Students encounter Christ's love at national conference

For SEEK22, in addition to journeying with my students as their campus minister, I had the unique opportunity of also experiencing the weekend as the event photographer. Between participating in small group discussions and wandering around to capture moments throughout the conference, it became clear that everyone attending SEEK was hoping for some kind of transformative experience. For me, and indeed for many others in attendance, this would be one of the first large Catholic gatherings I have attended since the pandemic started. More than a simple Newman Night or Sunday Mass on campus with the same 15 people gathered in a small room in an old school gym in Connecticut, we were experiencing the fullness of the Church unfolding once again. Campus ministers, religious, missionaries, students – All of us gathered together, seeking to encounter Christ once more, and the same phenomenon was happening simultaneously all over the country.

On a cold Friday afternoon in February, 10 students, four missionaries, and I set out to attend SEEK22, the annual national Catholic conference hosted by FOCUS.

For those who are not familiar, the mission of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) is to know Jesus Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission to “go and make disciples of all nations (Mt. 28:19).” FOCUS missionaries seek to do this by inspiring and equipping college students to commit their lives to Christ, grow in their Catholic faith, and then go out and share the Gospel with their peers, teaching others to do the same.

The missionaries at Ramapo – Ellen, Abby, Lucci, and Doug – have spent months preparing the group to attend the SEEK22 conference. Under normal circumstances, we would have gathered with tens of thousands of other groups from colleges and universities from all over the country. However, due to the ongoing pandemic, this year’s SEEK conference would consist of several simultaneous regional gatherings, each run by local FOCUS missionaries. We had the good fortune of attending SEEK22 at Central Connecticut State University with NYU, UMass, Seton Hall University, Montclair State University, University of Rhode Island, and others. With these campuses in attendance, our gathering reached about 300 attendees.

*Local college students attended a national Catholic conference known as SEEK22 at Central Connecticut State University. (Photo courtesy of Vanessa Louise Cajes.*

The conference included four livestreamed keynote sessions and several impact sessions from renowned speakers such as Father Mike Schmitz, Dr. Edward Sri, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, and more. Additionally, Father Mark Mary of the CFRs traveled to the university to deliver an in-person impact session. With a packed weekend ahead of us, although some of us went into it feeling anxious about school or work, we were also hopeful about what was in store.

The pinnacle of the weekend was none other than the source and summit Himself – Eucharistic Adoration on Saturday night. FOCUS intentionally chose its speakers and topics so that the weekend would reach its climax at this critical point. Accompanied by a live music ministry, attendees encountered Jesus in the Eucharist, with confession and prayer teams available throughout the hour.

After the closing Mass and final keynote on Sunday, everyone went their separate ways, each person empowered in their missionary calling and, for many, with new followers and friends on social media. Although this was my first conference with FOCUS, drawing from other past Catholic conferences, the input and output remain the same. Everyone comes during their waiting, suffering, hoping, and struggling – and all leave knowing that they are Christ’s beloved. Considering the fluctuating situation that is COVID-19, SEEK22 has reminded me that Christ remains constantly in love with me. I pray that my fellow Christians, SEEK attendee or not, may find themselves secure in that truth.

Vanessa Louise Cajes is the Catholic campus minister at Ramapo College through the Archdiocese of Newark.

Featured image: Local college students attended a national Catholic conference known as SEEK22 at Central Connecticut State University. (Photo courtesy of Vanessa Louise Cajes.