SEEK 2026, the annual conference hosted by the Catholic student ministry FOCUS, is taking place simultaneously in Columbus, Fort Worth, and Denver, drawing over 26,000 students. The conference theme, “To the Heights!”, is inspired by St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, who frequently used the phrase “Verso l’alto” (To the heights) to signify his pursuit of heaven. St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis were both canonized by Pope Leo XIV in September 2025. St. Frassati was known for his care for the poor, daily Eucharist reception, and love of the outdoors, while St. Acutis was known for his devotion to the Eucharist and using technology to share Eucharistic miracles. Keynote speaker Sister Josephine Garrett defined the pursuit of "the heights" as a personal encounter with the limitless love of God.
2 months ago
SEEK 2026, hosted by FOCUS, draws over 26,000 college students across Columbus, Ohio; Fort Worth, Texas; and Denver through January 5.1 3
The event features Masses, confession, adoration, speakers, and activities to foster deeper faith.1
The unifying theme, "To the Heights!", echoes St. Pier Giorgio Frassati's motto "Verso l’alto," symbolizing pursuit of heaven.1
Frassati, canonized in September 2025 by Pope Leo XIV alongside St. Carlo Acutis, inspires young Catholics with his love for the poor, daily Eucharist, and outdoor joy.1
Both Frassati (died at 24 from polio) and Acutis (died at 15 from leukemia) demonstrate holiness in ordinary life.1
Frassati's radical faith and Acutis's use of technology for Eucharistic devotion make sainthood feel attainable for modern youth.1 3
Sister Josephine Garrett emphasized God's limitless love as the force drawing believers upward into deeper world engagement.1
Father Vincent Bernhard highlighted Frassati's misunderstood yet joyful striving for heaven, relevant amid today's search for direction.1
At a Varsity Catholic session, pitcher Trevor Williams likened daily sacrifices to the widow's two pennies and baseball bunting—unseen acts advancing the spiritual team.3
Retired pitcher J.J. Niekro shared how faith sustained him through losses and injuries, prioritizing Christ over career success.3
Williams cited Blessed Miguel Pro's heroism and Acutis's balance of video games with prayer and Mass.3
NOVUS sponsor Garrett Bernardo stressed rooting athletic identity in Christ for peace amid performance pressures.3
Students like Gabrielle Nofal see young saints proving "we can be saints, too," inspiring authentic joy and heavenly focus.1
Sisters Carlie and Cassidy Foos, and others from various universities, view the theme as reorienting toward eternity beyond worldly distractions.1
Columbus's "Mission Way" features "Jump to the Heights," a physical challenge mirroring spiritual striving.1
Athletes and students connect the playful activity to keeping eyes on God amid daily life.1
"How do contemporary Catholic youth conferences embody the pursuit of holiness?"
Contemporary Catholic youth conferences, such as World Youth Days, Jubilee gatherings for youth, and diocesan retreats, serve as vibrant arenas where young people actively pursue holiness by immersing themselves in prayer, sacraments, communal formation, and charitable witness, echoing the Church's timeless teaching on the universal call to sanctity. These events transform ordinary gatherings into transformative encounters with Christ, fostering the "small acts of daily love" that Pope Francis describes as the essence of holiness, while drawing inspiration from modern saints like Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis.
The Church teaches that holiness is not reserved for an elite few but is the vocation of every baptized person, regardless of age or state in life. As Vatican II's Lumen Gentium affirms, "all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity." This call extends explicitly to the young, who are urged to "aim high" and not fear sanctity, allowing God's grace to meet their weakness. Pope John Paul II reinforced this in Christifideles Laici, noting that lay faithful, including youth, share equally in this summons, rooted in Baptism and nourished by the Eucharist and sacraments. Contemporary conferences embody this by challenging young participants to integrate holiness into their "normal" lives—school, work, friendships—much like Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, whose beatification homily praised his joyful Christian witness amid everyday demands.
Pope Leo XIV, in his 2025 Holy Mass for the Jubilee of Youth, connected this pursuit to an inner "thirst" for truth and meaning, quoting St. Augustine's restless search for God and urging youth to seek "the one who made" all good things as their hope. Similarly, Ecclesia in America portrays holiness as imitating Christ's love, especially for the poor, a theme echoed in youth events that prioritize service.
Youth conferences excel in creating environments for direct encounter with Christ, the "point of reference and model" of holiness. Large-scale gatherings like World Youth Days (WYD) and Jubilee vigils feature Eucharistic adoration, Confession, and Mass, practices that Frassati and Acutis exemplified daily. Pope Leo XIV highlighted how Acutis declared, "In front of the sun, you get a tan. In front of the Eucharist, you become a saint!"—a mindset cultivated at these events.
Participants experience sacraments as pathways to conversion: frequent Confession combats sin, the "only thing we really have to fear," per Acutis, while adoration and Communion unite hearts to Christ. Pope John Paul II praised WYD preparations in France, where youth chaplains foster "communities of faith" enabling involvement in diocesan life, with silence in festive liturgies revealing God's nearness. In Rome, he encouraged youth to base initiatives on "daily and sincere relationship with the divine Master" through prayer, Gospel meditation, and sacraments. Pope Leo XIV's Jubilee Vigil dialogue invited youth to form conscience via Gospel reflection, justice, and service, culminating in adoration where "hearts will be united in him."
Community is key: these conferences gather diverse youth, mirroring the Church as a "community of believers who support one another." Diocesan retreats, like that for Rouen youth, emphasize pilgrimage for spiritual growth, discernment, and Confirmation, opening hearts to Christ's voice. Scottish bishops were reminded to integrate youth into parish life via associations, channeling their "idealism and vitality" into evangelization.
Conferences spotlight lay saints as relatable models. Frassati, dubbed "Frassati Transport Company" for hauling aid to Turin’s poor, and Acutis, who wove prayer, study, and charity seamlessly, show holiness in "next-door neighbors." Pope Leo XIV canonized them in 2025 as beacons for youth: "direct [lives] upwards and make them masterpieces," with mottos like Frassati’s "Upwards" and Acutis’s "Not I, but God." Their devotion to Mary, saints, and hidden acts of love—seeing "light" around the poor—fuels conference service projects.
Pope John Paul II's beatification homily called Frassati's life a "revolution of charity" igniting hope, proving sanctity accessible to all youth desiring renewal. Conferences thus "put out into the deep," rejecting negativity for Gospel mission, forming groups for marginalized youth and justice.
These events propel holiness beyond the conference hall. Pope Francis stresses holiness in vocations—work, family, authority—via integrity and care. Youth are exhorted to "aspire to great things" through ongoing prayer, Confession, and charity, like Frassati’s political commitment and Acutis’s family faith. WYD fosters "prophets of life and love," with post-event integration into parishes. As Pope Leo XIV urged at the Jubilee Mass, lift eyes to "things above," growing in compassion and peace.
In summary, contemporary Catholic youth conferences embody holiness pursuit by actualizing the Church's doctrine: sacramental encounters, saintly emulation, communal support, and missionary outflow transform youthful energy into saintly lives. They affirm that, as Pope Francis echoes, "the only real sadness is not becoming a saint"—a joy these gatherings make tangible.