January 18, 2019

Conference inspires ways to bring faith to others

By John Shaughnessy

Fletcher and Olivia KitchellFletcher Kitchell considered the question, the one that asked him, “What role does your faith play in your life?”

After a moment, the 24-year-old member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Indianapolis offered this response: “I’m at the point in my life where I’m asking, ‘What role does my life play in my faith?’ Where can I go, what can I do to enrich my faith and share it with others?”

Kitchell had a few new answers to those questions after spending five days at the SEEK2019 conference in Indianapolis on Jan. 3-7, a conference that drew 17,000, mostly Catholic young adults from around the world who wanted to explore and deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ.

“The biggest thing was an excitement and a plan for things I want to take back to my church and my work,” Kitchell said. “I want to start a men’s group and a small group Bible study.”

He and his wife of eight months, Olivia, also hope to use their home as “a tool for evangelization.”

“Imagine the house as a little church,” he said. “It’s a space where groups of people—family, friends—share a meal together, pray together and read Scripture together. It would also be a place for kids. We can use the house in a way to give back to God and bring others into a relationship with him.”

Having these concrete plans has already had an impact on his relationship with God.

“It brings me peace. It brings me joy that I’m able to use the gifts God has given me.” †

 

Related story: Young adults embrace opportunity to deepen faith at SEEK2019

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