Hi!
Recently my mom, siblings, some friends and I, went to the St. Carlo Acutis Youth Day at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion. We went last year as well, with some friends, and this year we went with one of the same friends and some other ones. We really enjoyed it last year and were super impressed by it, and this year did not disappoint! It was so much fun! It was Toy Story themed, and themed “How to be a friend.” It was a super relevant topic, and once again the event was really well executed. There were the same two great hosts, and the women, Kately, shared a beautiful personal story at one point that really inspired me. This year they had two speakers, Oscar Rivera was the main one, who gave two talks, and Franki Moscato did worship music and also gave a talk. There was a beautiful time of Adoration, a Rosary procession, a small group breakout session, Mass with the bishop, and more, plus once again, Chick-fil-A for lunch!
What is something you enjoyed about the experience? I love that the event is at the Shrine! It is so beautiful and peaceful there, I love the buildings, the grounds, and the gift shop. And I love seeing the Fathers of Mercy that are there and their reverence and love for God.
What was a takeaway or lesson you learned from the experience? This day made me want to be intentional with my friendships and relationships. I want good, deep friends, who help me grow in holiness and help me be a saint. And I want to do the same for others, to build them up, to help them be saints, and to lead them to Jesus. I don’t need lots of close friends, but the ones I have I want to love and help, and I can also do this for everyone I know and meet. Another big takeaway was hearing Franki Moscato’s speech, and some things she said about feeling excluded and stuff, which I can relate to in some ways, and how we should not forget about people, we should listen to them, include them and be kind to them, and some other things she said relating to this. I want to work on this.
What’s something you’re curious to try or learn more about as a result of this experience? I want to be better at including people, listening to them, helping them feel seen, and not letting anyone be forgotten or made fun of.
Thanks for reading!
Lucy
