Teen shares perspective on Steubenville Florida

HOLLY LOEFFLER | SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA CATHOLIC

Posted: 07.03.08

The school year has come to an end for me and the normal day consists of hanging by the poolside and chillin’ at the beach. When I heard that the Steubenville Florida youth conference was making its debut in South Florida on June 13-15, I was excited to change things up a little.

Although a little out of the ordinary, I was up for anything. And I have to say being involved in this youth conference gave me insight into my faith and myself that I could never have imagined.

I will admit while I was driving to Lynn University I was a little hesitant about what was going to happen and what everything was going to be like. I would consider myself someone who has faith in God and believes in his power, but for some reason I was still very anxious and slightly nervous as I walked toward the main hall.

As I walked through the doors I immediately felt something from within. I became so overcome with emotions and completely overwhelmed by the hundreds of people from all over the country. To see all these teens come together to praise the Lord at the beginning of their summer was awe-inspiring. They prayed with such compassion and sang with soul. Some even got up and did a little dance.

The main theme of the gathering was that we are all witnesses of the Lord’s strength and infinite power. Acts 1:8 of the New International Version of the Bible reads, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

If this were the only information that I walked away with after this conference it would have been significant enough. It is my responsibility not to live for myself alone; it is my role as a practicing Catholic to spread the message of God to all people in all places.

The speakers spoke to us, the teens, on a very personal level, telling us all the ways in which we can be witnesses of the word of the Lord. It is our job now to go make actions of these words.

Being a witness is more than just listening to God and his people; it is acting upon those thoughts and helping out anyone in need.

Being involved in Steubenville Florida has most definitely given me a totally new perspective on my faith. I felt not as if a priest was preaching to me, but rather that a close friend was explaining to me the truth about life and its hardships through my teen years.

The speakers told us of their personal life experiences and that while we cannot change the past, the future is up for grabs. It was as if the speeches were directed right at me – telling me that life is hard and that I am going to be faced with many choices, but if I keep my faith in God I will always be able to conquer my problems and know that I will make the right decisions.

Music is my passion. I am a singer in the Cardinal Gibbon’s High School choir and dabble on the acoustic guitar. You can almost always find me singing on the way to class, jammin’ out in the car or playing a little Guitar Hero. To me music has a much deeper meaning than just words to a hip new beat.

The Servant Singers, who performed at various time throughout the weekend, spoke to me through their music. With youthful tones and upbeat praise songs, they gave all of us present a chance to praise the Lord with the voices he has given us.

Father Stan Fortuna also brought the crowd to its feet with his creative style of music. Father Fortuna and his many instruments – the bass, acoustic guitar, triangle and others – showcased the message of the Lord to all the listeners with a funky-fresh beat.

The lyrics of both groups, although the same words people have been preaching to me my entire life, just seemed to make more sense when it was called a song rather than a sermon. I believe words touch your mind while music touches your soul.

My experience at the Steubenville youth conference was unlike any other. I had come to this conference with no expectations and no prejudgments, and what I got was this feeling that was not just shock and awe, but something much deeper. I have truly revived my faith and seen that it is not just the Sunday morning journey to church and the prayers that make us Catholics. It is our chance every moment to spread the word of the Lord to all people in every corner of the world.

Holly Loeffler is a 17-year-old parishioner of St. Joan of in Boca Raton and a rising senior at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale. She attended Steubenville Florida June 13-15, a youth conference directed by Franciscan University in Ohio and coordinated by the Diocese of Palm Beach. The three-day event was at Lynn University and John Paul II High School.