Nearly 1,400 Catholic high school students from across Northern Virginia strengthened their faith, made new friends and enjoyed fellowship on a recent Saturday — and event organizers believe the students are building an important foundation for lifelong involvement in the Church.
The 20th annual “BASH” is the largest gathering of high school students in the Diocese of Arlington. The event will be held on May 4, 2024 at Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington.
The event has grown significantly since it was held at the Parish Hall in 2003 and this year, for the first time in its history, it had to close registration early due to capacity constraints at the expanded venue.
Teenagers trade cell phones and material comforts for physical labor at summer ‘work camps’
In her keynote address, Catholic speaker Mary Pablo of Miami reminded teens that “in the midst of the challenges we all encounter, we should seek a relationship with Jesus.”
Bishop Michael Burbage of the Diocese of Arlington celebrated the Mass for attendees, telling them of Jesus’ strong desire for their lives amid so many challenges today.
Nearly 1,400 teenagers attended a standing-room-only Mass celebrated by Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge. (Courtesy of the Diocese of Arlington)
“Jesus doesn’t want you to just exist, but to live,” Burbage said in his sermon, which was shared with Fox News Digital.
“He doesn’t want you to feel lonely, but he wants you to be one of his friends.”
In modern times, Burbage said today’s teens find themselves overburdened with extracurricular activities and technology and may find it difficult to incorporate prayer into their daily lives.
‘Wait until the 8th’ pledge aims to get parents to boycott their children’s use of smartphones
“Pray with Jesus. Look, if you start your day and end your day the right way and do it right, chances are things won’t fall apart during the day,” he said.
He told attendees that it is crucial to “freeze your phone” once in a while and use that time to pray and strengthen your relationship with Jesus Christ.
“How can you listen when there’s so much noise, distractions and unreal sounds around you? It’s impossible,” Burbage said.
“Jesus will speak to your heart in the silence. He will guide you, comfort you, and strengthen you,” he said.
Bishop Burbage (seated, right, wearing a miter) encourages youth to maintain a prayer life and make time for a relationship with Jesus Christ. (Courtesy of the Diocese of Arlington)
Rainy weather didn’t put a damper on the weekend’s events — while many events were moved indoors, attendees were able to play games, eat pizza and hear messages from religious leaders from around the country.
After Mass, Burbage stayed to talk to some teenagers over dinner.
“It was very inspiring to talk to him and his speech was wonderful,” Eleanor Carrington, 13, of Alexandria, said in comments provided to Fox News Digital by the Diocese of Arlington. Met Burbage after Mass.
She added: “It’s shocking to me that all these kids come to Mass on Saturday and spend six hours here meeting with the bishop.”
The Diocese of Arlington hopes BASH will inspire young people to stay connected to the parish as they age. (Courtesy of the Diocese of Arlington)
The Diocese of Arlington hopes events like BASH — which are more than just a day of fun and a chance to meet the bishop — will help encourage youth to remain involved in their parishes as they enter high school.
“It’s shocking to me that all these kids come to Mass on a Saturday and spend six hours here meeting with the bishop.”
Most BASH participants do not attend Catholic schools, Kevin Bohli, executive director of youth, campus and teen ministries, told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement.
Instead, they participate in parish affairs through religious education classes, altar services or youth ministry programs.
North Dakota millennial woman moves toward sainthood after ‘heroic sanctity’ in battle with cancer
“Research shows that for every adult in church that a teenager has a relationship with as a teenager, they are several percentage points more likely to remain active in the church as a young adult,” Boley said.
“Our goal is to surround young people with as many safe, caring adult leaders in the church as possible,” he added. “This significantly increases the likelihood that adolescents will maintain positive beliefs into adulthood.”
BASH brings together middle school students from across the parishes in 21 northern Virginia counties. (Courtesy of the Diocese of Arlington)
Boley said another component of the campaign is addressing the mental health crisis facing young people today.
“When young people are suffering mentally, they often turn to risky behaviors and relationships in order to cope with the problems they are facing,” he said.
He added that the presence of adult leaders and mentors in young people’s lives “dramatically reduces the likelihood that they will engage in these risky behaviors.”
“Youth ministry events like BASH promote healthy, positive relationships between teens and adults and help these young people avoid risky behaviors.”
He added, “Youth ministry events like BASH promote healthy, positive relationships between teens and adults and help these young people avoid risky behaviors.”
Click here to subscribe to our lifestyle newsletter
Fr. Gregory Thompson, pastor of St. Louis Catholic Church in Alexandria, Virginia, said 58 teenagers from his parish attended the event.
“For those who experience the Catholic faith in an academic setting, it’s good to be able to experience other happy kids from other parishes,” he told Fox News Digital. “So they can see what it means to be a Christian.” The joy of a young Catholic.”
The carnival rides were one of the highlights of the Diocese of Arlington’s 20th annual “BASH” event for the parish’s middle school students. (Courtesy of the Diocese of Arlington)
Paul Przybysz, 14, of Herndon, Virginia, said in a comment shared: “The best thing about BASH is meeting so many middle school students from the parish. It’s a kind of Divine energy, but this energy is not experienced every day.
Another participant said that she initially did not want to participate at all last year and this is her second year participating in BASH.
Click here to get the Fox News app
“I didn’t want to come last year, but I came anyway and the speech was so inspiring that I definitely want to come back,” said Gianna Rodriguez, 14, who lives in Prince William County.
Another attendee also commented and sent it to Fox News Digital.
“The theme of the day is friends, faith and food,” said Thomas Pacheco, 11, of Fairfax County. “What more could you ask for?”
For more lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
