Diocesan Youth Convention marks
50 years of `Solid Gold’ in Diocese of Jackson
By Fabvienen Taylor
JACKSON — Father Walter Brown came to the Diocesan Youth Convention with six youth from Yazoo St. Mary Parish, where he is pastor. He is also pastor of Yazoo St. Francis of Assisi and Belzoni All Saints parishes.
“I have a tough time getting together with my kids and convention is a time when we can be together and get to know each other,” he said.
He stressed the importance of Catholic youth, especially those from smaller towns, getting the opportunity to experience the largest gathering of youth in the Diocese of Jackson, the annual Diocesan Youth Convention.
“I was raised in a small town in Mississippi and if you were Catholic you were looked down on. It is not as bad today as it was but it is good for them to get together and see so many other Catholics their age, talk about their faith and their experiences and to be exposed to Catholic values,” Father Brown said.
Father Brown’s words chimed in with the purpose, not only of the 50th “Solid Gold” youth convention, but of all the ones before it.
“You have come together in a common bond,” Bishop Joseph Latino told 325 youth and adults gathered on Friday, Feb. 5, in the Marriott Hotel for the three-day annual convention.
“That common bond is to give evidence to and to give witness to the great gift God has given to us, the gift of faith.”
Giving witness to, practicing and spreading the Catholic faith — evangelization — was the thread running through all the weekend keynote presentations and breakout sessions, or discussion groups.
Presenters included motivational speaker Rich Curran, the singing duo Popple, John McGinley from Starkville St. Joseph Parish and Ben Russell of Catholic Charities.
“I want them (youth) to know God is trying to use them,” said Curran. “I want to let them know God has given them the gift of life and desires for them to bring the good news to others, in the language of the church, to evangelize,” he said.
Dan Harms and Kyle Heimann of Popple sing and play various instruments — guitar, kazoo, uke — to expand their brand of evangelization to the youth.
“We don’t want to talk at them,” said Harms, “but with them. We want to inspire them to live their baptism and to share it with more people.”
This is the second year for Popple to keynote the youth convention here.
“The energy level of the kids here is incredible. They are so energetic. I think that’s because there are, for many of them, so few Catholics in their schools, especially outside of Jackson. So when they come together and unite as a young church, knowing it is a huge opportunity, and they embrace it.”
The opportunity to surround herself with lots of Catholics her age drew Chelsea Trautman, 17, back to convention for the third and last time.
“I just really like the experience of coming to convention. Living in Mississippi, Catholicism is not the largest denomination here. So it’s nice to be surrounded by tons of kids who go through the same things I do. It is just a really good experience,” said the Amory High School senior.
Melissa Sierra, Amory St. Helen youth adviser, and 11 youth on Friday drove the three hours to Jackson to attend the convention.
“Our youth are really excited to be here,” Sierra said. “They are excited to be Catholic and want more things to do, more things to share in, more things to participate in involving their faith.
“They have that hunger we all have for our faith, and it is important for them to be here, whatever it takes,” she said.
Parish youth groups paid homage to the 50th anniversary of the convention with skits depicting each decade from the 1960s to the 2000s.
