BY PRISCILLA GREEAR

Staff Writer

COVINGTON -- Having endured the murders of four Columbine High School students he ministered to as a Life Teen coordinator, Jim Beckman challenged youth at the 1999 Steubenville Atlanta conference to have the faith of martyrs and shed Christ’s light on their schools and communities.

“Where are you at with what you believe? Do you really know what you believe?” asked Beckman July 10 to a large group at the FFA-FHA Camp in Covington. “The Holy Father has been saying for 20 years that your generation is going to be the one that leads the church into the millennium. You have got to know where you stand and make a decision (for Christ.)”

Fifteen-year-old Patti Weber of Holy Name Church, Steubenville, Ohio, said many participating youth are already answering that call.

“There are just so many teens here like happy-spirited. They’re all enjoying themselves, meeting new people, sharing the faith with one another. It’s really cool. For some it’s a new experience and for some they keep coming,” she said.

Beckman, Life Teen coordinator at St. Frances Cabrini Church, Littleton, Colo., was just one of the speakers who challenged, inspired and fed over 1,100 high school youth on their spiritual journeys. The conference, with the theme “Goin’ Home to my Father’s House,” was held July 9-11. It was sponsored by the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, and by the Faith Enrichment Institute in Atlanta. The Life Teen band of St. Ann’s Church, Marietta, provided the music and over 90 volunteers participated.

Initiated at Steubenville in 1976 and now also held at regional sites across the country, the event this year attracted over 21,000 teens in North America. Most at the Atlanta conference came from the Southeast and Ohio.

Some teens sported sandals, shorts and conference T-shirts made by their youth groups or with logos such as “ultimate high.” Teens slept in cabins at the lakeside camp. Appearing joyful the next morning while absorbing the penetrating sunshine, they participated in Mass and various sessions held indoors and beneath a red and white striped tent. As the conference’s message of hope seemed to comfort many souls, youth also found cool physical relief beneath the camp’s many trees or shelters and when refilling their bottles of ice water. For some, the weekend was a time of renewal for daily living, to prepare for a mission trip or discern a vocation. Others took a new step in their faith or experienced healing, as the sacrament of reconciliation and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament were available throughout the weekend.

In his July 10 talk on “Dealing with Life’s Hurts,” Beckman, chairman of the Steubenville summer youth conferences, spoke to teens on the value of suffering. Because Christ suffered at Calvary to fulfill God’s plan, he said it is the basis of the Catholic faith. Having attended eight funerals in the past six months for Columbine victims and others, he said people must be willing to suffer with Christ.

“I went to funerals of four kids (from Columbine) that I loved ... kids I went to school and ate lunch with, the kids that were shot and ripped out of my life. I sat and cried, ‘Lord, I can’t hold on anymore. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t lose another person. Lord, please help me hold onto you,’” Beckman said. “If you look back on the history of the church our entire way of life is built upon people who shed their blood. Our entire church is built upon those who were willing to shed their life for what they believed. The pope said (that) the church needs you to be martyrs if necessary.”

On April 20 during the Columbine massacre, Beckman said St. Frances Cabrini parishioner Val Schnurr was asked by one of the two student killers if she believed in God and answered yes. She survived 33 bullet wounds on her legs, her arms and near her heart.

While their young lives may be filled with suffering through divorce, drugs and alcohol, depression or rejection, Beckman called on youth to die to themselves and suffer with Christ in order to share their faith with many others who suffer.

“I think you can make a difference in your world. I think you can make a difference in your schools, your churches, but it’s all about dying. If you can die then you can rise again like (Christ) did.”

Beckman also called on them to “grow up,” be willing to apologize and let go of annoyances, anger and grudges over petty things such as when nobody makes an effort to speak to them at Mass, as every other teen is probably thinking the same thing.

The Thursday before the Columbine shooting, Beckman said he was holding a praise session at which teens only complained. After listening to them, he pretended to push a casket into the room to remind them of what’s important. He shared his message with the youth at the conference.

“What really matters in your life? Think about conflicts in your life with your parents, with your brothers and sisters and conflicts with your friends--the things that you think are so significant. Line that up next to life and you’ll find what’s really important.”

Beckman said that all the little decisions, such as one’s reaction to being rejected, made fun of, or to a fight, will make them saints.

“Every decision that you make when you try to follow Christ--all of those decisions over your lifetime--are going to add up and that’s what’s going to make you a saint.”

Archbishop John F. Donoghue opened the day July 10 celebrating morning Mass. With the many opportunities open to them, the archbishop said youth are fighting a battle to preserve good and resist evil through Christ. As he found comfort from fears in younger days through Scripture, he called youth to be fearless through God’s word as they journey toward adulthood.

“You are developing for yourselves, whatever weapons, whatever shields you will need to be numbered among those victors, and not the victims ... If you are to win in the end, your heart must be fearless, and your eyes open, clear, and on the road ahead.”

Another divine shield is the Eucharist.

“There is still a greater closeness, and another gift to be gotten from our Lord--the greatest of all gifts and the banishment of all fears: the Holy Eucharist ... No strength is stronger, no love is longer, than what we receive from Him now at this Mass,” the archbishop said. “Let your love grow, let your need for Christ grow, let your thirst for His Word draw you into the deep truths He has left us in the Gospel, let your hunger for His Presence draw you into the Church, to His altar.”

Demonstrating the need to stand firm in difficult times and be strong and courageous in faith, the archbishop then stood between entertainers Brad Farmer and Gene Monterastelli as they juggled six bowling pins about his head. The crowd stood and cheered.

Mary Beth Bonacci, founder and director of Original Innocence, that promotes understanding of God’s gift of sexuality, talked to girls about sexuality after the guys headed to another side of the camp for a corresponding talk. Bonacci has written two books for teens, “We’re on a Mission from God” and “Real Love.”

Wearing a tank top and clam digger pants, Bonacci spoke of how teenage girls often see themselves through boys’ eyes and try to flaunt their sexuality, use their bodies or try to achieve impossible standards of physical beauty to get boys to like them.

“We spend energy, we try to remake ourselves into this standard that we think boys want us to be,” she said. “We figure we can use our bodies to make guys like us better. We think if we dress a certain way to accentuate certain body parts, guys will like us.”

Referring to Adam and Eve as a model for marriage, Bonacci said that they loved each other as God loved them, wanting what was best for the other. They gave themselves to each other and made that gift physical through their bodies.

“Sex is private because it is sacred, good and holy. God created sex. He created it to have a meaning and to have a language--‘I give myself to you forever.’ It speaks the language of marriage and everything about it is forever,” she said. “When we take it outside that relationship, we cheat ourselves.”

During sex, she said, women release hormones causing them to become vulnerable and forgetful and developing in them strong emotional attachments to their partners. Men produce different hormones which kick in an increased sense of responsibility. These reactions are good for marriage, she continued, and damaging to the unmarried.

Bonacci urged teens to begin or to continue living chaste lives and, if experiencing ongoing dark feelings which could indicate clinical depression, to go to confession or talk to someone.

“I want to close by challenging you to be women of God,” she said. “We have to constantly go back to the Father and say, ‘Help me to see myself through your eyes.’”

Monica Raus, a member of St. Ann’s Church, Marietta, hosted the girls-only session and advised the youth to only show affection in ways which Jesus would approve.

“Our body is the temple of God. Hold onto Bible verses. Hold onto God. Nobody can take God from you. When you know the power of God, when you feel that power of God, keep that power with you. Keep that power in your dating relationship.”

Eighteen-year-old Kristen Alfred of Tallahassee, Fla., attending her fourth conference, liked the messages for girls to question whether guys they date are helping them get to heaven and for girls not to define themselves through the eyes of guys.

“We need to remember we’re beautiful in Christ--not trying to impress guys,” she said. “Jesus is inside of you and whatever you do you’re bringing Jesus along with you, and if you do something with a guy you’re bringing Jesus along with you.”

Weber came to the conference to draw closer to God, as she used to pray daily and now prays about twice a week. “I think I’ve fallen away from God this year and I want to get closer to him,” she said. “I’ll like forget to pray at night. When I have problems I’ll forget to go to him and I’ll try to take control of them and just forget about God and prayer, and things get confusing.”

Weber commented on what she saw as the purpose of the conference.

“They’re trying to encourage people to take time out every day to pray to God. You just become closer (to God) and you want to improve your life. You want to be a better person after this.”

Her youth leader, Jean Schaefer, said the group of 60 raised $14,000 for the trip and also camped at Stone Mountain Park, visited the Monastery of the Holy Spirit and the reported Marian apparition site in Conyers. She said her group included a lot of newcomers and that, through the transforming presence of the Holy Spirit, “every person that comes to (the conference)--not just the kids--is touched somehow in a different way that brings them closer to Christ. I’ve just seen it change so many kids and adults.”

She also noted that youth with more mature faith are helping newer faith-seekers.

“That’s great when you see the youth ministering to the youth and encouraging them in their faith.”

Drew Holahan, 15, of Good Shepherd Church, Cumming, found freedom from shame over sin and a negative self-image by going to confession for the second time in his life.

“Last night was one of the best experiences that I have had in my entire life. It inspired me to go to confession and to take ownership for these things I’ve done wrong. There’s no way to describe how it feels, but the possibilities are endless when you start over. It’s like being a little kid again.”

Holahan described how the atmosphere the night before swept him away.

“(With) 1000 kids in a tent being together--the words of the songs, they hit home to me. You look over and you see everyone praising God and that there’s a lot of love here and you don’t have anything to be ashamed of,” he said. “I’ve been forgiven things I was not sure I could be forgiven for.”

Preparing for a youth mission trip to Mexico, Joseph Willcox of St. Dominic Church, Mobile, Ala., said he gained motivation to turn problems with his parents, enemies and his ex-girlfriend over to God.

“You’ve got to look at Columbine and things they went through (and) you look at yourself and it’s not as serious. You’ve just got to offer it up (to God),” he said. “It’s really going to make a difference in my faith. It’s pretty powerful.”

Beckman said that Steubenville and other Catholic youth organizations have seen a huge increase in attendance since World Youth Day 1993. He believes Steubenville is effective because “it’s straightforward and honest. It hits kids where they’re living. It challenges them to walk with Christ.”

Deacon Loris Sinanian, FEI executive director, said youth were eager to receive the Gospel message, as, with their complicated lives, they are seeking help and stability that they find through the Lord.

“They’re so open to receive (God’s word) and to carry it out. It’s just a beautiful experience.”

He said the weekend also included an appeal for vocations and 175 youth came forward and were prayed over.

“This ends up being a very big environment for the nurturing of the vocations. That’s the key for tomorrow.”

ON THE WATER -- (L-r) Josh Peteman, Sara Sullivan and Jessica Gebhart of St. James Church, McDonough, share a conversation by the lake following afternoon workshops at the second annual Steubenville Atlanta High School Age Conference in Covington July 10.
Photos by Michael Alexander

MAIN SPEAKER -- Jim Beckman, youth ministry director for Life Teen, St. Frances Cabrini Church, Littleton, Colo., speaks at an afternoon workshop on “Dealing With Life’s Hurts.”