More than 5,000 teens, youth leaders attend 'Steubenville East' event

Published: 2004-08-02

ATTLEBORO, Mass. (CNS) -- More than 5,000 Catholic teenagers and youth leaders gathered at La Salette Shrine in Attleboro in July to express their love for Jesus and share that with others during a retreat event called "Steubenville East." Young people and youth ministry leaders came from around Massachusetts and from Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire Pennsylvania and Canada to attend one of two weekend retreats. On hand to help make the events a success were 350 volunteers. The July 9-11 and July 16-18 retreats, which each drew about 2,500 participants, featured worship, reconciliation, lively music and faith sharing. Events were held in large tents on the shrine grounds and ran from 9 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. At night most participants slept in sleeping bags in the tents. "The speakers were exceptional and well-received by the teens," said Lisa Laliberte, coordinator of Steubenville East. The teens had "incredible enthusiasm" when renewing their baptismal vows, which set the tone for the entire weekend, she said. "It gave me goose bumps." Sponsored by the shrine and the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, the retreat had as its theme "Rise Up! A Catholic Revolution."

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