Diocesan students attend Steubenville North conference

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
August 11, 2005

Students and chaperones from the Diocese of Sioux City recently traveled to St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minn. for the Steubenville North conference. The theme of this year's conference was "Experience the Glory."

The conference began with a 4 p.m. Mass on July 29 and concluded about 1:30 on July 31. According to Terri Prenger, a chaperone from Carroll, there was Mass everyday, eucharistic adoration, reconciliation, great speakers, music and small group sharing for attendees to participate in.

A group of 15 students and four chaperones went from the Carroll area including those from Kuemper, Carroll High and Coon Rapids. The four adults drove the group to Minnesota.

"Our 15 students were very open to meeting new people within our group," said Prenger. "A few of them were total strangers and yet they were so open and prayerful with each other all weekend. It seemed that there was no such thing as 'peer pressure' for them."

Prenger noted that the format was similar and the way the students were affected was similar as well.

"We (she and husband Dave) have gone before and it was such a powerful experience for the students," said Prenger. "It is such a truly inspiring weekend emphasizing the teachings of the church in a manner that captivates the students. To watch the students as they explore their own relationship with Jesus is a sight to behold."

Another group from the diocese of about 47 students and eight chaperones from towns including Manning, Denison, Charter Oak, Ute, Ida Grove, Holstein, Wall Lake and Cherokee traveled to Minnesota in a charter bus. Two young apostles - youth who helped prepare for the conference - also went from that group.

"A lot of the same kids went with this group last year," said Peggy Staley, DRE and chaperone from Charter Oak. "There were a few newcomers, but there were a lot of repeat customers."

This was Staley's fifth Steubenville conference and fourth time in St. Paul.

"It is just so uplifting for them but it is also uplifting for me," said Staley. "It recharges my batteries every year. It gives me hope and energizes me and helps me to get through another year. I see how it affects the kids in a very positive way."

The young apostles are students that go up to St. Paul the Monday before the conference to help prepare the weekend for those coming to the conference. They also help with the skit on Saturday night of the conference. Jordan Strek of St. Boniface in Charter Oak played the part of Christ in the skit.

There were also two other groups from the diocese that attended the conference including groups from the Spirit Lake area with Randy Ricklefs and a group of about 28 from the Larchwood area with Randy Bruggeman, added Staley.

The Saturday night adoration of the Eucharist was the highlight of the weekend, stated Prenger. She added that the leaders prayerfully lead the students into opening their hearts and minds to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

"I saw students kneeling straight up for over an hour on bleachers. The students were able to focus on the true presence and tune everything else out. A lot of our teenagers have not previously had the chance to take part in such a great tradition in our church," said Prenger. "So many told us that the eucharistic adoration was the most powerful thing they had ever experienced. They talked non-stop about the messages given by all the speakers."

Speakers for the weekend included Jim Beckman, Ralph Poyo, Molly Kelly, Father Drew Cozzens, Father John Gordon, Lisa Militello, Janelle Reinhart and John Beaulieu.

"The students realize that they are not the only teenagers out there who are trying to have a serious relationship with Jesus," said Prenger. "It is so much easier for them to step out of their comfort zone and actually participate in the singing, group discussions, Mass and reconciliation. The teenagers joined hundreds of other teens standing in line to go to confession and they really wanted to talk with the priest one to one."

Talks during the weekend were given on topics including The Glory of Love: Purity, Chastity and God's Perfect Plan, Glory of the Eucharist, Glory of the Saints, Glory of Freedom, Abortion, Glory of Manhood and Glory of Womanhood.

"In some sessions dealing with sensitive subjects such as pornography, sexuality and chastity the students were divided into same sex groups," said Prenger. "This was a great idea. The students were much more open to the talks than if they were seated with members of the opposite sex."

Rick Halbur, a senior from Sacred Heart Church in Manning, pointed out that the conference was recommended to him from several people in the community and the parish. He thought it sounded like a good idea and had not been to any other conferences.

"One day we were given the choice to attend a class on saints, the Eucharist or free-will," said Halbur. "I chose the Eucharist. It was very informative, very interesting. It was given by a priest in the Archdiocese of Minneapolis St. Paul.

Halbur commented that he will take "a great appreciation and knowledge of the Eucharist and eucharistic adoration" from his experience.

Another senior, Tiffany Dentlinger from Coon Rapids, noted that she went to the conference to experience something new. She added that she liked every part of the weekend especially eucharistic adoration.

Dentlinger expressed that she took from the conference a sense of knowing that God is with her at all times and that she can always turn to him.

The final Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Harry Flynn, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Minneapolis St. Paul. Jamie Carlson, a young apostle from Ute, presented the offertory gifts at the Mass.

"I hope their love for the church grows and they take their faith life more seriously and that they become better human beings because of it," said Staley. "It gets them out of their element. In their day to day life, so much time is consumed by school activities and there really is not a whole lot left over for church or prayer. It helps them to realize that there is so much more to life than right here in their own little community."