17,000 enthusiastic young adult Catholics descended upon the city of Indianapolis from January 3-7, 2019, and Friars of the Atonement were there to meet them.  Very Reverend Brian F. Terry, SA, Fr. Jim Loughran, SA, and Director of Discernment Ministry Paul Krenzelok attended SEEK 2019. SEEK is an annual conference sponsored by FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) for college-aged and twenty something Catholics from the U.S. and abroad to learn more about their Catholic faith.  All are encouraged to be missionary disciples by hearing, feeling and sharing the light of Christ and joy of the Gospel.

Fr. Brian and Fr. Jim honor request for prayer over a young man discerning his future in the church

The experience made a powerful impression on Fr. Jim Loughran: “Seeing the faith so beautifully and energetically expressed by so many thousands of young people moved my heart towards a deeper faith myself. It really was inspiring.” Fr. Brian and Fr. Jim were among over 400 priests that concelebrated Mass each day.

SEEK provided Fr. Brian, Fr. Jim and Paul the opportunity to have conversations with at least two hundred young Catholics about the mission of the Friars of the Atonement.  They highlighted opportunities to explore God’s call through their discernment programs, including vocations to the Society of the Atonement. Paul Krenzelok expressed his hope that “this will lead to some good applicants for our summer vocation program, Franciscan for the Summer!”   

Next year’s conference takes place in Phoenix, and the Friars hope to be there once again with thousands of vibrant young adult Catholics.