Chris Stefanick challenges Catholics in the Archdiocese to live the Gospel message with joy
By Mary Powers
More than 350 people gathered at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church on Wednesday, September 20, for the REBOOT! event with Chris Stefanick, president of Real Life Catholic, author, speaker, and television host. Attendees, including many youth and young adults, came from all three counties of the Archdiocese.
The evening was broken up into two talks—the first half on the truth of the Gospel and the second on how to live the Gospel message with joy.
Stefanick began by focusing on many of the questions that people ask, such as: Who am I? Why was I made? Is there a God? And answering those questions through the eyes of the Catholic faith. So many people today—especially young people—think that all there is to life is what is in front of us. There is no higher meaning to day-to-day living and we disappear into the universe after death. The message that Catholics bring is that there is a higher purpose. God is real. He is alive. We are made in His image. He delights in us. And we will meet him face to face after we die.
Once we discover that truth, we are called to live it with joy.
In the second half of the talk, Stefanick discussed the ways in which Catholics can live the Gospel message with joy—giving thanks and living in gratitude, practicing silence and disconnecting from technology, loving yourself—the prerequisite of loving your neighbor, making time for fun activities, healthy living, making time for friends and for service.
Stefanick encouraged attendees to form small groups, calling them the “front porch” of Christianity. Not only do small groups support current Catholics in learning and living their faith, but it also provides an opportunity to invite people who are not Catholic or who are not currently practicing the faith to engage in Christian fellowship and study.
Top photo: St. Pius parishioners with Chris Stefanick at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church
Additional photos: Elle Ornido, St. Dominic’s Catholic Church
