SEEK21 conference inspires young adults to encounter Christ and share the Gospel

The Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) missionary team at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) hosted the recent SEEK21 conference twice on back-to-back weekends for more than 80 people at the newly completed Community Life Center (CLC) at St. Gertrude Parish in Kingsville. 

The first weekend was virtual and included local, national and international Catholics. From Feb. 4-7, SEEK21 brought together more than 27,000 people from 20 countries and six continents, making it the largest event to-date for FOCUS. During the first weekend of Feb. 4-7, diocesan high school and college students and young adults gathered to ask the big questions about joy, peace, hope and salvation. On the second weekend, Feb. 12-14, parishioners and community members gathered to encounter Christ and share the Gospel. 

SEEK21 combined the best of live conferences and virtual gatherings, giving Kingsville the chance to personalize the schedule and the event by separating the two groups. SEEK21 followed social distance protocols and honored local and state COVID restrictions.

One of the great personal touches of the event included the dedication and blessing of the newly completed Community Life Center (CLC) by Bishop Michael Mulvey on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Feb. 2.

Father Joseph Lopez, Pastor of St. Gertrude Parish and TAMUK chaplain, said, “It was special for me to see this building put to immediate use. I am humbled and honored to have SEEK21 here and look forward to seeing this community grow in their personal and spiritual lives.” 

Returning two days after the dedication, Bishop Mulvey celebrated the opening Mass, reminding SEEKers that God seeks each of us first. He emphasized that no one is alone and to let God encounter them in this conference. 

Attendees heard talks presented by Father Mike Schmitz, Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, Dr. Scott Hahn, Msgr. James P. Shea, and Jason Evert. After the talks, the young adults would break out into small groups, discuss the content and discover what challenges them to live out their missionary discipleship. 

“SEEK21 has been such a blessing to my soul,” said Lisa Olmos, a Young Catholic Adults (YCA) member in Corpus Christi. “I’ve never been to a SEEK conference before this one, and I have been truly blown away by it all. During the pandemic, this event was like a well of water in the middle of a desert,” she said. “My heart feels like it’s been set on fire, and I can’t wait to continue to grow my relationship with Jesus and His Church.” 

Noelle Nguyen, a graduate student at TAMUK and a small group leader, said this was the second FOCUS conference she has attended. “After witnessing conversions and reconversions within my group, the room and I blazed with His Truth and Love. Edified by communion and relationships, each attendee encountered a tangible, reciprocal love,” she said. “We were satisfied –– yet yearned for more of His truth and goodness –– a grace welcomed with great fervor,” she said. “SEEK21 reignited the flame within our souls.” 

Nguyen would bring her group into the St. Isidore chapel inside the CLC, where the scent of chrism oil hovered in the air from its recent dedication. They prayed as a small group, allowing their relationship with each other and with God to blossom.

Personalizing the event, second-year FOCUS missionary Maria Diaz led the Marketing and Advertising Committee to beautify the room with balloons, banners, a photo booth, plastic sleeved name tags, and the large “SEEK” lettering. 

To create the SEEK atmosphere, the FOCUS team gathered local vendors to create “Mission Way” where vendors can sell and market themselves to attendees. From the two weekends, vendors included Vocations Director Bob Cummings for the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Maria Diaz from Amar y Ser Amado, Noelle Nguyen from Auris & Co., Rocky Garcia from Tough Rosary, and Sergio Espinoza from Ascension Illustrations. 

The event featured live entertainment by Luis Briseño, a Junior ROTC student at TAMUK, and his band on the Friday night of the conference’s first weekend. As a final touch, Diaz designed her own SEEK21 shirt for Kingsville using the Divine Mercy image. These shirts are available for purchase on Diaz’s account on Instagram @maria_diazz. 

Local parishioners and the Knights of Columbus provided the meals throughout the two weekends.

As the two weekends progressed, each culminated in a Worldwide Prayer Vigil on Saturday, Feb. 6 and again on Feb. 13. For attendees in Kingsville, the prayer vigil included Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 

Upon reflection of the conference and the prayer vigil, fourth-year FOCUS missionary and Team Director Samantha Ayers said, “I was in awe at how the community came together to serve the students and one another. I was honored to witness the student’s and parishioner’s lives transform over the weekends.” 

Ayers and former TAMUK FOCUS missionary Jesús Lopez provided praise and worship music during Adoration. And attendees were encouraged to receive a confession from one of four local priests. 

“Being able to be close to the priests there [at SEEK21] revived my heart for mission and allowed for deep conversations with students,” said Juan Archila, third-year FOCUS missionary.

“As a young Catholic adult, finding holy Catholic friendships can be extremely difficult. During a pandemic, it’s even harder to maintain or create those authentic friendships because everything is virtual,” said Gracie Gibbon from YCA in Corpus Christi. “I am so thankful that the FOCUS Missionaries at TAMUK hosted SEEK21 making it feel like we were all actually participating in a national conference.”

“It gave me great hope to see a younger generation of Catholics who are on fire for their faith and boldly stepping up to proclaim the Gospel, even in the face of adversity,” Gibbon added. 

Leonard Thurmond, also from YCA in Corpus Christi, said, “SEEK21 was an amazing opportunity to join with young Catholics and renew our faith in the Lord. To be part of this community of faithful reminded me of the truth that we are the Body of Christ.” 

SEEK21 energized the faithful, bringing them together from the local area to respond to the prayer, “And this is eternal life, that they know You, Father, and Him Whom You have sent” (Jn 17:3).  

Attendees were ready to return to school and work with gratitude and joy, bringing the Gospel in their words and actions.

More than 3,000 small groups and more than 12,000 students, chaplains and campus ministers participated on campuses with FOCUS missionaries. Nearly 1,900 parishes participated in SEEK21 with small groups - virtually or in person. Registration is open for SEEK22 in Salt Lake City, Utah, Dec. 20-Jan. 3, 2022 at seek.focus.org/seek22.

About the author
Daniel T. Rosa is a SEEK21 liaison and second-year FOCUS missionary. He says, “What made the whole conference so incredible was that each attendee felt known, loved, and cared for.

About FOCUS
Fellowship of Catholic University Students) a Catholic apostolate whose mission is to share the hope and joy of the Gospel. FOCUS missionaries encounter people in friendship, inviting them into a personal relationship with Christ and accompanying them as they pursue lives of virtue and excellence. Through Bible studies, outreach events, mission trips and discipleship, missionaries inspire and build up others in the faith, sending them out to live out lifelong Catholic missions wherever they are.