Youth Find Hope in Jesus

DCYC stands for Diocese of Corpus Christi Youth Conference. And while last year, more than 200 teens attended, this year they exceeded the capacities of the Portland Community Center: 700 got together for prayer, Mass, talks, games and adoration.
 
Luis Briseno, Youth Minister at St. Philips the Apostle Parish, shared how he experienced God’s love at a convention for young adults and how confession led him to a profound experience of God’s love. He invited the teens to journal about what was heavy on their hearts and where it was difficult for them to have hope.
 
Bishop Mulvey, who could not be present, sent a video telling the young people that Jesus himself is the source of hope: “Jesus wants to be your best friend.” He wished the teens an inspiring conference to get to know Jesus better.
 
Fr. Paul Hesse, the Vicar General, celebrated the Mass at the DCYC. In his homily, he told the students how he had a professor in the seminary who taught in a monotone voice so that he and all the students would criticize him. Later, when reviewing this professor’s notes on St. Paul, he came to admire him – “it really made a difference in my life.” Referring to the Gospel where Jesus said that we see the splinter in our neighbor’s eyes, but not the beam in our own eyes” (see Lk 6:41), he shared that “the problem was not the professor, it was me,” inviting the teens to think about where they might have a prejudice against people in their lives. He invited the youth to go to confession, where Jesus can change and heal us.
 
Many teens followed that invitation; the whole day, priests were available to give the Sacrament of Reconciliation to them. After lunch, keynote speaker, musician and beatboxer Paul J. Kim took the stage. He admitted that his parents made him go to Church, and he saw only two good reasons – “cute girls and donuts.” He told the teens, “I was not excited about my faith.” However, as a teenager at a youth gathering, he discovered that the content was relevant to his life. Getting to know Jesus personally, he found His merciful love.

“Things get old,” he said. Even the newest phone quickly loses its fascination and doesn’t bring us happiness. Money, relationships, and even marriage don't fulfill us. Achievements cannot fill that gap, either—he quoted Michael Phelps, the most successful Olympian of all time, who got depressed after every Olympic game. “Only Jesus Christ can give you true happiness,” Kim said. He invited the teens to open their hearts to Jesus and surrender everything to Him.

After time for games and personal testimonies from Mackenzie, a teen from St. Mary’s Mission, and Sesi Lopez, Youth Minister at St. Anthony’s in Robstown, Sr. Caritas led the teens in a moment of prayer to give all the brokenness and hurt to Jesus. The day finished with adoration to encounter Christ present in the Eucharist.

The teens made important discoveries ​during the conference: “I have improved my relationship with God in this experience, and I feel more at peace with everything,” said Maria Jose Vargas from St. Mary’s Mission in Robstown

“One of my favorite talks was about confession, and they urged us to go. And so I went, and honestly, I felt like something was lifted from my chest. I’m really glad I came,” said Juanjose Rayas from Nuestra Senora de San Juan de los Lagos, Madre de la Iglesia in Corpus Christi.

“The music was beautiful, and the speakers that they chose spoke very well. You could really tell that the Lord was speaking through them,” said Nehemiah Monroy from Our Lady of Assumption Parish.