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FOCUS Student Leadership Summit Draws Thousands of Young Catholics

Stephanie Foleyby Stephanie Foley

More than 8,000 young Catholics from around the country gathered in Chicago this week to be inspired and equipped to bring Christ to their campus or parish.

Every other year, FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) hosts a Student Leadership Summit (SLS) where student leaders are trained in evangelization, discipleship, small-group Bible studies, and prayer. FOCUS is a Catholic collegiate outreach whose mission is to share the hope and joy of the gospel with college and university students.

This year’s summit was held in Chicago, and as a sponsor of the event, Relevant Radio® featured a booth where attendees could pin their hometown or campus. Our map showed that people from all 50 states and at least six countries were represented.

The SLS featured daily Mass, workshops where parish and student leaders received training on evangelization, and evening keynote speakers.

Bishop Robert Barron of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles was the keynote speaker Tuesday evening, and he encouraged those in attendance to be bold in proclaiming the truth of the Gospel.

Wednesday night, actor Jim Caviezel was a surprise guest speaker, and gave an inspiring testimony.

Thursday evening, 8,000 young people were on their knees in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

And thousands lines up to receive the sacrament of Confession. Fortunately, there were hundreds of priests on hand to offer this sacrament of mercy.

Curtis Martin, founder of FOCUS, delivered the final keynote speech on Friday evening, encouraging those in attendance to equip others to share the Gospel as well.

The SLS concluded today with Mass, celebrated by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich. Cardinal Cupich urged attendees to go out into the world and serve the “uns” – the unborn, the unemployed, the undocumented immigrant – but to begin first within their own families.

Thank you FOCUS for a wonderful event – and thank you to all the attendees who stopped by the Relevant Radio booth!

Stephanie Foley

Stephanie Foley

Stephanie Foley serves as a Digital Media Producer at Relevant Radio®. She is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she studied journalism, and she has worked in Catholic radio for 12 years. Stephanie is a wife, a mother of three boys, and in her free time she enjoys reading, running, and really good coffee. You can find more of Stephanie’s writing at relevantradio.com and on the free Relevant Radio mobile app.