The Bishop-appointed Commission for Young Adults rolled out the first of its “Socialize with the Saints” events on June 22, on the feast of St. Thomas More, at St. Thomas More Parish, Allentown.
The purpose of “Socialize with the Saints” is to bring together young adults of the Diocese to develop relationships and a deeper understanding of the patron saints of the parishes of our local churches.
The night began with Mass, followed by food, fellowship, and a speaker.
Father Philip Maas, Assistant Pastor of St. Thomas More, illuminated the crowd on the life of his parish’s namesake and shared a personal story of his experience seeking the tomb of St. Thomas More in England.
Listeners like Estefania Pierce of Holy Infancy, Bethlehem went away empowered by the stories behind the life of St. Thomas More.
“The talk really showed us a [clear picture of a] layman and [helped us see an example of] how we can fight for God in our jobs and vocations. We do not need to be a priest, religious sister, or monk to stand up for Christ. We can strive for truth and holiness and still be active in our current vocation,” he said.
Through deep and meaningful questions and conversations with Father Maas and other participants that night, Pierce came to see how St. Thomas More “stood for the truth” in more than one way. “He was both a judge and a believer in the truth of God. He was never trying to [impose] his faith on anyone,” she said. Instead, he lived out his call to “righteousness, truth, and fairness,” which was both his vocational and baptismal call.
Tiffany Tran of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Whitehall, who also attended the event and raved about it afterward, remarked, “Father Maas shared about St. Thomas More in a way that was very relatable and provided new insights into a well-known saint. This made me wonder how many other patron saints in our Diocese are known to us but about whom we know little.”
“‘Socialize with the Saints’ was a wonderful opportunity to visit a different parish in our Diocese and connect with other young adults,” she added. “It’s easy to feel alone when you aren’t always surrounded by people your age in pursuit of an authentic Christian life. I have great hope that our Diocese will continue to grow in faith and fellowship, especially among the young adults.”
The Commission for Young Adults hopes to take this event to parishes in all five counties of the Diocese.
Shea Elliot, commission member, explained, “With our first event completed, we have a model to follow that can take us to any parish interested in hosting the event.”
Look for future “Socialize with the Saints” events in your bulletin or the AD Times.
If you would like to help host a “Socialize with the Saints” event at your parish, please email Shea at [email protected].
Photo: St. Thomas More Parish, Allentown from Facebook page.
