Cheers erupt as Vancouver, BC is announced as the host city for the joint CFC-Youth and CFC-Singles for Christ 2014 National Conference. (Photo: Patrick Ruiz)
Not every day are we able to participate in a Catholic youth gathering as blessed as the CFC-Youth True North Conference. Not every day do we experience a worship gathering with hundreds of other brothers and sisters from all over western Canada. It is a rare occasion to participate with hundreds of youth pouring out their hearts in an intimate worship with Christ our Lord. Indeed we are blessed!
As I stood there worshipping with the rest of my brothers and sisters during the final Praisefest, I took some time to listen and to hear. I opened my eyes and witnessed a beautiful scene: the manifestation of the Lord’s love in the hearts, the faces, and the voices of those before my eyes. I smiled, overcome with joy in my own heart of the evident hope these youth could share to the world. I then looked towards the stage at the Crucifix, bathed in its own light, His presence undeniably strong and resonating within each and every one of His children praising His name.
At that point, I was reminded…
That He is our focal point in which everything had been done in the hope of magnifying Him. Every move, every word, every stroke of the brush was done in His name and that all the work done during this conference was for Christ and pointed to Christ. I felt blessed in an instant and continued to sing in worship.
I was overcome again by a sudden sense of gratitude.
I stopped singing and stood there in silence, reminiscing about my first conference. There I was, in the exact same location in front of the stage 9 years ago at the last Praisefest during my first ever conference in Calgary. I realized then what the Lord was trying to communicate to me. So I stood in awe and began to reflect on the last 9 years in the community. Tears flowed, I smiled, my heart clenched, I was joyful, I was sad, and I was angry; I was all sorts of emotional nonsense…
Then, I was peaceful for a moment.
I felt lighter and my thoughts were calm and in an instant, everything was clear. I had come to realize that a few aspects of my life had not changed… and He showed me. Enlightened, I prayed, mindful of things I had to let go and things I needed to strive for. After the praise fest, He showed me the progress of the community. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of both CFC-Youth and SFC, Tito George Fournier announced the combined conference to be held next year in Vancouver. Cheers galore. The hall erupted in exaltation and praise. At that moment, I experienced a sense of hope for the future. This generation of CFC-Youth had the same fervor and conviction as the ones in the past. He told me that we are not alone so He showed me old friends and gave me new ones. He told me we will be taken care of and showed me Couple Coordinators young and old. He showed me His relentless pursuit of His people so He showed me the new delegations and their transformations. He showed me failures to learn from but victories won and more to hope for. He told me the work is not yet done, and showed me the world.
I was again reminded as I slowly watched the hall empty itself, and everyone part ways, that the only constant in life was our God. As the song goes,
Even when my world fades away, I stand and sing, Hallelujah,”
…it was always to be this way; a heart fully given in every aspect of our lives despite every victory, and downfall; to be still in His presence and to move even in darkness. In praise, in thanksgiving, in our greatest joys, and in our deepest despairs, He stands in the midst of all, His name, forever to be proclaimed.
In Him,
Jorell Mendoza, CFC-Youth Mountain Region
