon, a powerful man who had been converted by St. Paul. Onesimus offended Philemon, and fled to escape his retribution. He met St. Paul in a Roman prison, and was baptized shortly afterwards. 

Paul sent a letter to Philemon asking for Onesimus’ freedom, so that Onesimus could become his assistant. In the Epistle to Philemon, he entreats Philemon to accept Onesimus “no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me.” 

Philemon pardoned Onesimus, and he began serving Paul. Paul made him, with Tychicus, the bearer of his Epistle to the Colossians. 

Later, according to St. Jerome and others, Onesimus became an ardent preacher of the Gospel. He succeeded St. Timothy as bishop of Ephesus. 

When Onesimus’ preaching about the merits of celibacy angered a governor of Rome, he was seized and tortured for 18 days. Both his legs and thighs were broken, and he was eventually stoned to death in the year 90.  

Drouseia, Paphos District, Cyprus, February 16, 2024

Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr   

Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi: Biography and RemembrancesElder Joseph continued the spiritual work which he received from his Elder, and lived as a hesychast till the end of his life. He sought obscurity. He did not seek worldly praise or glory. He endured humbly, meekly and without grumbling all scorn, contempt, disgrace, criticism and slander. He had “compassionate pity” and his heart received and forgave all, because he gave room within himself for Christ.

“>Elder Joseph of Vatopedi spent 13 years as a disciple of the great St. Joseph the Hesychast on Mt. Athos. He remained at New Skete after the repose of his elder in 1959, laboring there for another 28 years. In 1987, he moved to Vatopedi Monastery, where he remained until his repose on July 1, 2009.

Yesterday, the restored childhood home of revered Elder in Drouseia, Paphos District in Cyprus was blessed and opened as a memorial, reports the Orthodoxia News Agency.

​

Though deserted after the death of Elder Joseph’s parents, Vatopedi Monastery undertook to restore and beautify the home with personal items belonging to the Elder and a photo series that capture his life and monastic path.

The home was blessed by Archimandrite Ephraim, a spiritual child of Elder Joseph and the current abbot of Vatopedi, in the presence of His Eminence Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol, who was also a spiritual child of the Elder, and His Grace Metropolitan Tychikos of Paphos, who expressed his joy after having such a site within his diocese.

Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr     

The Elder’s house will also have the books he wrote, “thus guiding thousands of people to draw nearer to God, but also those of his monks, whom he left as a spiritual gift to the world, with each one of them writing about their own journey today.”

Elder Joseph’s relics were exhumed on Mt. Athos in Relics of Elder Joseph of Vatopedi exhumed on Mt. Athos (+VIDEO)The holy remains of one of the great Athonite elders of the 20th and 21st centuries are being exhumed today at Vatopedi Monastery on the Holy Mountain.

“>October 2021.

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As 6,500 young people made their way into the Anaheim Convention Center to kick off the Youth Day portion of the 68th Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, several attendees made up a sea of colored T-shirts to celebrate their attendance at the event. Some red, some yellow. Others had blue or purple.

But while their shirts differed, what they all had in common was a unity, a shared purpose of faith where they were free to feel welcome, supported, and unified.

That feeling of an open-armed reception — to be undeterred in a world that may shame, mock or criticize their Catholic faith — was something that many guest speakers and leaders tried to emphasize with those in attendance.

For Michael Marchand, who spoke at a workshop titled “Awkward: When Following God Gets Uncomfortable,” he underscored the importance of young people feeling good about themselves and their faith in the face of a culture of likes, followers and validation.

“The No. 1 thing that we hear from young people — people your age, your generation — is that they struggle with feeling seen, loved and wanted,” Marchand said. “If you hear nothing else from what we shared today, hear me say: You are incredibly loved.”

Gabriel Canonoy, 20, was a chaperone for confirmation students from St. Christopher Church in Moreno Valley — part of the Diocese of San Bernardino — and shared in the struggles young people are going through.

“The struggle that teenagers are facing right now is accepting their faith,” he said. “Because some are either saying it’s not cool to be this, or there’s media or pop culture where anti-religion is kind of prevalent.

“(Youth Day) is showing there are many people that are actually willing to, but sometimes they need an incentive or they need to be in a community that allows them to express themselves fully.”

Chris Padgett spoke to young people about allowing God to help them in troubled times.

“What’s the solution? You have to let Jesus into these wounds,” he said. “The scary thing about this is we’re ashamed.

“Jesus is not afraid of your mess. There’s nothing you can do that will make him stop loving you.”

Those words of encouragement seemed to resonate with many of the youth in attendance.

Hannah Artehea, 16, was one of those who attended Marchand’s workshop.

“God created you to be your own person and to not care about what anyone else thinks,” she said. “That caught my attention a lot.”

Brian Barragan, 16, said he’s often ridiculed by his friends for praying before meals, but was happy to be surrounded by like-minded young people like himself.

“Sometimes as a high schooler, you feel like as a follower of Christ in this Catholic community, you can feel alone,” he said. “Most kids don’t care about God or religion. But coming here, you see thousands of kids that believe in the same stuff that you believe in and it inspires you to continue your faith.”

Prior to helping celebrate the Youth Day’s ending Mass, Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Matthew Elshoff was seen roaming the hall, speaking with young people, handing out blessings and generally soaking up the scene.

“I’ve been just walking around, just watching them interact, seeing their enthusiasm, looking at the smiles on their faces,” Elshoff said. “There’s so many negative things, whether it’s about youth or just about the world. To be in a place that’s filled with light, it just warms my heart.”

Elshoff was especially encouraged by the youth turnout.

“It deepens their enthusiasm and their desire to follow Jesus,” he said. “And they can do it in a way that they don’t have to be apologetic or hold back. But rather literally take it all in and give themselves to what they believe and what they love.”

Themed “Your Path Awaits,” this year’s Youth Day was filled with unique ways to engage the high-school-aged attendees, whether it was illusion from magician and keynote speaker Giancarlo Bernini, video games with author Bobby Angel, or caring for the environment with guest speaker Kayla Jacobs.

At Angel’s session, titled “Gaming, God, & the Heroic Life,” he encouraged gamers to embrace their quest for Jesus as much as their favorite video game.

“You have in your heart a desire that nothing on this finite planet will satisfy,” Angel said. “That’s not an accident. Video game developers know this more than anything.

“All the areas of your life, God can redeem. Your athletics, your hobbies, your interests, even video games.”

Guest speaker Mike Patin used all of his high energy to wake students up from a post-lunch lull with interactive activities that got the youth thinking about their faith.

“To the person on your left, you’re gonna answer one question,” Patin yelled to the audience. “Give me one word for how you feel at this point of Youth Day.”

“Sleepy,” one participant said. “Energized,” said another.

By the time Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez, Diocese of San Bernardino Bishop Alberto Rojas and LA’s auxiliary bishops presided over the ending Mass — taking place in the convention arena decorated with colors, angels and featuring youth singers and musicians — the mood was downright festive.

Toward the end of holy Communion being distributed, an impromptu light display broke out, with the crowd holding up their cell phone’s lights in response to the emotional song playing. Archbishop Gomez and several of the other concelebrating bishops and priests joined in.

“We have a lot of choices nowadays for how we can live,” Archbishop Gomez said. “Open up social media and you’re going to find a lot of people telling you what makes them happy and trying to influence you to follow their way of thinking and living.

“God is telling you the truth. About who he is. About who you are. And about what will truly make you happy in life.”