St. Michael's Youth Conference--Southwest 2008

As I noted just over a week ago, I was a faculty member at St. Michael's Youth Conference--Southwest last week. I taught the Scripture survey for second year Michaelites and an elective on the Revelation to St. John. (The photo of my class below was taken by Fr. Timothy Matkin of St. Albans, Arlington, TX.)"St. Mike's" has jokingly been called "Anglo-Catholic Boot Camp," and it was a truly remarkable week. About 80 teenagers--together with adult consellors and ten priests from the dioceses of Fort Worth, Dallas, and Quincy--spent seven days at Camp Crucis worshipping together, praying together, studying together, and having an amazingly fun time together. The daily round of worship included Morning Prayer, Solemn High Mass, Evensong, and Compline. There was also Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on Wednesday (with prayer before the exposed Sacrament on Thursday and Friday nights). We had a special blessing with holy water from Walsingham, England, at the closing ceremony as well. Most of the Michaelites also made their confessions before the week was over.

This year's event was even better than last year's spectacular conference, for me at least. The weather was certainly better!Photos above are by the Rev. Will Brown of Holy Cross, Dallas. Those below, except for the large group photo, are by the Rev. Joshua Whitfield of St. Gregory's, Mansfield. Fr. Ron Drummond of the diocese of Quincy provided lovely music for our worship, and the Michaelites really filled that chapel with a joyful noise!
The Michaelites did fine service as acolytes and subdeacons, as well as serving on the altar guild and as lay readers, during the course of the week. At the close of the conference there were tears of joy and much gratitude to God for having given us this time together.
Sadly, I had to be away from the conference for one night. I missed a first-class talent show and the group photo above. Next year, I will plan better!