Dear Holy Spirit Parishioners,
 
For this week, I asked Mr. Ignacio Osorio to share his experience at the Diocesan Young Adult Assembly held September 21, 2024. What follows is his reflection. Thank you, Mr. Ignacio, for sharing with us the key messages of the event and inviting us to live out the mission of evangelization. Let us continue to pray for the young adults in our diocese. I encourage our parish young adults to participate in Young Adult and Family Ministry here at our parish and throughout our diocese.

Continued prayers,
Fr. Robert

Reflections from the Diocesan Young Adult Assembly, September 21, 2024
Ignacio Osorio

 On Saturday, September 21, 2024, I had the privilege of attending the Diocesan Young Adult Assembly as an observer. The event took place in the gymnasium of Archbishop Mitty High School, where 200 young adults from various parishes across the Diocese gathered with Bishop Oscar Cantú and diocesan leaders. The purpose of this assembly was to spark ideas on how to bring young adults closer to the heart of the Church.

The hall was filled with joy, prayer, music, food, and a sense of excitement and anticipation. We witnessed a solemn procession with the Easter Paschal Candle and a relic of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati—one of the patrons of the assembly—along with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Relics of saints known for their passion for youth, including Blessed Carlo Acutis, Saint José Luis Sánchez del Río, Saint Maria Goretti, Saint Francis of Assisi, Pope St. John Paul II, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, also accompanied the procession. The atmosphere was one of deep piety and reverence, and I felt overwhelmed by emotion and joy in the presence of so many earthly and heavenly witnesses accompanying us on our faith journey.

The assembly concluded with a beautiful Mass celebrated by Bishop Cantú, concelebrated by 29 priests and several deacons. In his homily, Bishop Cantú focused on two key themes. First, he highlighted Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati as a model of living a life of authentic faith, service, joy, and courage in following Christ. Second, he emphasized Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Star of the New Evangelization, as a symbol of the Church’s mission to encounter others with love and patience. He reminded us that evangelization must be rooted in personal encounters where people feel seen, loved, and valued.

This inspiring event brought to mind Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, granting them courage, wisdom, and the ability to proclaim Christ's message to diverse peoples and cultures. Similarly, Bishop Cantú reminded us of the crucial role that young adults play in the spiritual renewal and future of the Church, especially as the Diocese approaches its 50th anniversary in 2031. At one point, he posed a reflective question to the assembly: “What is the Holy Spirit asking us to act upon in each of our parishes to further the mission of evangelization with and for young adults?”

Just as the apostles were emboldened after receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we left the assembly filled with joy, hope, and renewed enthusiasm to proclaim the Gospel and support young adults at our parishes.