Florida Catholic | Faithfest 2008

Fans cheer during the live performance of Catholic recording artists Matt Maher and Tom Booth at Faithfest 2008, a gathering of young adults held at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens.

DANIEL SOÑÉ | FC
Fans cheer during the live performance of Catholic recording artists Matt Maher and Tom Booth at Faithfest 2008, a gathering of young adults held at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens.

Young adults rejoice at ‘Faithfest’

The ‘mystical body of Christ’ is real for the young adults who attended Faithfest 2008.

DANIEL SOÑÉ | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 02.15.08

MIAMI GARDENS | More than 1 billion people in the world are Catholic. Yet the idea of the “mystical body of Christ” can be hard to grasp.

Not so for young adults who took part in Faithfest 2008 at St. Thomas University. By bringing together hundreds of young Catholics from all over the Archdiocese of Miami — and even as far as Canada — the annual gathering is a tangible expression of how all Catholics are “one body in Christ.”

“We need the energy of the body of Christ and at times we experience that universally like in World Youth Day,” said Auxiliary Bishop Felipe Estévez. “We need to experience it in our own archdiocese. This is so that young adults can rally and say, ‘Faith is powerful.’”

Bishop Estévez celebrated Mass and led a candlelight eucharistic procession during the Feb. 9 event. The twinkle of many candles following the Blessed Sacrament also made the festival’s theme — “Walking in the Light” — a tangible reality.

At Faithfest, Catholic young adults were united in worship and fun. They took part in rock climbing, a bounce house, tug-of-war, “sumo” wrestling matches and a barbeque. After dinner, Catholic recording artists Tom Booth and Matt Maher caused the crowds to cheer, dance and sway their hands in time with their songs of worship.

“The only thing that separates our music from other categories is that it directly praises God. Good music is good music, and great music praises the Lord. That’s what we’re bringing here,” Maher said.

Even though Faithfest 2008 was nowhere near the scale of World Youth Day, it was a microcosm of the youthful energy of the body of Christ.

“Awesome, just awesome!” said one participant, Auravelia Colomer of Canada.

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Young adults rejoice at ‘Faithfest’

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