Winter spectacular
Youth in grades six, seven and eight from around the diocese gathered at St. John’s University Jan. 7 for the annual Junior High Youth Rally. The event is a gathering of the young diocesan church to celebrate being Catholic through Eucharist, learning about the faith and having fun together.
Above: Members of the Diocesan Youth Council participate in an activity to start off the day. Those pictured are from left: Austin Kulzer, Aaron Soderholm, Beth Hiltner, Abigail Parker, Alaina Laing, Megan LaLonde, Jessica Dolan, Katie Schmitz, Adam Petrich, Kailee Kroska, Mikayla Schmitz, Kendra Schmitz and Madison Midas. Members not pictured are: Abby LaLonde, Grace Knoblach and Emily Primus. Members of the Diocesan Youth Council also helped to plan the day’s activities.
Left: Keynote speaker Jason Prigge, director of faith formation at St. Benedict Parish in Avon and St. John the Baptist Parish in Collegeville, talks with the students about how everyone is different and that’s OK.
Right: Miles Walter from St. Paul Parish in Sauk Centre prays during the event.
The day included ice breaker games, the keynote talk, lunch and Mass, as well as activities like hiking, ice fishing, sledding, swimming, floor hockey and volleyball.