STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — Amid numerous Steubenville Youth Conferences cancellations throughout the country, Franciscan University of Steubenville has decided to host an interactive livestreamed youth conference on the weekend of July 17 to 18.
Livestreamed from Florida, teens, their families, and youth groups will have an opportunity to participate in the event titled “Steubenville Live” from anywhere in the country.
“We are going to try to put every element of a regular Steubenville conference into the livestream,” said John Beaulieu, director of evangelization and engagement for the conference office at Franciscan University.
Interactive conference
Set up to allow teens to gather either in their homes with their families or at their parish’s youth center, the event will involve a combination of livestreaming, video conferencing, and real-life interaction where possible.
“We want to make (the conference) as interactive and prayerful as possible,” said Beaulieu. “Whereas other conferences, probably more geared toward adults, are probably just a series of different talks, . . . (the youth conference) is being done in real time where kids are going to have a chance to respond and interact and be together and share what God is doing in their hearts.”
Leaders or parents will be given resources to facilitate small group discussions.
Three plans
The event has three different plans to choose from.
The individual participant plan costs $40 and includes access to all interactive features and access to Real Life Catholic’s I AM Coaching Program.
The Youth Group plan costs $40 per person and additionally includes access to register an unlimited number of participants and a unique link for all group members to sign up individually.
The family package is $40 per household and $10 for each individual user (up to four) for the interactive features.
Encourages family plan
Nick Crosby, religious education director at St. Clement Parish in Lancaster, has been taking groups of about 70 kids to previous Steubenville Youth Conferences for over a decade. This year, he is recommending parents sign up for the family package.
“I just think it is a great opportunity to get your kids excited about their faith. It can get parents excited about it, too.”
Crosby spoke about how attending the conference with his son transformed his own faith.
Speakers at the Steubenville Live event include: Fr. Mike Schmitz, Brian Kissinger, Josh Blakesley, Mary Bielski, Michael Gormley, and Oscar Rivera Jr.
The theme for the youth conference is “Hope Alive.”
To register and for more information, visit https://steubenvilleconferences.com/live