By Kate Beskid ’00

On February 25, Chaminade College Preparatory teachers and students had the privilege of attending the annual LA Youth Day at the Religious Education Congress, held at the Anaheim Convention Center. Our students joined more than 14,000 young people in a full day of prayer, workshops, and community building to celebrate the theme of “Hope Bound.”

The day began with a beautiful Liturgy presided by Archbishop Jose Gomez. In addition, many Chaminade students performed as soloists in the Youth Day Choir. The day continued with various workshops. Students attended a workshop by Life Teen founder, Mark Hart, which emphasized the importance of using the Bible in their teen lives, and how it can be a resource for strength and courage. They attended another workshop by Roy Petitlfils, which focused on the significance of sharing their faith story with others, and how you cannot truly understand a person until you have heard about their past. The last workshop dealt with the social justice topic of human trafficking. The presenter shared her story as a victim, explained how to recognize signs of trafficking, and ways to advocate for people affected by this human rights issue.

Students were also blessed to be able to hear from world-renowned speakers of the Catholic world. Youth Day gave our students the opportunity to experience a larger Catholic community and bring unity between our two campuses. This year was so much fun, and our students cannot wait to attend again next year!