WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:07.216 --> 00:00:09.456 Well, today my guest is Father Luke Rowicki. 00:00:09.766 --> 00:00:12.556 Uh, he's the chaplain at Cardinal Gibbons High School. 00:00:13.196 --> 00:00:17.246 Father Luke completed two years of architectural studies at Texas A& M 00:00:17.246 --> 00:00:21.846 University before joining the Seminary of the Legionnaires of Christ in 2009. 00:00:22.376 --> 00:00:26.236 During his seminary years, he earned a bachelor's in philosophy and theology 00:00:26.236 --> 00:00:30.351 and from Regina Apostolatorium Pontifical University in Rome, Italy. 00:00:30.871 --> 00:00:31.121 Fr. 00:00:31.131 --> 00:00:33.611 Luke spent three pastoral years in Washington, D. 00:00:33.611 --> 00:00:33.971 C. 00:00:34.261 --> 00:00:37.001 directing faith and leadership programs for the youth. 00:00:37.631 --> 00:00:40.171 He was a three year catechism teacher at St. 00:00:40.211 --> 00:00:43.391 San Salvador in Lauro Parish in Rome. 00:00:43.981 --> 00:00:48.021 After being ordained a deacon, he helped direct a large youth organization in 00:00:48.031 --> 00:00:52.581 Monterey, Mexico, while supporting students as a spiritual mentor at 00:00:52.581 --> 00:00:54.511 the Irish Institute of Monterey. 00:00:55.156 --> 00:00:59.466 Father Luke was ordained a priest in Rome on May 7th, 2022. 00:00:59.816 --> 00:01:02.926 And as I mentioned before, he's currently the chaplain at Cardinal 00:01:02.926 --> 00:01:07.096 Gibbons High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he accompanies students, 00:01:07.426 --> 00:01:11.796 faculty, and families in their journey of faith and human flourishing. 00:01:12.116 --> 00:01:13.206 Welcome Father Luke. 00:01:13.206 --> 00:01:14.116 It's great to see you. 00:01:14.486 --> 00:01:15.376 Great to be here, John. 00:01:16.006 --> 00:01:16.586 It's fantastic. 00:01:16.781 --> 00:01:21.521 So you, you are, uh, at Cardinal Givens High School here in Raleigh, 00:01:21.521 --> 00:01:25.651 North Carolina, and you are blessed, I should say the school 00:01:25.651 --> 00:01:27.291 is blessed to have you there. 00:01:27.481 --> 00:01:30.651 And you serve there as their chaplain, and I just know all the great things 00:01:30.671 --> 00:01:32.331 that are going on over at that school. 00:01:32.621 --> 00:01:34.831 But let's talk, let's back up just a little bit here. 00:01:34.831 --> 00:01:37.031 You entered the seminary in 2009. 00:01:37.401 --> 00:01:41.671 Talk a little bit to our listeners about the role Catholic education played in 00:01:41.671 --> 00:01:43.851 your formation and in your discernment. 00:01:45.066 --> 00:01:45.426 Yeah. 00:01:45.506 --> 00:01:51.666 So I grew up, I'm a third of six kids in a Catholic family and my parents 00:01:51.666 --> 00:01:54.446 always made sure that we were enrolled at a Catholic school growing up. 00:01:54.896 --> 00:01:57.726 So I think that had a major impact on. 00:01:58.451 --> 00:02:02.981 my life just because it was always second nature to have Catholic education, to 00:02:02.981 --> 00:02:07.031 pray at the beginning of classes, to have masses on, you know, the major 00:02:07.061 --> 00:02:08.691 feast days in the church calendar. 00:02:08.874 --> 00:02:13.954 so yeah, I think that was foundational for my Catholic upbringing. 00:02:14.334 --> 00:02:18.849 And, I think another aspect of it that I think about quite a bit as now chaplain 00:02:18.849 --> 00:02:23.699 of a Catholic high school is that while it was a Catholic school, I don't really 00:02:23.699 --> 00:02:27.439 remember ever having close relationship with any priest on the campus. 00:02:28.034 --> 00:02:33.184 And I got a little lost in my years of high school, especially. 00:02:33.694 --> 00:02:38.374 And I think many times, just often how helpful it would have been if I would have 00:02:38.374 --> 00:02:44.044 had kind of a trusted faith mentor in a priest to be able to go to with questions 00:02:44.044 --> 00:02:45.524 I have, doubts I have about the faith. 00:02:45.760 --> 00:02:48.460 kind of helped me understand why the church says no to certain things. 00:02:48.795 --> 00:02:51.715 so also, while that was so helpful, I think there were also 00:02:51.935 --> 00:02:53.085 certain things that were lacking. 00:02:53.805 --> 00:02:58.265 And that has kind of motivated me to prepare myself to, I mean, 00:02:58.265 --> 00:03:01.455 to, yeah, I guess be the best instrument of God's grace that I 00:03:01.455 --> 00:03:05.325 can be for all the students and be approachable and be accessible to them. 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:09.630 Yeah, and I think, I think that's a great point because sometimes it's like 00:03:09.640 --> 00:03:12.430 you, you, you know you want it, but when you have it there, it's like, oh 00:03:12.430 --> 00:03:16.520 my goodness, this is such a blessing and such a, dare I call, resource to have. 00:03:16.530 --> 00:03:20.284 But I mean, honestly, your goal is to help the students, grow in their 00:03:20.284 --> 00:03:23.394 relationship with Christ and to, and to help them find their way. 00:03:23.434 --> 00:03:27.614 And, uh, Recognizing in a school as large as yours, there's a lot of 00:03:27.624 --> 00:03:30.304 people coming from a lot of different directions on that type of a thing. 00:03:31.329 --> 00:03:31.859 Yes. 00:03:32.824 --> 00:03:36.534 And, and one of the things I found most interesting in, in, you know, getting 00:03:36.534 --> 00:03:40.124 to know you and, and your bio, and, and for those of you that, that don't know 00:03:40.124 --> 00:03:43.184 that, I mean, you, you heard a little bit about Father Luke at the beginning. 00:03:43.614 --> 00:03:47.964 But you've been able to serve and to minister worldwide even even as we 00:03:47.964 --> 00:03:50.544 were talking kind of before recording over the summer You'll be doing some 00:03:50.544 --> 00:03:52.164 mission work and things like that. 00:03:52.484 --> 00:03:56.644 Yeah, and as Catholics, I think our worlds sometimes are so small anymore You know 00:03:56.644 --> 00:04:00.374 in speaking, you know to a friend He said, you know, the the experiences that he's 00:04:00.374 --> 00:04:03.854 enjoyed the most or when you when you were get to know other people and other 00:04:03.884 --> 00:04:05.894 cultures outside of our own worldview. 00:04:06.304 --> 00:04:09.837 Um, what have you taken from just, just your, your work across the 00:04:09.837 --> 00:04:13.327 world, and maybe some of the, your favorite places that you've visited? 00:04:14.572 --> 00:04:16.452 Yeah, um, gosh, a lot. 00:04:16.452 --> 00:04:21.882 I, I felt spoiled throughout actually my life before joining the seminary, 00:04:21.882 --> 00:04:23.062 becoming a legionnaire of Christ. 00:04:23.482 --> 00:04:26.392 And then especially I think during this time, because I have been able to 00:04:26.392 --> 00:04:29.772 travel a lot and live in some places that I never would have imagined. 00:04:29.862 --> 00:04:32.250 So, just a tiny bit of background on that. 00:04:32.260 --> 00:04:34.880 My dad, because of his job, we'd move around a lot. 00:04:34.890 --> 00:04:37.240 So I was, you know, born in Louisiana. 00:04:37.240 --> 00:04:40.040 And after that, the longest we ever lived somewhere was 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:41.670 five years, but that was rare. 00:04:41.720 --> 00:04:43.480 It was usually like between two and three years. 00:04:43.945 --> 00:04:46.455 Uh, so that brought us all around the United States, but also to Australia 00:04:46.455 --> 00:04:49.695 when I was little, and I think that was, you know, one of the ways that 00:04:49.695 --> 00:04:54.265 God went preparing me for my missionary life, because as a legionnaire of 00:04:54.265 --> 00:04:58.000 Christ, like other religious groups, missionary groups, Uh, you're not 00:04:58.000 --> 00:04:59.570 gonna be stuck in one diocese. 00:04:59.570 --> 00:05:03.420 You're not gonna be stuck, you know, as, as parish priests feel called to serve in 00:05:03.420 --> 00:05:05.210 their diocese and they will remain there. 00:05:05.373 --> 00:05:09.503 a missionary vocation sort of implies, entails that you're willing to go 00:05:09.583 --> 00:05:12.474 to another continent, learn a new language, adapt to a new culture. 00:05:12.895 --> 00:05:16.715 So I think part of, yeah, God, God's way of calling me and preparing me 00:05:16.715 --> 00:05:18.045 to be a legionary of Christ was that. 00:05:18.555 --> 00:05:19.635 And then, yeah, you're exactly right. 00:05:19.655 --> 00:05:23.555 As a legionary, I started in Connecticut, in Rome, in Washington, D. 00:05:23.555 --> 00:05:23.955 C. 00:05:24.535 --> 00:05:28.225 Uh, as well as once you're in Rome and in Europe, you have all these 00:05:28.475 --> 00:05:33.520 awesome opportunities to, you know, go visit a Marian shrine like Lourdes or 00:05:33.520 --> 00:05:37.500 Medjugorje, which I've been to both, or Fatima, uh, to, you know, attend a 00:05:37.500 --> 00:05:41.720 youth festival in Salzburg, Austria to spend a month driving around Austria. 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:45.838 So, it helps you to, yeah, you gain a lot of perspective. 00:05:46.478 --> 00:05:49.195 It's eye opening to see how, different cultures. 00:05:49.349 --> 00:05:53.099 you know, live out their faith as a deacon in Mexico, again, a very Catholic 00:05:53.109 --> 00:05:57.129 country, but they also have their, their style of, of worshiping the 00:05:57.129 --> 00:06:01.139 Lord, of gathering young people, kind of the activities that attract them. 00:06:01.639 --> 00:06:06.461 And, also, yeah, different perspectives, even senses of humor that I think has 00:06:06.461 --> 00:06:11.299 just helped me um, not take my one way of looking at things too seriously. 00:06:11.369 --> 00:06:13.209 I think that's something I'm extremely grateful for. 00:06:14.414 --> 00:06:17.914 And then I, yeah, you can't overemphasize enough living in 00:06:17.914 --> 00:06:22.434 Rome for six years, like being that close to the Vatican, to the Pope. 00:06:22.454 --> 00:06:25.584 I was there when Pope Francis came out on the balcony for the first time. 00:06:25.834 --> 00:06:26.434 I was there in St. 00:06:26.434 --> 00:06:27.094 Peter's Square. 00:06:27.414 --> 00:06:31.044 So like you're living the history of the church right in 00:06:31.044 --> 00:06:32.114 front of you every single day. 00:06:32.265 --> 00:06:35.532 so that just, yeah, fills you with gratitude, but also just a lot of, 00:06:35.719 --> 00:06:39.419 hopefully healthy, holy pride in who we are as a Catholic Church and everything 00:06:39.419 --> 00:06:42.848 that the Holy Spirit has done throughout these 2, 000 years, as a church. 00:06:43.418 --> 00:06:47.178 Uh, so that's a huge privilege that I do not take for granted at all. 00:06:47.188 --> 00:06:47.928 absolutely. 00:06:47.958 --> 00:06:53.753 And, and I think living the culture, As opposed to just visiting it for a couple 00:06:53.753 --> 00:06:57.803 of days is a much different experience because, you know, I can travel to 00:06:57.913 --> 00:07:04.093 Europe for a week and go to church at a particular church or cathedral or whatever 00:07:04.093 --> 00:07:08.443 I may attend Mass at, and I've got a snippet of that, but when you're living 00:07:08.443 --> 00:07:13.143 it and you're truly, working with and, and each and every day and, and living in 00:07:13.143 --> 00:07:17.606 that culture that, that gives you a much different perspective on things for sure. 00:07:17.696 --> 00:07:18.176 Wow. 00:07:18.816 --> 00:07:22.566 Yes, it was, I think it was that aspect that attracted me the most, that, 00:07:22.626 --> 00:07:25.836 okay, I'm going to be in Italy six years, first of all, I really need to 00:07:25.846 --> 00:07:27.376 be able to speak Italian after this. 00:07:27.936 --> 00:07:33.166 And, and I really wanted to kind of get to the point where at least I 00:07:33.166 --> 00:07:36.446 didn't feel so much like a tourist and again, that meant, you know, 00:07:36.446 --> 00:07:37.416 getting out of your comfort zone. 00:07:37.416 --> 00:07:39.716 I signed up to be a catechist at a local parish in Rome. 00:07:40.186 --> 00:07:44.726 And, uh, again, those were just amazing experiences because every 00:07:44.726 --> 00:07:47.766 culture has its, uh, advantages. 00:07:47.786 --> 00:07:50.926 And also, I guess it's challenges when it comes to evangelization, 00:07:51.466 --> 00:07:55.596 like these kids are living in the footsteps of countless saints and Pope. 00:07:55.636 --> 00:07:56.666 Every street corner has. 00:07:57.141 --> 00:07:57.951 You know, a St. 00:07:57.961 --> 00:08:01.801 Barry there and you're just thinking why, why, like, why don't these kids get it? 00:08:01.811 --> 00:08:03.051 Why aren't they more excited about their faith? 00:08:03.071 --> 00:08:05.571 Why are they just going through the motions when you, you're literally like 00:08:05.571 --> 00:08:10.221 you have Padre Pio's Gloves that are bloodstained with his stigmata at your 00:08:10.231 --> 00:08:14.761 parish and you don't care, you know So it was like also has like that challenge of 00:08:14.761 --> 00:08:19.101 okay They kind of do take it for granted and there were even kids in our Catechism 00:08:19.101 --> 00:08:20.881 class that had never been inside St. 00:08:20.881 --> 00:08:23.361 Peter's Basilica And it was 10 minutes walking distance from their house 00:08:23.968 --> 00:08:27.268 And, and, and for us, we would jump on that opportunity in about one second. 00:08:27.768 --> 00:08:28.218 Yes. 00:08:29.608 --> 00:08:32.638 It would be like, how quickly I'll get in line right now, you 00:08:32.638 --> 00:08:33.958 know, to, to go tomorrow morning. 00:08:34.578 --> 00:08:38.859 Well, and, and I think that your work in terms of, You know, having to move 00:08:38.859 --> 00:08:42.269 around a lot and, and, and assimilating to cultures and getting to know what's 00:08:42.269 --> 00:08:46.729 going on, that's got to help you connect with, with students at the school, because 00:08:47.029 --> 00:08:48.749 you've got kids that are very outgoing. 00:08:48.749 --> 00:08:50.719 You've got kids that may be very introverted. 00:08:50.838 --> 00:08:54.663 talk about how that, has influenced you, because I know sometimes for our 00:08:54.663 --> 00:08:57.693 Catholic schools, you know, we want to teach our kids about the faith, 00:08:57.693 --> 00:09:01.568 but sometimes we, we maybe don't know how to reach those kids who, Maybe a 00:09:01.568 --> 00:09:05.148 little more introverted, or maybe don't want to outwardly live their faith. 00:09:05.148 --> 00:09:08.538 And tell me about that experience that you've had in your, in your 00:09:08.538 --> 00:09:11.898 travels, and how that's impacted the work that you're doing right now. 00:09:12.406 --> 00:09:12.676 Yeah. 00:09:12.736 --> 00:09:15.846 I, um, I think I've had just a lot of good examples. 00:09:15.991 --> 00:09:20.431 I'm a, I'm the beneficiary of a preach priest reaching out to me, going out 00:09:20.431 --> 00:09:23.647 of, getting out of, going out of his way to reach out to me, remembering 00:09:23.647 --> 00:09:25.947 my name after I'd met him once. 00:09:25.947 --> 00:09:29.447 So I went to Texas a and m University, still kind of in a phase of just 00:09:30.057 --> 00:09:31.917 distancing myself from God and my faith. 00:09:32.527 --> 00:09:36.697 And I was leaving mass one day on a Sunday. 00:09:37.217 --> 00:09:41.957 And he called out to me as I walked out the doors towards my car by name. 00:09:42.077 --> 00:09:46.707 And I think because he did that, I was then much more open to then, you 00:09:46.707 --> 00:09:47.837 know, what he had to say after that. 00:09:47.837 --> 00:09:50.227 And he invited me to a talk and that ended up being life changing for me. 00:09:50.227 --> 00:09:58.450 So, I also just, I try to, um, not let different fears or, um, I guess, yeah, 00:09:58.450 --> 00:10:03.210 like comforts or I don't, I don't ever want to be comfortable with, uh, like 00:10:03.210 --> 00:10:07.225 the few students that maybe have that spiritual sensibility, sensitivity, and 00:10:07.225 --> 00:10:10.655 they're already coming, because I want to reach out to those kids that were like 00:10:10.655 --> 00:10:14.465 me, that didn't feel a connection with the church, and you're right, there are 00:10:14.465 --> 00:10:18.375 the extroverts, and they're, maybe they, it comes easier to them to try something 00:10:18.375 --> 00:10:22.973 new, but also the introverts, I think everyone, I know everyone needs Christ, 00:10:23.023 --> 00:10:27.823 and I know everyone wants to feel like, you know, someone cares about them, and 00:10:28.093 --> 00:10:31.363 is willing to take the time to answer their questions, so I think it's, yeah, 00:10:31.363 --> 00:10:33.933 just, you really have to get creative and think outside the box, come up with. 00:10:34.428 --> 00:10:37.998 Activities are going to attract, you know, the, the different sorts 00:10:37.998 --> 00:10:41.808 of people, but then I think even more than that, uh, something that 00:10:41.858 --> 00:10:44.908 I've learned that I try to apply is just meeting them where they're at. 00:10:45.268 --> 00:10:48.278 So if they're athletes, I'm going to go to their games and cheer them on. 00:10:48.598 --> 00:10:51.748 If they're in drama, if they're in music, orchestra, same thing. 00:10:51.798 --> 00:10:55.398 Art, there's an art show I'm going to try to, You know, get to know a 00:10:55.398 --> 00:10:59.751 few of them and, really take time to appreciate what they're doing, what they 00:11:00.541 --> 00:11:01.761 feel like is important for their life. 00:11:02.441 --> 00:11:06.291 And then once, you know, you've made that connection at just human relationship, 00:11:06.741 --> 00:11:10.247 then now, I think they're going to be more open to hearing about what you 00:11:10.257 --> 00:11:11.647 think is important, which is the faith. 00:11:11.697 --> 00:11:15.753 And kind of a combination of doing a lot of different activities. 00:11:15.753 --> 00:11:19.243 And again, thinking outside the box to attract different types of 00:11:19.253 --> 00:11:21.483 personalities and, and sensibilities. 00:11:21.948 --> 00:11:25.578 And also getting out of your comfort zone a lot, because it's, yeah, it's, 00:11:25.608 --> 00:11:31.128 it's just, again, very easy to stay kind of between, you know, your office, your 00:11:31.438 --> 00:11:35.668 campus ministry area, and just kind of wait for kids to come to you, but as 00:11:35.668 --> 00:11:40.438 Pope Francis is always, always, always emphasizing so much and insisting is that 00:11:40.438 --> 00:11:43.787 we need to leave, like, right, he says today, it's like, you know, the, instead 00:11:43.787 --> 00:11:47.042 of leaving the 99 to go after the one, it's like, leaving the one to go after 00:11:47.042 --> 00:11:51.362 the 99 because the church has just lost so many young people and and so like that's 00:11:51.362 --> 00:11:57.652 just always a a real a motivation for me to leave the one or actually as I saw 00:11:57.652 --> 00:12:02.672 it referenced you know recently take the one with you and go out to the 99 yeah 00:12:02.792 --> 00:12:03.792 use the buddy system. 00:12:03.792 --> 00:12:04.262 Come with me. 00:12:04.262 --> 00:12:05.542 We're going to go get the 99. 00:12:05.592 --> 00:12:06.252 You know what I mean? 00:12:07.027 --> 00:12:11.267 and I think that that approach right there, first and foremost, taking a 00:12:11.277 --> 00:12:15.767 personal interest in the students and starting there is so important because, 00:12:15.797 --> 00:12:20.007 I mean, I'm growing up at a time where, you know, we would go to a Bible school 00:12:20.007 --> 00:12:23.137 in the summer and everything like that, and it was like, come on, everybody's got 00:12:23.137 --> 00:12:26.527 to stand up and everybody's got to dance and everybody's got to do this, and you 00:12:26.557 --> 00:12:29.747 had kids that were going to ham it up, and then I'll do it in front of everybody, 00:12:29.747 --> 00:12:32.907 and then others who that's the most uncomfortable thing in the world for them. 00:12:33.417 --> 00:12:35.497 And I don't want to come back tomorrow because they made me get 00:12:35.497 --> 00:12:38.537 up and dance in front of everybody or whatever the case might be. 00:12:38.787 --> 00:12:42.953 So I think that's so important to meet them where they're at, so that you can 00:12:42.973 --> 00:12:44.513 make a bigger impact in their lives. 00:12:44.573 --> 00:12:48.373 And, and as you just said, going to what is interesting to them. 00:12:48.978 --> 00:12:52.998 is such a huge impact, uh, because then they get that sense of, this 00:12:52.998 --> 00:12:57.178 guy really cares for me and is interested in what I'm interested in. 00:12:57.638 --> 00:13:00.058 Okay, let me hear a little bit more about what he has to say. 00:13:00.158 --> 00:13:02.258 Uh, well, well done is better than well said. 00:13:03.108 --> 00:13:05.018 Yes, exactly. 00:13:05.198 --> 00:13:05.548 Yeah. 00:13:06.538 --> 00:13:10.494 Now, the other interesting piece is, as our Catholic schools nowadays, we have 00:13:10.494 --> 00:13:15.184 students in our schools who are non Catholic or may not believe in God at all. 00:13:15.374 --> 00:13:19.844 And what's your approach to somebody who may seem unreachable or maybe 00:13:19.844 --> 00:13:22.124 expresses zero interest in the faith. 00:13:22.514 --> 00:13:25.494 You talk a lot about how do you, how you meet students where they are. 00:13:25.764 --> 00:13:28.984 How do you meet them when they are, when it can be rather intimidating? 00:13:29.044 --> 00:13:32.924 Or how do you break the ice for them without coming on too strong when they've 00:13:32.924 --> 00:13:36.174 not only expressed not an interest, but maybe even a little bit of pushback at it? 00:13:36.823 --> 00:13:37.083 Yeah. 00:13:37.123 --> 00:13:38.043 I think so. 00:13:38.188 --> 00:13:43.208 those are, I think some of the most interesting and, uh, students because, 00:13:43.798 --> 00:13:47.508 uh, it's, it's almost exciting, like being a missionary priest and you 00:13:47.508 --> 00:13:51.488 kind of, we have kind of ingrained in us, you know, God has given us this 00:13:51.938 --> 00:13:55.228 desire to reach out specifically to really to those kinds of students. 00:13:55.268 --> 00:13:58.028 And again, to take the one that's maybe already into their faith 00:13:58.318 --> 00:14:00.778 and help them as well to see like, Hey, this is a real opportunity. 00:14:01.223 --> 00:14:04.293 And that person needs Jesus just as much as any of us do. 00:14:04.596 --> 00:14:08.826 so I actually get excited and I have like a passion for reaching out to those 00:14:08.826 --> 00:14:12.156 kids that, you know, at first glance are not going to walk into a church 00:14:12.166 --> 00:14:15.696 and they have their prejudices and, and ideas of what they think the church 00:14:15.696 --> 00:14:20.486 teaches and what the church is all about and who a priest is and who Jesus is. 00:14:20.885 --> 00:14:22.505 so again, it's meeting them where they're at. 00:14:22.545 --> 00:14:23.055 And. 00:14:23.550 --> 00:14:28.740 Maybe like kind of breaking down those prejudices, like, and how do you do that? 00:14:28.740 --> 00:14:31.260 I think really first is always on kind of a human level. 00:14:31.290 --> 00:14:32.240 You show them that you care. 00:14:32.573 --> 00:14:35.533 you know, like right now, Spikeball, that, you know, game where you gather 00:14:35.543 --> 00:14:38.213 around a little Ned and you're, you know, you're playing that, that 00:14:38.213 --> 00:14:40.983 has been a huge kind of gateway 00:14:41.053 --> 00:14:42.953 seen you out there playing with the kids too. 00:14:42.953 --> 00:14:44.853 I mean, you're, you're, you're diving and everything. 00:14:44.853 --> 00:14:45.553 It's all on. 00:14:46.058 --> 00:14:47.678 Oh yeah, I hold nothing back. 00:14:47.678 --> 00:14:51.277 So, yeah, I guess, you know, as I speak to myself personally, 00:14:51.277 --> 00:14:54.277 there's gifts that I feel like God has given me for that purpose. 00:14:54.477 --> 00:14:55.337 So I like music. 00:14:55.367 --> 00:14:56.467 You can reach students through that. 00:14:56.497 --> 00:14:58.487 I like, you know, sports and I'm competitive, so I 00:14:58.497 --> 00:14:59.357 reach students through that. 00:14:59.577 --> 00:15:01.327 and those might be kids that were involved in faith, but a 00:15:01.327 --> 00:15:02.487 lot of them aren't necessarily. 00:15:02.487 --> 00:15:04.047 They're just out there to have a good time. 00:15:04.437 --> 00:15:06.927 And sure, if the priest wants to jump into our game, maybe 00:15:06.927 --> 00:15:07.967 it's kind of awkward at first. 00:15:08.427 --> 00:15:10.937 But then, you know, although you realize, oh, I didn't realize 00:15:10.957 --> 00:15:13.327 priests could, you could have a normal conversation with a priest. 00:15:13.327 --> 00:15:15.637 I didn't, I didn't realize priests had a life outside of 00:15:15.987 --> 00:15:16.917 praying and going to church. 00:15:16.927 --> 00:15:20.407 And I, I had that false idea growing up. 00:15:20.447 --> 00:15:22.477 I thought priests were in churches all day long. 00:15:22.569 --> 00:15:24.919 but we want to bring people into church, and so you have 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:26.119 to go out and, and find them. 00:15:26.119 --> 00:15:29.594 And so, We've also just on campus, because with the campus ministry team 00:15:29.594 --> 00:15:33.584 there, given spiritual life team, organized some events, kind of, in our 00:15:33.584 --> 00:15:34.994 minds, catered towards those students. 00:15:35.004 --> 00:15:38.814 Again, it's not, they're not coming in droves, you know, looking for church 00:15:38.814 --> 00:15:42.764 teaching, but the idea is that we can have honest, open discussions, and that 00:15:42.764 --> 00:15:47.654 there's no question that's, you know, out of bounds, so to speak, that they 00:15:47.654 --> 00:15:50.854 can't ask like, Hey, I don't understand why the church teaches us about pro 00:15:50.854 --> 00:15:53.594 life issues, or about dating, or about 00:15:55.664 --> 00:15:59.234 Yeah, whatever it might be about, like, Catholic doctrine or, like, obligations 00:15:59.234 --> 00:16:00.444 that the faith, you know, teaches. 00:16:00.954 --> 00:16:01.724 I don't understand that. 00:16:01.724 --> 00:16:02.734 I don't agree with it. 00:16:03.044 --> 00:16:07.714 Uh, we, we open up that space and that forum so that those kind of students, 00:16:08.184 --> 00:16:09.864 you know, once you've connected with them, hopefully then they'll 00:16:09.864 --> 00:16:10.964 come and then they feel comfortable. 00:16:11.624 --> 00:16:15.114 Exploring these questions, you know, in a place where they're going to 00:16:15.114 --> 00:16:18.574 get the truth about the church, um, hopefully, because there's so many, 00:16:19.094 --> 00:16:23.794 um, you know, opinions out there that just do not do justice to our amazing 00:16:23.804 --> 00:16:25.174 richness of our Catholic tradition. 00:16:26.264 --> 00:16:32.294 And I think by you making it a point to go out to where the kids are, you 00:16:32.294 --> 00:16:36.004 know, like you said, the spike ball or maybe in the cafeteria or, you know, 00:16:36.004 --> 00:16:37.434 these events that you're talking about. 00:16:37.654 --> 00:16:40.858 You know, I had the chance to interview Bishop Byrne from, Springfield, 00:16:40.858 --> 00:16:42.508 Massachusetts a couple weeks ago. 00:16:42.768 --> 00:16:46.178 And he said, I'm the bishop of a diocese, not behind a desk. 00:16:46.238 --> 00:16:48.908 Okay, so I want to be out with the students and I want 00:16:48.908 --> 00:16:49.758 to be out there with them. 00:16:50.078 --> 00:16:53.978 And I think your approach within the school as a chaplain of the school is, is 00:16:53.978 --> 00:16:57.118 really one in the same where it's like you can just sit in your office all day and 00:16:57.118 --> 00:17:01.258 wait for kids to come to you, but how much more powerful is that when you go out and 00:17:01.258 --> 00:17:02.398 say, Hey, look, can I join you for lunch? 00:17:02.398 --> 00:17:03.798 Hey, can I jump in this game with you? 00:17:03.798 --> 00:17:05.778 Hey, can I play this card game with you? 00:17:05.778 --> 00:17:10.563 Or whatever the case might be, And then I think what also is, is big on that is 00:17:10.593 --> 00:17:14.253 I'll be willing to bet you that maybe there's three kids at that table who know 00:17:14.253 --> 00:17:15.953 you, but maybe there's two that don't. 00:17:16.973 --> 00:17:18.903 And now it's when that guy leaves, who was that? 00:17:19.213 --> 00:17:20.143 What's he all about? 00:17:20.183 --> 00:17:21.433 You know, what's going on there? 00:17:21.783 --> 00:17:25.743 And then obviously that door opens up for more of an invitation to come back. 00:17:25.743 --> 00:17:27.168 So I think that's huge right there. 00:17:28.118 --> 00:17:29.418 Yes, yeah, exactly. 00:17:29.728 --> 00:17:31.838 And again, it does take kind of getting in your comfort zone, because you, 00:17:31.838 --> 00:17:34.458 you know, You're, you know, it's a little bit of a risk, but there was 00:17:34.458 --> 00:17:36.948 something that, uh, I will never forget. 00:17:36.978 --> 00:17:40.578 It was a, we have, you know, once a year as legionaries of Christ, we'll get 00:17:40.578 --> 00:17:44.398 together with all the other legionaries and Regnum Christi members, which is 00:17:44.398 --> 00:17:45.608 associated with legionaries of Christ. 00:17:46.038 --> 00:17:49.058 And everyone doing youth work will gather and have some meetings, 00:17:49.098 --> 00:17:50.668 uh, discussions about how we can. 00:17:51.053 --> 00:17:53.723 Continue serving the people that were called to minister to better. 00:17:54.213 --> 00:17:56.453 And there was a panel of high school students and there was 00:17:56.453 --> 00:17:57.953 just kind of a last chance. 00:17:57.953 --> 00:18:02.232 Hey, question said, Hey, you have, you know, we have five more minutes, everyone. 00:18:02.232 --> 00:18:04.222 Let's go around and say, what's one thing you want? 00:18:04.692 --> 00:18:07.802 Each of these priests and lay people and consecrated women, 00:18:07.802 --> 00:18:09.312 men and women to walk away with. 00:18:09.742 --> 00:18:11.642 And this one girl I'll never forget it. 00:18:11.642 --> 00:18:14.102 She said, don't be afraid of us. 00:18:15.072 --> 00:18:18.947 And we need, we need mentors, but we're probably not going to, you know, 00:18:19.317 --> 00:18:20.747 run telling you that we need you. 00:18:20.747 --> 00:18:23.767 We're not going to like beg you for help, but we need your help. 00:18:24.037 --> 00:18:27.367 Like we don't, we don't have life figured out as 15, 16, 17 year olds. 00:18:27.797 --> 00:18:28.967 So don't be afraid of us. 00:18:29.502 --> 00:18:32.692 And so I remember many times, like, looking at a group of students and, 00:18:32.702 --> 00:18:36.032 you know, stereotypes you're looking at, I'm like, there, there's no way 00:18:36.032 --> 00:18:37.332 they're interested in what I have to say. 00:18:37.982 --> 00:18:40.192 And then I think in my head, don't be afraid of us. 00:18:40.242 --> 00:18:42.152 And I go directly to that group of students and I 00:18:42.152 --> 00:18:43.082 say, hey, how are you doing? 00:18:43.432 --> 00:18:45.642 And those are always the best conversations. 00:18:45.672 --> 00:18:46.022 So. 00:18:47.077 --> 00:18:49.547 and probably the ones that leave the biggest impact on them. 00:18:49.547 --> 00:18:53.275 And, and I've seen that too with, priests that we have at, at 00:18:53.505 --> 00:18:54.905 say an elementary school level. 00:18:55.135 --> 00:18:58.925 There is there, when you're not used to being around kids, there's probably 00:18:58.925 --> 00:19:02.205 nothing more intimidating than a high schooler or a kindergartner. 00:19:02.325 --> 00:19:03.155 You know what I mean? 00:19:03.155 --> 00:19:05.345 Because, because they'll just tell you how it is. 00:19:05.345 --> 00:19:05.985 You know what I mean? 00:19:06.295 --> 00:19:09.205 Uh, if you've got something on your shirt, a kindergartner will tell you. 00:19:09.425 --> 00:19:12.405 You got a spot on your shirt or whatever the case might be and they 00:19:12.405 --> 00:19:16.095 just and they do it out of complete love Uh, but they're just the cutest 00:19:16.095 --> 00:19:19.225 things in the world So, uh, they're as I always say There's nothing probably 00:19:19.225 --> 00:19:22.525 more intimidating than this the high schoolers or the kindergartners Uh for 00:19:22.575 --> 00:19:26.765 for people that aren't used to being around them as as somebody who works 00:19:26.765 --> 00:19:31.796 with with the youth What advice do you have for teachers or principals? 00:19:32.086 --> 00:19:36.316 about fostering or and encouraging vocations with without coming on too 00:19:36.316 --> 00:19:43.096 strong because you and I both know the kids can smell the lie from 10 miles away 00:19:43.186 --> 00:19:47.656 okay if you're not sincere about what it is that that you're bringing to them 00:19:47.676 --> 00:19:52.546 they're going to tune you out in about 15 seconds okay it might not take that long 00:19:52.936 --> 00:19:57.266 so what advice do you have for for that teacher out there or or the the principal 00:19:57.266 --> 00:20:00.087 the new principal or the principal it's been for a while you know, obviously we 00:20:00.087 --> 00:20:03.717 want to encourage vocations, we want to encourage because there may be somebody 00:20:03.717 --> 00:20:08.397 in each of our schools right now who, much like you, is, is, gets that spark 00:20:08.407 --> 00:20:13.337 in them, that, that interest, that hears God's calling to them, but if that Little 00:20:13.337 --> 00:20:16.307 flame is not fanned to help it grow. 00:20:16.407 --> 00:20:17.837 Uh, we don't want it to burn out. 00:20:17.957 --> 00:20:22.727 So what advice would you have for somebody who's working in a Catholic school right 00:20:22.727 --> 00:20:25.197 now to be able to foster that vocation? 00:20:25.217 --> 00:20:28.967 Because we all know the vocation could be, you know, something, uh, 00:20:28.997 --> 00:20:33.287 going into the seminary or, or a convent, or it could be a deacon. 00:20:33.297 --> 00:20:36.937 It could be, there's a lot of different roles out there, uh, in religious life. 00:20:37.327 --> 00:20:40.057 What advice would you have for those people out there? 00:20:41.467 --> 00:20:42.027 I. 00:20:42.572 --> 00:20:47.262 I'm convinced that just the more we can help, um, all the students, 00:20:47.272 --> 00:20:52.172 all the youth to have kind of high intensity spiritual experiences, 00:20:52.612 --> 00:20:53.782 and then you let God do the rest. 00:20:53.792 --> 00:20:56.712 So, I brought students to World Youth Day last summer. 00:20:57.172 --> 00:21:01.052 Those kids, those 13 students from Cardinal Gibbons are never going to 00:21:01.052 --> 00:21:01.953 forget that experience of their lives. 00:21:01.953 --> 00:21:02.652 They were one of 1. 00:21:02.652 --> 00:21:08.422 5 million young people in Portugal with Pope Francis, seeing that the 00:21:08.422 --> 00:21:10.262 faith, the church is not dying out. 00:21:10.637 --> 00:21:13.177 It is absolutely not dying out and it's so exciting. 00:21:13.187 --> 00:21:16.687 And then on top of that, you're seeing, you're meeting a young person who 00:21:16.687 --> 00:21:18.827 says, Hey, I'm going to be a priest or I'm discerning the priest or I'm 00:21:18.827 --> 00:21:23.477 discerning being a sister and you're just exposed to the richness of the church. 00:21:23.877 --> 00:21:27.917 Uh, I brought students up to the seminary, for a high school guys retreat. 00:21:28.068 --> 00:21:29.838 you bring them on mission trips like we're doing. 00:21:30.155 --> 00:21:31.375 there's, you can also do local missions. 00:21:31.515 --> 00:21:34.455 Not everyone's going to have the money and the time to travel to Europe, right? 00:21:34.755 --> 00:21:36.095 But you can do local mission work. 00:21:36.105 --> 00:21:36.345 But. 00:21:36.845 --> 00:21:42.545 Kind of exposing them to the church, to the faith, getting them involved in some 00:21:42.545 --> 00:21:48.655 type of giving ministry, um, that awakens in them something like even being a camp 00:21:48.655 --> 00:21:52.065 counselor at a Catholic, you know, retreat or something, you're sharing your faith. 00:21:52.159 --> 00:21:55.578 Gibbons, we do a really good job of that just because we have so many peer led 00:21:55.578 --> 00:22:00.638 retreats that you are leading middle schoolers or underclassmen sharing 00:22:00.638 --> 00:22:02.378 your faith, you come back on fire. 00:22:02.398 --> 00:22:05.548 And so that flame is, is fanned, right? 00:22:05.548 --> 00:22:08.053 And then And then you have to accompany them after that. 00:22:08.073 --> 00:22:11.733 So I guess not enough to just bring them on these retreats because 00:22:12.053 --> 00:22:14.303 like we all know, there's like, you know, that you have the, you 00:22:14.303 --> 00:22:16.523 know, big emotional high afterwards. 00:22:16.523 --> 00:22:18.573 And I love my faith and I love Jesus. 00:22:19.013 --> 00:22:23.233 And then very quickly the world can smother that, you know, and just that our 00:22:23.283 --> 00:22:24.653 the noise comes back, 00:22:25.023 --> 00:22:25.463 Exactly. 00:22:25.463 --> 00:22:26.333 All the noise comes back. 00:22:26.333 --> 00:22:30.851 And, and so you have to accompany that person, help them reflect, you know, 00:22:31.001 --> 00:22:33.541 deeper in a deeper way on that experience. 00:22:34.081 --> 00:22:38.211 Um, but we do have to kind of get them out of, yeah, disconnect from their 00:22:38.211 --> 00:22:41.581 normal routine to hear that voice of God and to have that experience, 00:22:42.051 --> 00:22:46.291 to let, give God that space to speak to them in that deeper way. 00:22:46.663 --> 00:22:46.943 yeah. 00:22:47.013 --> 00:22:51.223 And I, and then you're, you just really have to trust like every single 00:22:51.373 --> 00:22:52.783 person on this planet has a vocation. 00:22:53.383 --> 00:22:53.853 So. 00:22:54.508 --> 00:23:00.118 Really, just to be genuine, to say, hey, like, I would love for, you know, 10 guys 00:23:00.478 --> 00:23:03.628 this year to say, I want to be a priest, but I can't enforce the vocation, no one 00:23:03.628 --> 00:23:07.253 can enforce the vocation, so, there's no point in me even trying, but if If 00:23:07.253 --> 00:23:10.283 someone does mention, Hey, I'm open to it, or I'm interested in it, then I will 00:23:10.283 --> 00:23:15.273 absolutely make it a point to get him to a seminary, to experience it, get him to 00:23:15.273 --> 00:23:18.103 be a leader at a retreat, to help, you know, okay, this is what a priest does. 00:23:18.293 --> 00:23:20.763 You're sharing your faith, you're leading others, you're helping them grow. 00:23:21.523 --> 00:23:23.013 Is there some resonance there? 00:23:23.013 --> 00:23:25.189 Like, like does it, does it fit for you? 00:23:25.219 --> 00:23:27.729 And then again, just walk with them, continue to walk with them. 00:23:27.729 --> 00:23:30.219 And then, you know, some, it happens really quick. 00:23:30.229 --> 00:23:34.449 In my, in my case, within two weeks of meeting the priest and inviting me to the 00:23:34.459 --> 00:23:37.469 sermon retreat, I was at the seminary, other guys, it's years and years. 00:23:37.469 --> 00:23:42.219 And so it's, you have to be willing to patiently walk with, you know, Each 00:23:42.259 --> 00:23:47.939 individual person and never, like, never make it about numbers or, um, 00:23:48.269 --> 00:23:49.489 never make it about yourself either. 00:23:49.489 --> 00:23:49.999 Obviously. 00:23:50.049 --> 00:23:50.369 So, 00:23:50.889 --> 00:23:51.369 Absolutely. 00:23:51.399 --> 00:23:56.709 And, and, and when sometimes people hear the call very young, sometimes much later 00:23:56.709 --> 00:24:01.639 in life, uh, but, but as what's important is they hear the call and talk to me 00:24:01.639 --> 00:24:06.424 about, uh, the experience with the kids at World Youth Day, because I know one of the 00:24:06.424 --> 00:24:11.514 experiences my wife had the opportunity to do was to go to World Youth Day, uh, 00:24:11.514 --> 00:24:12.914 when it was out in Denver, I believe. 00:24:13.324 --> 00:24:16.691 And what's ironic is, is that, a few years back we were, we were 00:24:16.691 --> 00:24:20.091 having dinner with, uh, Father Phil Hurley, who was a pastor at the time. 00:24:20.431 --> 00:24:24.171 And the two of them started talking about their World Youth Day experience and 00:24:24.171 --> 00:24:28.511 realized not only were they both at the same World Youth Day, But their, their 00:24:28.551 --> 00:24:33.476 tracks had taken them to the same spots to kind of in the same bus caravan, from 00:24:33.476 --> 00:24:36.066 the East Coast out to, to, uh, Denver. 00:24:36.396 --> 00:24:39.886 And, and so the stories they were able to share, they, you remember this 00:24:39.886 --> 00:24:41.276 guy who, yeah, I remember that guy. 00:24:41.346 --> 00:24:42.866 Now did the two of them ever, no. 00:24:43.166 --> 00:24:47.456 But because they were there at the same time and experienced the same 00:24:47.456 --> 00:24:50.766 thing, uh, they might as well been sitting next to each other for, for 00:24:50.766 --> 00:24:52.276 the, for the time that they were there. 00:24:52.716 --> 00:24:57.386 Talk about what you saw from the students and what they took from 00:24:57.406 --> 00:24:58.996 that experience at World Youth Day. 00:25:00.021 --> 00:25:00.531 Oh yeah. 00:25:00.531 --> 00:25:01.021 I'd love to. 00:25:01.021 --> 00:25:04.842 I, it has been one of the highlights of my priesthood, to accompany these students. 00:25:05.131 --> 00:25:07.751 it was something that I was convinced of because I went as a 00:25:07.781 --> 00:25:12.781 seminarian to Krakow, 2016, and that experience was just spectacular. 00:25:13.191 --> 00:25:17.321 It was so powerful because I realized you bring young people 00:25:17.321 --> 00:25:18.991 there and then God starts to work. 00:25:19.001 --> 00:25:23.404 And so every, you know, you're in conferences, mass, concerts, there's 00:25:23.494 --> 00:25:27.524 like a whole festival feel to it, but there's a lot of downtime where you're 00:25:27.524 --> 00:25:30.959 just eating with them, walking with them, braving the elements with them, you 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:32.149 know, it's just like, it's an adventure. 00:25:32.159 --> 00:25:35.919 Every day you're kind of backpacking through these towns and all 00:25:35.919 --> 00:25:39.149 these just conversations start happening spontaneously about. 00:25:39.899 --> 00:25:41.099 God's plan for their lives. 00:25:41.109 --> 00:25:44.585 And so, all along the way there in Poland, uh, in Portugal, sorry, these 00:25:44.585 --> 00:25:48.115 students were meeting, uh, other young people from other countries. 00:25:48.355 --> 00:25:49.915 I think that was kind of the highlight for them. 00:25:50.425 --> 00:25:55.115 Uh, obviously being close to the Pope and just being in the sea of Catholics. 00:25:55.820 --> 00:25:59.852 But then you kind of just like little by little you saw them just, I don't know, on 00:25:59.932 --> 00:26:01.902 really like their hearts are set on fire. 00:26:01.912 --> 00:26:07.902 And so the fears and like maybe like self esteem issues or um, worrying about 00:26:07.902 --> 00:26:11.792 what other people think just kind of fade away because what we have in common 00:26:11.792 --> 00:26:15.192 is something so deep and profound which is that we all believe in Jesus Christ. 00:26:15.192 --> 00:26:19.022 And so differences didn't matter anymore and you weren't comparing 00:26:19.022 --> 00:26:20.932 yourself to other people which high schoolers do all the time. 00:26:20.942 --> 00:26:22.362 We all do but especially high schoolers. 00:26:23.022 --> 00:26:26.282 And so now they're suddenly just, they're free and they're free to love. 00:26:26.282 --> 00:26:27.852 They're free to share their gifts with each other. 00:26:28.322 --> 00:26:34.042 Uh, again, the, the eyeopening experience of, um, you know, being 00:26:34.042 --> 00:26:38.222 with people from so many other countries, but for the same reason. 00:26:39.192 --> 00:26:43.567 And then, honestly, to see God work in their hearts and their young 00:26:43.567 --> 00:26:48.347 hearts because the priesthood came up and being a missionary came up and 00:26:48.837 --> 00:26:52.907 dedicating your life to God, well, was suddenly on their minds because that's 00:26:52.927 --> 00:26:54.047 what they were hearing constantly. 00:26:54.047 --> 00:26:57.507 That's the people they were meeting and they were surrounded by all of a sudden, 00:26:57.507 --> 00:27:00.732 you're You know, right next to all the sisters of Mother Teresa, Missionaries 00:27:00.732 --> 00:27:04.492 of Charity, they, they literally, one night, appeared from behind a bush, 00:27:04.522 --> 00:27:05.572 and there were about 30 of them. 00:27:06.332 --> 00:27:09.822 And suddenly, I turn around, and all of our Given students are in a one on one 00:27:09.822 --> 00:27:11.462 conversation with a Missionary of Charity. 00:27:11.802 --> 00:27:14.202 Where does that ever happen, besides at a World Youth Day, right? 00:27:14.382 --> 00:27:14.682 Like, haha, 00:27:14.692 --> 00:27:15.882 it's not happening on Raleigh. 00:27:16.632 --> 00:27:17.392 yeah, I know. 00:27:17.772 --> 00:27:21.362 So, it was just, there were so many unexpected, unpredictable 00:27:21.372 --> 00:27:22.332 things that occurred. 00:27:22.807 --> 00:27:27.655 Almost at every turn, that's hard to describe, but if you can imagine like 00:27:27.655 --> 00:27:31.145 a big music festival or, you know, something like that, but just everyone 00:27:31.145 --> 00:27:34.995 there is Catholic and is open and sharing their faith and sing, literally 00:27:34.995 --> 00:27:39.615 singing and dancing as you walk down a normal road in downtown Lisbon. 00:27:39.968 --> 00:27:42.238 there's just something strange, like what is it that's making 00:27:42.238 --> 00:27:43.988 us so joyful, if not our faith? 00:27:44.693 --> 00:27:48.243 And so like, suddenly the things that, again, the world that smothers that 00:27:48.243 --> 00:27:52.215 because you're busy, because it's not cool, because, the temptations that are 00:27:52.215 --> 00:27:55.505 out there, and like, you're wasting time on your phone, all of that is put to 00:27:55.505 --> 00:27:58.955 the side, and it's just a celebration of what it means to be Catholic. 00:27:59.285 --> 00:28:03.125 It is an incredible experience that I'm going to continue taking students to, so. 00:28:03.465 --> 00:28:05.675 Okay, so now let's talk about the other side of it. 00:28:05.675 --> 00:28:10.935 So now, in order to get students to go, or to be allowed to go, you 00:28:10.935 --> 00:28:13.655 have, let's talk to the parents for a minute, because, oh my god, 00:28:13.665 --> 00:28:15.025 where's the next World Youth Day at? 00:28:16.595 --> 00:28:21.055 Next summer is a Rome Jubilee for Youth 2025, 00:28:21.555 --> 00:28:22.025 Okay. 00:28:22.425 --> 00:28:25.445 and then South Korea will be the officially next World 00:28:25.445 --> 00:28:27.335 Youth Day in 2027, in the 00:28:27.470 --> 00:28:27.900 Okay. 00:28:28.330 --> 00:28:31.300 So, so now what about the parents? 00:28:31.490 --> 00:28:31.880 I don't know. 00:28:31.880 --> 00:28:35.190 I don't feel comfortable sending my kids to this event. 00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:36.120 It's overseas. 00:28:36.120 --> 00:28:37.340 It's there's all this going on. 00:28:37.340 --> 00:28:40.420 What, what do you tell the parents out there to kind of put their mind at ease? 00:28:40.990 --> 00:28:43.220 Um, okay, well, a story comes to mind. 00:28:43.220 --> 00:28:47.760 So we were there one evening, we're all, so you always stay together, you have, you 00:28:47.760 --> 00:28:51.190 know, one adult chaperone for every five or six kids, and you're constantly making, 00:28:51.190 --> 00:28:54.180 you know, headcounts, you're traveling together, you never let a kid off on his 00:28:54.180 --> 00:28:59.135 own, but we're walking down this, like, kind of main drag, and there's all these, 00:28:59.135 --> 00:29:03.915 you know, You know, policemen and women lined up in front of this building and 00:29:03.945 --> 00:29:04.995 you just, we just started talking to 'em. 00:29:04.995 --> 00:29:08.145 Actually, our, our kids decided they would put on a dance show for 'em again, 00:29:08.205 --> 00:29:09.225 only half in the world, you think. 00:29:09.675 --> 00:29:12.555 Um, and, you know, all these policemen and women are there laughing and clapping 00:29:12.555 --> 00:29:15.375 and then you, you know, start, I started talking to one of them and he was 00:29:15.375 --> 00:29:18.880 mentioning to me and this other, You know, got a young man next to me, about how 00:29:19.090 --> 00:29:20.560 it's been the easiest week of their lives. 00:29:20.980 --> 00:29:22.230 To think that 1. 00:29:22.230 --> 00:29:26.910 5 million young people descend on the same city for the same event. 00:29:27.350 --> 00:29:28.390 And there's no crime. 00:29:29.400 --> 00:29:30.830 Like, it's just like the safest place in the world. 00:29:30.830 --> 00:29:33.580 So, of course, with the Pope coming and, you know, all these 00:29:33.590 --> 00:29:35.990 bishops and connoisseurs around the world and all these young 00:29:35.990 --> 00:29:37.040 people, they want it to be safe. 00:29:37.040 --> 00:29:38.610 So they go all out with security. 00:29:38.920 --> 00:29:41.130 There are metal detectors for certain events and things like that. 00:29:41.540 --> 00:29:43.910 Uh, they're checking bags as you walk into certain arenas. 00:29:44.560 --> 00:29:47.480 But, just the fact that all those policemen, like, they're, 00:29:47.520 --> 00:29:48.670 they're there, they're ready. 00:29:49.100 --> 00:29:50.790 But they've been bored in a good way, right? 00:29:50.840 --> 00:29:55.450 All, all week long because it's just everyone there is, is gathered for, 00:29:55.478 --> 00:29:58.017 good, wholesome, spirit filled fun, 00:29:58.962 --> 00:30:01.212 we like it when our law enforcement are bored. 00:30:01.282 --> 00:30:01.762 You know what I mean? 00:30:01.762 --> 00:30:02.952 That's, that's, that's a good thing. 00:30:02.952 --> 00:30:03.752 We like that. 00:30:03.752 --> 00:30:04.542 We want that. 00:30:04.542 --> 00:30:07.942 So, and we appreciate all of our law enforcement officers, but I'm 00:30:07.942 --> 00:30:10.912 sure they would much rather be bored as well in terms of crime. 00:30:11.722 --> 00:30:14.742 I want to go back to something you talked about a few minutes ago, 00:30:14.742 --> 00:30:16.242 because you talked about the noise. 00:30:16.712 --> 00:30:19.422 And sometimes it can be hard to hear God's calling when 00:30:19.422 --> 00:30:20.822 there's so much noise around us. 00:30:20.982 --> 00:30:26.177 And I remember Matthew Kelly did something, On one of his, uh, audio, uh, 00:30:27.327 --> 00:30:28.447 tapes or whatever you want to call it. 00:30:28.607 --> 00:30:30.997 I'm showing my age there when I say tapes, but you know, 00:30:30.997 --> 00:30:32.677 audio recordings, I should say. 00:30:32.927 --> 00:30:36.297 And he just says, with all the noise, the static that's coming 00:30:36.297 --> 00:30:39.407 in and everything like that, it can be hard to hear the message. 00:30:39.947 --> 00:30:44.507 With technology so fast moving, there's so much that gets missed. 00:30:44.887 --> 00:30:51.097 How do you help kids hear the call to just stop and unplug and just sit in silence? 00:30:51.627 --> 00:30:55.807 When they're so used to just 24 7 noise coming at them. 00:30:57.637 --> 00:30:59.317 Yeah, you have to, it's tough. 00:30:59.347 --> 00:31:00.482 I'm not, I mean. 00:31:00.852 --> 00:31:03.943 That's tough, I hope someone one day figures that out, I think young people 00:31:03.943 --> 00:31:06.823 sort of just have to discover for themselves, and maybe it's just like 00:31:06.823 --> 00:31:11.063 providing opportunities where they, they can, they can experience that contrast. 00:31:11.063 --> 00:31:12.903 So, we did a silent retreat. 00:31:13.373 --> 00:31:14.373 Um, I know you know that. 00:31:14.593 --> 00:31:18.833 And, um, so, and that was an experience where they were totally disconnected 00:31:18.843 --> 00:31:23.203 from their phones, but also the spiritual exercises experience is 00:31:23.203 --> 00:31:24.943 that it's really, it's you and God. 00:31:25.003 --> 00:31:29.323 And so the priest is there, you know, kind of leading you through scripture 00:31:29.323 --> 00:31:33.090 and there's this whole, strategy, spiritual strategy and purpose, purposeful 00:31:33.090 --> 00:31:36.520 itinerary, spiritually speaking, you know, from the beginning to the end. 00:31:37.140 --> 00:31:41.560 But really like those students that went on that retreat, they said this retreat 00:31:41.560 --> 00:31:45.383 was not fun, I'm so grateful for it and they still bring it up months later. 00:31:45.686 --> 00:31:48.156 and so they themselves experienced, okay, the difference between me 00:31:48.156 --> 00:31:51.726 being on my phone all day and then the three days that I was without my 00:31:51.726 --> 00:31:56.006 phone, I chose to leave it, you know, turn it off and leave it in a box and 00:31:56.146 --> 00:31:57.616 just the depth of that experience. 00:31:57.696 --> 00:32:02.496 And I think that again, we have to kind of wake them up to the alternative because, 00:32:02.496 --> 00:32:04.851 you know, it's It's they're glued to it. 00:32:04.871 --> 00:32:08.051 It's also like their security when they're awkward, when they don't want to talk to 00:32:08.051 --> 00:32:11.211 someone, they, you can just lose yourself in your, in your little virtual world. 00:32:11.641 --> 00:32:14.761 And, uh, it's, it's, it's definitely a fallback. 00:32:14.771 --> 00:32:15.521 It's easy to do that. 00:32:15.531 --> 00:32:18.905 So, you kind of need to help them lead them outside of their comfort zone. 00:32:19.755 --> 00:32:22.595 And it's really just like show, don't tell in the sense of like, you have 00:32:22.595 --> 00:32:25.065 to let them experience it because they're just not going to believe it. 00:32:25.315 --> 00:32:27.625 They, they don't, they can't believe that a world without cell phones is 00:32:27.635 --> 00:32:32.735 actually better and more advantageous and beneficial for human, human, yeah, 00:32:32.735 --> 00:32:36.446 humankind, you know, so, yeah, I think kind of being a witness to it, maybe 00:32:36.446 --> 00:32:39.806 ourselves as well as adults, that we're not glued to our phones, that we also 00:32:39.806 --> 00:32:44.439 have silence in our lives, that we're not constantly, Just consuming more 00:32:44.439 --> 00:32:47.689 media ourselves, because then we can be, we're not hypocrites, you know, 00:32:47.689 --> 00:32:51.489 we can be faithful, uh, you know, give testimony to that, witnesses to that. 00:32:51.489 --> 00:32:55.079 So, I would say, yeah, providing the contrast, even if it's for a short 00:32:55.079 --> 00:32:56.939 period of time, but forcing it. 00:32:57.049 --> 00:33:01.119 Um, kind of, and not, not, uh, going back on that, you know, so if we're going to 00:33:01.429 --> 00:33:04.599 retreat without cell phones, you make that very clear from the beginning. 00:33:05.109 --> 00:33:08.289 Tell them about the advantages of it, how you're going to form these bonds. 00:33:08.659 --> 00:33:13.009 I think that's a big one that they kind of look, we look in our, through our phones 00:33:13.009 --> 00:33:16.809 for connections with people, but they're very rarely meaningful connections. 00:33:16.809 --> 00:33:20.389 And so what they're searching for is the meaningful connection. 00:33:20.889 --> 00:33:25.659 And hopefully we, as adults mentors, we can help you find it. 00:33:25.759 --> 00:33:26.829 You just have to turn that phone off. 00:33:26.829 --> 00:33:30.959 And so what they desire, we kind of know the human heart, hopefully, 00:33:30.959 --> 00:33:32.239 and we always can know it better. 00:33:32.709 --> 00:33:35.989 And just appeal to the human heart, appeal to that desire for 00:33:35.989 --> 00:33:38.225 connection, for, true friendship. 00:33:38.225 --> 00:33:38.295 Yep. 00:33:38.770 --> 00:33:46.010 And to have the, the, um, the time and space to, to think and to, you know, 00:33:46.010 --> 00:33:49.420 rest and to, um, away from all the noise. 00:33:49.566 --> 00:33:50.676 every heart aches for that. 00:33:50.686 --> 00:33:54.716 It's just that it's harder to, to kind of be in touch with that deeper 00:33:54.716 --> 00:33:55.876 desire and yearning that we have. 00:33:57.086 --> 00:34:00.366 I, one of the things I found very interesting was speaking with a friend 00:34:00.366 --> 00:34:04.303 of mine this past week, and he's a very outgoing person, probably one 00:34:04.303 --> 00:34:05.583 of the most outgoing people I know. 00:34:06.073 --> 00:34:08.303 And, you know, I said, what, what, how do you do that? 00:34:08.313 --> 00:34:12.093 How do you, how do you, you know, be so outgoing with people? 00:34:12.203 --> 00:34:14.623 And, and his answer was one that was really interesting to me. 00:34:14.623 --> 00:34:16.568 He said, I know my story. 00:34:17.128 --> 00:34:17.988 I want to hear yours. 00:34:18.983 --> 00:34:19.303 Hmm. 00:34:19.608 --> 00:34:23.398 if I'm just rattling off stuff about me, but not getting to know 00:34:23.398 --> 00:34:25.688 about you, what does that do? 00:34:26.178 --> 00:34:27.558 He said, I know what my story is. 00:34:27.558 --> 00:34:28.828 I want to hear what your story is. 00:34:28.848 --> 00:34:30.668 And by me doing that, I get to know you. 00:34:31.078 --> 00:34:34.598 And he said, he's made friends all over the world as a result of that. 00:34:34.668 --> 00:34:36.968 And I think that's something right there, that sometimes we have 00:34:36.968 --> 00:34:40.168 to be around those two or three people that we really know well. 00:34:40.388 --> 00:34:43.268 And I don't want to branch outside of this little group or I got to 00:34:43.268 --> 00:34:45.748 be on my phone because I got to be talking and texting with the people 00:34:45.748 --> 00:34:46.898 that aren't with me right now. 00:34:47.448 --> 00:34:49.788 When there's these meaningful connections that are just right in 00:34:49.788 --> 00:34:52.525 front of us, but we just have to take the time to learn their story. 00:34:53.460 --> 00:34:53.860 Yes. 00:34:53.890 --> 00:34:54.760 I, I love that. 00:34:54.830 --> 00:34:58.230 It reminded me too of the, I'm reading, rereading, uh, St. 00:34:58.230 --> 00:34:58.920 Francis. 00:34:59.040 --> 00:35:01.660 It's, it's, that's the title of this biography by Chesterton. 00:35:02.110 --> 00:35:04.230 And, uh, He said that St. 00:35:04.230 --> 00:35:08.380 Francis kind of had, again, like that kind of charisma that attracted so 00:35:08.380 --> 00:35:12.140 many people to leave their comfortable lives and take on a very austere, 00:35:12.190 --> 00:35:14.440 difficult lifestyle as Franciscans. 00:35:15.020 --> 00:35:15.840 And how did he do it? 00:35:15.840 --> 00:35:18.332 And he said, Chester Dana was amazing with words, right? 00:35:18.612 --> 00:35:23.082 But he, he described that most people live in a kingdom where they 00:35:23.082 --> 00:35:24.782 are, they reign in your kingdom. 00:35:24.782 --> 00:35:28.772 So like, it's like, I live in my world and my world revolves around me. 00:35:29.452 --> 00:35:30.292 He described St. 00:35:30.292 --> 00:35:32.762 Francis's approach to life as St. 00:35:32.762 --> 00:35:36.832 Francis is in a kingdom where everyone else is royalty and he's the jester. 00:35:37.542 --> 00:35:40.852 In a similar way, he is so fascinated with everyone else around him. 00:35:41.872 --> 00:35:44.992 The joy that he has is like authentic and genuine. 00:35:44.992 --> 00:35:47.392 There's a fascination with the world around him. 00:35:47.392 --> 00:35:50.832 So that brings him to desire that connection and to get to know people. 00:35:50.927 --> 00:35:53.287 obviously he's had a way better than I just did, but it was, it's such a 00:35:53.757 --> 00:35:56.257 interesting image that I've, you know, just the last couple of weeks had in 00:35:56.257 --> 00:36:00.717 my mind, uh, because we can, Yeah, make ourselves out to be the most important 00:36:00.817 --> 00:36:03.647 when, and we're just missing out on all those opportunities, like you mentioned. 00:36:04.277 --> 00:36:08.507 Yeah, and I think, as I read in a book a couple years ago, when we 00:36:08.507 --> 00:36:13.647 use the word friend as a verb more than a noun, uh, that's problematic. 00:36:13.897 --> 00:36:16.367 Uh, on Facebook, we, we, I friended you. 00:36:16.667 --> 00:36:19.447 I, I, you know, that's a verb, okay? 00:36:19.792 --> 00:36:22.652 Uh, when you're friends with somebody, it should be a noun, and 00:36:22.792 --> 00:36:24.042 it should be a personal connection. 00:36:24.072 --> 00:36:27.152 I, I don't care who you are, but I see people on Facebook with 00:36:27.222 --> 00:36:28.482 two and three thousand friends. 00:36:28.672 --> 00:36:29.312 I don't care who you are. 00:36:29.362 --> 00:36:32.832 They probably don't know two or three thousand people, so it's those, 00:36:32.932 --> 00:36:35.792 it's those meaningful connections, I think, that are just so deep. 00:36:36.492 --> 00:36:39.982 You, you've worked with youth, not only, uh, here in Raleigh, 00:36:39.982 --> 00:36:40.832 but all over the world. 00:36:41.302 --> 00:36:42.972 What's something that you've learned? 00:36:43.012 --> 00:36:46.767 Your, your, uh, something that you would want to share With everybody 00:36:46.767 --> 00:36:49.437 out there that's listening to this, in working with the youth, 00:36:49.567 --> 00:36:51.957 that may surprise people to know. 00:36:52.674 --> 00:36:56.314 I've just sensed and realized that young people are thirsty for the 00:36:56.314 --> 00:36:59.294 truth, and I think that's surprising. 00:36:59.664 --> 00:37:03.549 Maybe it's not, but I think it's surprising because You just hear so 00:37:03.549 --> 00:37:07.555 much, negativity, like when it's like comes to young people today, they're 00:37:07.555 --> 00:37:09.985 all lost and they're all leaving the church and no one cares anymore. 00:37:09.985 --> 00:37:13.515 And the church has to get with the times and kind of in a sense that like, you 00:37:13.515 --> 00:37:15.315 know, it's, we've already lost the battle. 00:37:15.825 --> 00:37:18.485 And I just think we've kind of stopped fighting the battle. 00:37:18.535 --> 00:37:20.942 And, we have to get the narrative out there. 00:37:20.942 --> 00:37:24.582 That's from Christ and from the good news from the gospel and keep 00:37:24.582 --> 00:37:27.362 sharing that narrative because as much as we think they don't care, 00:37:27.362 --> 00:37:28.502 it's just because they don't hear it. 00:37:28.503 --> 00:37:30.062 The truth of it. 00:37:30.062 --> 00:37:30.472 And so. 00:37:31.097 --> 00:37:34.792 They are very thirsty, and that's why, I'm so encouraged every day as I walk 00:37:34.792 --> 00:37:39.282 through those doors of the school, because Again, we know how God made us. 00:37:39.282 --> 00:37:43.632 We, he made every human person in his image and likeness for him to know him, 00:37:43.632 --> 00:37:45.602 love him, and then want to serve him. 00:37:45.982 --> 00:37:48.097 So, there's no exception to that. 00:37:48.417 --> 00:37:50.917 People might be turned off because of bad experiences. 00:37:51.397 --> 00:37:53.457 Uh, because again, because of all the noise, they just, 00:37:53.607 --> 00:37:55.917 they're deaf to that voice. 00:37:56.138 --> 00:38:00.985 so we have every reason to be hopeful, that if we just can find a 00:38:00.985 --> 00:38:03.485 way to communicate in an authentic. 00:38:04.025 --> 00:38:08.319 way, that the kids are going to, they desire it and they're, they're 00:38:08.329 --> 00:38:11.069 going to accept it and they're going to be transformed by it. 00:38:11.293 --> 00:38:13.213 I just witnessed that thirst all the time. 00:38:13.223 --> 00:38:18.813 And, and the, the interesting part is, is that I think we've had six people come 00:38:18.813 --> 00:38:20.463 into the church this year at Gibbons. 00:38:21.313 --> 00:38:23.213 And where does that come from? 00:38:23.223 --> 00:38:26.253 Like you're in high school, you should, your mind, like we think, I 00:38:26.263 --> 00:38:31.913 think as adults is on parties, on, you know, girlfriends, boyfriends, on. 00:38:32.808 --> 00:38:34.608 success in college and career. 00:38:35.208 --> 00:38:39.868 How is it that these six students, I think it's at least six, have come 00:38:39.868 --> 00:38:44.178 and like, are making, actually taking those steps to go into RCIA, are 00:38:44.178 --> 00:38:47.288 getting baptized and confirmed in the church, or want to receive the 00:38:47.288 --> 00:38:51.738 sacraments, if there's not that thirst deep down, that profound thirst that 00:38:52.218 --> 00:38:57.061 when it's just, for so many years, like meeting junk and garbage that's out 00:38:57.061 --> 00:38:59.201 there in the And it's not satisfied. 00:38:59.996 --> 00:39:04.756 It eventually is going to have to turn to God and say, like, I think 00:39:04.756 --> 00:39:08.706 I'm missing out on, on what's true and truly satisfying and fulfilling. 00:39:08.900 --> 00:39:11.700 so yeah, we have, we have a lot of hope there. 00:39:11.710 --> 00:39:16.440 Um, John Paul II in, um, one of his documents, I remember him saying 00:39:17.110 --> 00:39:20.390 that, uh, we as missionaries, and that's all of us because as 00:39:20.390 --> 00:39:22.320 Catholics, the church is a mission. 00:39:22.460 --> 00:39:24.420 we have to trust that the Holy Spirit. 00:39:24.860 --> 00:39:28.310 is already there before we arrive at that doorstep or arrive at that 00:39:28.310 --> 00:39:31.400 person to talk to that conversation, has already prepared the way. 00:39:31.955 --> 00:39:34.985 And so as you knock on that door of that person's heart and you're going to 00:39:34.995 --> 00:39:38.665 bring that conversation, you're going to try to invite them to your activity 00:39:38.665 --> 00:39:40.145 or to youth group or to whatever it is. 00:39:40.575 --> 00:39:43.595 Just trust and know that the Holy Spirit has already been there. 00:39:43.685 --> 00:39:47.785 He's already prepared that terrain for you then for that seed to fall. 00:39:48.119 --> 00:39:48.729 they're thirsty. 00:39:49.914 --> 00:39:52.404 And I think that's just all about surrendering. 00:39:52.634 --> 00:39:57.394 Uh, and just knowing that, uh, I always say, God has a plan, and 00:39:57.394 --> 00:40:00.164 his plan will be much better than anything I could ever come up with. 00:40:00.214 --> 00:40:04.393 And so, just trusting in, in what God has in store for us, and just 00:40:04.393 --> 00:40:08.396 knowing that, boy, when you see the, the end product, boy, you're gonna be, 00:40:08.701 --> 00:40:10.181 You're going to be blown away by it. 00:40:10.211 --> 00:40:13.931 And so, uh, well, I can't thank you enough for taking the time 00:40:13.931 --> 00:40:15.351 today to sit down with me. 00:40:15.351 --> 00:40:18.581 I've, I've so enjoyed this conversation and, and getting to know you. 00:40:18.581 --> 00:40:21.341 And I know that the, the ministry work that you're doing at Cardinal 00:40:21.341 --> 00:40:24.401 Gibbons is absolutely outstanding and seeing a lot of hearts. 00:40:24.686 --> 00:40:29.116 Touched and students growing in their faith and, uh, that that can only be 00:40:29.156 --> 00:40:33.957 kudos to you for that and the entire team at Cardinal Gibbons and so, please 00:40:33.957 --> 00:40:38.137 know you're all will be in my prayers for continued success and you have my 00:40:38.137 --> 00:40:40.087 support if you need anything at any point. 00:40:41.342 --> 00:40:41.852 Thank you, John. 00:40:41.852 --> 00:40:44.972 It's been a pleasure as well having this conversation with you and sharing 00:40:44.972 --> 00:40:48.252 these ideas and kind of brainstorming a little bit together how to continue 00:40:48.252 --> 00:40:49.712 reaching out to our young people. 00:40:49.742 --> 00:40:50.772 So thanks for the invitation. 00:40:51.587 --> 00:40:52.337 Absolutely. 00:40:52.954 --> 00:40:56.314 If you're enjoying the Catholic School Leaders podcast, please be sure to 00:40:56.314 --> 00:40:59.994 like and subscribe, and don't forget to share these podcasts with other 00:40:59.994 --> 00:41:01.934 Catholic school leaders in your network.