MARIETTA—Teens from Transfiguration Church were able to share their faith with teens from around the country when they recently attended the National Catholic Youth Conference in St. Louis.

Father Joseph Morris, parochial vicar at Transfiguration, and Matthew Robaszkiewicz, archdiocesan director of youth ministry, accompanied the 30 teens and five chaperones who made the trip to St. Louis Nov. 18-21, 1999, for the conference, sponsored by the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry.

The conference offered the teens an opportunity to meet Catholic teens from all over the United States, to hear speakers, to visit a new city, to celebrate their Catholic faith and to embrace the challenge to be the gateway for others to grow in their love for Jesus Christ. Speakers included Father J-Glenn Murray, Michael Pritchard, Suzie McConnell Serio, Kristen Zielinski, Craig Kielburger and Ronda Smith. Participants listened to live performances by contemporary Christian musicians.

Teens Michael Guris and Jack Khoury participated in the Youth Congress, which included a Scripture Roundtable Discussion with other teens and bishops from around the country.

Teens listened to speakers, attended workshop sessions and participated in liturgies. The closing Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Justin Rigali of St. Louis, with over 20,000 teens from across America gathered together in prayer. A Mass for members of Region 4, which includes Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Puerto Rico and the Diocese of Richmond, Va., was celebrated by Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Teens attending from Transfiguration were Mara Clements, Michelle Colasurdo, Megan Colclasure, Tommy Collins, Caitlin Culbert, Alex Duffy, Wes Elkin, Patrick Esler, Meghan Gill, Kristy Guris, Michael Guris, Erica Hanlon, Alicia Harpenau, DJ Heinen, Colin Jansen, Jennifer Kanzler, Jack Khoury, Andrew Klingman, Jennifer Krix, Megan Mayne, James McMahon, Lauren Oliver, Ashley Roberts, Claire Samaha, Eric Shaefer, Meghan Sheehan, Molly Stofko, Courtney Wondrasek, Trish Woolard and Sarah Woolard.

Chaperones were youth minister Joyce Guris, Peter Kanzler, Matt Kling, Sherrie McQueen, Marie Murray and Father Morris.

The teens hosted activities to defray the cost of the trip and are grateful to parishioners from Transfiguration for their generous support.

Plans are already underway for the 2000 national Catholic Youth Conference, “Hope at the Crossroads,” Dec. 6-9 in Indianapolis.