Diocesan youth rally draws 1,500 to Carroll

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
October 28, 2004

CARROLL - About 1,500 high school students from across the Diocese of Sioux City attended this year's diocesan youth rally held at Kuemper High School in Carroll. They were entertained and inspired through the music and personal witness stories of the keynote speaker, were educated and/or entertained at a variety of workshops and had the opportunity to worship the Lord through the liturgy.

The Diocesan Youth Ministry Core Group, a group of high school and adult leaders who helped to organize the rally, offered the opening comments. They performed a skit centered on theme "Walk on Water." The core group members said that there were many temptations in life through such things as dating, drugs, alcohol and gossip. They asked God to help them trust him enough to walk on water as they follow him.

In opening comments, Linda Anderson, the diocesan director of catechesis who is presently leading youth ministry for the diocese, thanked Mike Gaspers and Judy Forrest for all of the work they put into coordinating the event. She also extended appreciation to Beth Bruner of Kuemper, who organized many volunteers for the day.

Msgr. Roger Augustine, the diocesan administrator, was on hand to present the Bishop Lawrence D. Soens Youth Ministry Awards. This year's adult recipient was Jenny Boyle of Sioux City. Sam Hacker, youth minister for the To Heaven's End youth group in Sioux City, accepted the award on Boyle's behalf as the winner was unable to attend the rally due to a 36-hour leave of her son who is in the military. The young adult recipient was Mitch Bedel of Wall Lake.

In addressing the youth gathered at the rally, Msgr. Augustine said, "I certainly want you to enjoy this day and encourage you to go make a difference in your own life and in our church."

The keynote speaker, Danielle Rose, followed the awards presentation.

This native of Minnesota played the guitar and sang several of her own original songs throughout the presentation. She is a 2002 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, completing degrees in both theology and music. Her song and stories have moved audiences at World Youth Day and the National Catholic Youth Conference among other events.

"Part of being Catholic Christian means experiencing the joy of Jesus in your life and in your heart at all times," she told the high school students gathered in Carroll.

Rose told the story of how she went on a service trip to India when she was just 17 years old. She had longed to meet Mother Teresa, but the well-known spiritual leader was in Rome visiting the pope. When Rose left India, she left behind a Bible so that Mother Teresa might bless it. The young woman continued to hope that she might meet Mother Teresa one day.

Mother Teresa's death saddened and angered Rose. It squelched Rose's hopes of ever meeting her spiritual role model, but she clung to the hope that Mother Teresa had signed her Bible. Later, Rose learned that Mother Teresa had taken a rose made out of frosting from her birthday cake to give it to her.

"She walked over to Sister Joyce, the woman that I had met and knew me from the short time that I was in India, and she said to her, 'Danielle, the girl who embraced the poorest of the poor, give her this rose and tell her to be like this rose - to be beautiful and pure like each petal and tell her nothing will ever go wrong in her life'," noted Rose.

The keynote speaker told the crowd that everything changed after she received the rose. It was at that point in which she realized that God not only heard her prayers, but that he had a plan for her life.

She pointed out to the teens that they have all been chosen by God, chosen to be "missionaries of his love."

Rose acknowledged that many people believe they are too small or insignificance to make any real change; however, she stressed that this underestimates the power of God who can do all things.

The speaker told the youth that Pope John Paul II has designated this year as the Year of the Eucharist. She admitted that sometimes it is hard to understand that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist but urged them to believe. Through prayer and the Eucharist, God will give them the courage and the strength to live the truth.

After the keynote, half of the students attended Mass celebrated by Msgr. Roger Augustine at Holy Spirit Church. The other half participated in two out of the more than 20 workshops offered at the rally. Workshops covered a variety of topics from service trips to Christian music to dealing with stress and living life to the fullest. These groups then rotated.

During his homily, Msgr. Augustine encouraged the high school students to be people of prayer. He told them that God calls upon them to use the talents they have received.

Jon Neppl, a senior at Kuemper, said this is only the second year he has attended the rally but he has enjoyed it so much that he wishes he had attended all four years.

"You get to come together with all of the other students and you feel that common bond," he said.

Liz Mueting, a student who attends St. Patrick's in Sheldon, said the rally offers an opportunity for high school students to grow stronger in their faith.

"I learned that you shouldn't be embarrassed about standing up for your faith," she said.

After pizza and a concert by Vow of Silence, the rally ended with a dance.