Archdiocesan youth attend ONFiRE retreat at Six Flags Vallejo

By Remee Vargas

More than 120 youth and their leaders from nine Archdiocesan ministries joined 1,500 other Catholics on Saturday, September 14, for ONFiRE, an annual event that kicks off the year’s youth and young adult ministries in Northern California.

The day included Mass with Oakland Bishop Michael Barber, S.J. and Sacramento Bishop Jaime Soto, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Catholic Speakers, concerts by Christian artists, Eucharistic Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and after-hours access to the Park exclusively for ONFiRE attendees.

It was a great opportunity for high schoolers and young adults from all over Northern California to come together in their Catholic t-shirts and gear to attend Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharistic Adoration.

One of the ONFire speakers, Katie Prejean McGrady, captured the spirit of the day when she mentioned in one of her talks, “It’s not a Catholic Youth Group. It’s a group of youth just being Catholic.”

The theme park wasn’t full of Catholic Youth Groups. There were groups of youth just being Catholic. They were unapologetically being their authentic, God-loving selves; wearing T-shirts emblazoned with saints and crucifixes, some with scapulars visibly hanging out of their shirts. They were having fun at an amusement park while making time for Holy Spirit moments throughout the day.

Remee Vargas is the coordinator of Youth & Young Adult Ministries for the Archdiocese of San Francisco.