We’re moving!

“The Wedding at Cana” by Paolo Veronese, 1563

When this blog was started in January, well before the launch during this year’s Regional Leaders Conference, it was only intended to be temporary. Eventually, a full-fledged website would be launched to serve as a central hub for the online presence of CFC Youth in Canada. We didn’t know when that was going to be but we knew that it would come sooner or later.

It is with great joy, not sadness, that we’re announcing our move to the national website located here. It’s easy to remember, simply “cfcyouth.ca”, and much more comprehensive than this Pacific-region centred blog. It spans the entirety of the Canadian CFC Youth scope, from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic and everything in between. Just like the Canadian motto, it truly is “from sea to sea”: a mari usque ad mare. Providentially enough, this comes from Psalm 72:8:

May he have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.”

It certainly has been a pleasure administrating the website as your regional Press Heads. From editing blog posts to queuing them up to taking photos and editing them to rounding up posts almost every week, we have reveled in the fact that we can share the testimony of our brothers and sisters with the world. The reach of this blog was surprising at first but ultimately a testament to how powerful the Internet, as a mission area, is in proclaiming and witnessing to the Gospel. During our Regional Youth Conference post-coverage, we would receive visitors in the range of 100-275 each day; that wasn’t even counting our YouTube channel hits or Flickr album views!

There are many more changes to come as we venture on a unified track with the rest of Canada. No, we will not stop sharing our witness; they’ll just be found at the national website. (If you were wondering where the June reflections were, they’ll be there.) Come journey with the rest of your brothers and sisters, from east to west and north to south, and “come and see” what the Lord may yet reveal to you.

We remain faithfully yours in Christ and

Signing off for the last time
John Ray Catingub
Natalie Abad
CFC Youth Pacific Region Press Heads

Crosses

Photo: Loureal Agustin

Whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:38)

The 2013 Regional Youth Conference (RYC) was my fifth and although I have served in various capacities around the Region, it is the first RYC I have served at. My first, Move, was in May of 2009, five months before I was even a member of CFC Youth. The anchor verse for that RYC was from Philippians 3:14.

This year I headed the Press Team with my counterpart Natalie Abad. I knew that I could trust the team in capturing the pivotal moments of RYC and witness to the world how greatly God moves in this region. What I couldn’t trust was myself. I questioned the anointing that is made by God through our leaders in CFC Youth and wondered how I could possibly manage an entire team at my first time serving an RYC.

It’s intimidating trying to consider how things will be in this service—practically evangelising over the mission area of the Internet—when you’re solely focused on the logistics. If I’m asked to serve, I usually weigh the logistics and plan out how things will be done. Prayer is not one of the first things I do; it’s something that I’ve always struggled with and still continue in. With a mind that is first set to logistics, it’s very easy to focus on my own ineptitudes and inabilities and, from there it is easy for doubt to strangle my prayer life.

What if I’m not able to lead? What if we don’t have the equipment we need? What if our computers fail? What if I bomb this competition? What if I screw up my share?

What if I just offer this all up to God?

What if I pray?

I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)

There are a lot of times when I let the crosses I bear come close to crushing me. The only thing that prevents that is prayer; the only one who truly strengthens me and helps me along is God. It’s very human for us to doubt in our own talents and, furthermore, God’s anointing of us here in the community. I’m sure that we have all faced it at one point in our lives. For me, the crosses I bear—separated parents, a struggle to love, the stresses of school, and so on—only serve to exacerbate that doubt.

But it is through prayer and with God that I am able to press on. Service is full of blessings, yes, but it can also be self-mortifying. Through our suffering and struggle we are tested but we are also made stronger. The realisations we discover in our trials empower us to be better Catholics. The crosses we bear will hurt at times and they will test our very limits to serve and to love but they are necessary to appreciate God when He comes to our assistance. Even Christ needed Simon to help Him carry the cross to Calvary.

God empowered me to serve in spite of my own hesitation and doubt. Just as the cross was necessary for Christ to redeem us, my own doubt was necessary for me to see how much better it is to reside in God.

This year’s RYC was nothing short of victorious and I am assured that is because of God. No matter the doubt or shortcomings, I know that God will overcome if we only lift our prayers to Him.

Galatians 6:9

Photo: Patrick Ruiz

So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

I’ve been to a number of Regional Youth Conferences (RYC) over the past few years, but this year was different for me. This year was my very first time being a part of the service team–on the Press/Documentation Team to be exact!

To be honest, I was reluctant, scared, and stressed. From being used to sitting in the crowd as a participant to suddenly having to lead a group of brothers and sisters greatly overwhelmed me. I had recently said “yes” to my new service role as Press Head only two months prior; how was I to lead if I felt as if I had no clue what I was doing? Also having to juggle family, work, service, and practices for Surrey 1, my daily schedule was packed to the last minute, leaving me with little sleep for the next day.

As the event drew closer, I became easily discouraged and things were beginning to pile up. Work was tiresome, the commute back and forth from Surrey to Vancouver and back again took a toll on me. I had no idea how to play basketball. (I’m not a sporty or athletic person!) Learning and memorising the choreography for the senior dance team was a struggle and having to miss the last two practices before the event decreased my confidence. I felt completely unprepared for RYC.

On the day of RSVP, I had to work until 5 p.m., so I wasn’t able to make it to the venue for the tech run-through at 2 p.m.. And to my dismay, I had to stay behind for an extra 30 minutes which delayed me even longer. How much of the rehearsal was I going to have to miss? Is the Press Team going to be okay to start without me?

I ended up arriving at the venue at around 7 p.m. expecting things to be a mess but as I entered the gymnasium, I saw. I saw God working through the brothers and sisters that I served.

I saw Him through the photographers and videographers: Camille Reyes, Loureal Agustin, Patrick Magdua, Gylian Pascual, and Patrick Ruiz who were not able to experience the conference through their eyes, ears, and mind, but through a mere camera lens. Although they couldn’t stay in one spot and immerse themselves in the event, they were able to capture the beauty, drive, and passion of others.

I saw Him through the writers for reflections: Thea Respicio, Tanya Uy, Jeff Adolfo, and James Roy Catingub who had to sit at the very back of the event, unnoticed, almost as shadows. Noses in their notebooks or eyes glued to their computer screen, they still remained happy and focused in their service. I especially saw God through my counterpart, John Ray Catingub, who was so patient and helped me ease the stress throughout the whole process.

Praise God for blessing me and allowing me to serve with such an amazing and talented group of brothers and sisters!! Thank you Press Team Dream Team for being so kind and so willing to serve. Through each of you, I am inspired to grow deeper in my service and continue to sacrifice for the Lord with joy.

Coming into the RYC season, I was blinded by the tasks of things that I had to do. I was humbly reminded to not grow weary, but to trust in Him, and everything else will fall into place accordingly.

#RSVP

Photo: Camille Reyes

I don’t completely understand the ins and outs of God’s way of communicating with us. I am not sure anyone really does, but I know that God reveals His will to His children in a peaceful way–never anxious or fear-filled. His message is firm and reassuring, like a parent would when encouraging a child. I have also learned that it is hard to hear God’s still, quiet voice when the mind is noisy and filled with worrisome and insecure thoughts. Before entering into my service role, I resolved to silence my own fears, my own thoughts, and simply rely on my Father’s guidance.

Being able to work on the CFC Youth Pacific’s Instagram account for Regional Youth Conference (RYC) was a blessing, but until now, I still find it weird to call it a ‘service role’. It is not that I am demeaning my role but it is definitely unusual to say that I served the Lord by posting photos online. Instagram is a great platform for creativity because it enables people to create something quickly and easily without incurring any mess or having to do any intensive practice. I never once thought it could be something that I can use as an avenue to evangelize.

Perhaps since posting photos in Instagram is something that I just simply enjoy doing that I presumed my task to be easy in the beginning and it made me feel nonchalant towards my service role. However, the “easiness” of my assigned task made me fear that I would not meet what was expected of me. In addition, the conference was in the middle of my final exams at school so I started to question myself whether it was a good idea to say yes to serving, that I should have studied instead. I really had to fight to silence these fears and distracting thoughts to focus on what I was called to do.

The first night of RYC started with creative performances. I thought I was merely taking photos and posting them, but as the night went on, I found myself straining to capture the performances at different angles and putting in different filters to try to make my photos dynamic. I found myself really wanting to showcase the talents that Pacific Region has to offer. I wanted to explain to the world not in words, but in photos why is it that we do what we do. Some critics ask why we put so much effort, why we sacrifice so much of our time in one weekend. I really hope that those people will understand why after seeing our photos.  I hope that they saw the joy that comes with being a CFC-Youth for Christ.

As far-fetched as it may sound, I am reminded by the Annunciation, when the archangel Gabriel announced to Mama Mary that she will conceive the Son of God, and she immediately said yes.

May it be done to me according to Your Word.” (Luke 1:38)

Her resounding “Yes” made possible the most priceless treasure, the gift of our salvation in Christ. Mama Mary may have not known what the full extent of her fiat, but in that moment, she responded to God’s call. She didn’t listen to her fears, her thoughts, and simply relied on the Father’s guidance. I pray that we may all imitate Mama Mary’s complete surrender to receive Christ and in her readiness to RSVP to God’s call.

Providence

Photo: Jeff Adolfo

For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members of one another.” (Romans 12:4-5)

Every service role serves a purpose as insignificant of a role we may perceive it to be.  Each individual plays an integral role in contributing to the bigger picture.   Being one of two people in charge of running Pacific Region’s Instagram account for Regional Youth Conference (RYC), I had the belief that one person would be enough and that they alone could assume the responsibility stress-free.  Even after we were given our assignment list, I still maintained this attitude but as the first evening progressed, I was thankful I had someone to work with.

What can be viewed as a simple task, can surprisingly prove to be tedious.  The pace of the weekend varied considerably, most notably during competitions where the windows of opportunity to take photos, choose a suitable image, edit, create a caption, and post before moving on made it clear how difficult it would be for one individual to take up this role without assistance.  If I were to work on my own, there’s a good chance I would have been so consumed by my service that I would not take time to step back and take in my surroundings, to witness the joy, to see what the Lord has created.  Having someone to work with, another point of view, to capture the beauty of a certain moment that the other person could have missed minimizes lost opportunities and enhances the experience.  In the same way, so could we be blind to what God wants us to see if we don’t trust in Him to open our eyes.  Reflecting back on all of this, how many times have we refused the help of others, the help of God, because of our overconfidence and pride in ourselves?  Accepting help from others, from the Lord, is not a sign of weakness but an act of love and trust.  Regardless of the magnitude of the task at hand, we should always seek the guidance of God because in all that we do we should do for His glory.

In addition to Instagram, I was also asked to write four reflections.  Being asked to write a reflection, let alone four, came as a surprise for me.  I’m not one who enjoys structured essay writing, I’m not the most eloquent writer, I hate proofreading and editing, and I get frustrated easily due to over-analysing. (I have re-written this particular reflection four times.) However, God truly works in mysterious ways.  A week prior to being asked to serve as part of the Press Team, I had a sudden urge to write, an urge that I’ve never felt before.  Instead of reflecting to myself the daily Gospel, spiritual readings, and my day, I began to put my thoughts to paper at the end of each day.  Of course, journal writing is much different than essay form, but my unorganized thoughts allowed me to unclutter the mess in my mind.  It allowed me to see in words what the Lord was speaking to me.  It was through these experiences that God was preparing me for what was to come.

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.  It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” (Colossians 3:23-24)

This service role was completely different from other roles that I’ve been given.  Rather than interacting with God through others, it was in the solitude of my service that I was able really hear what God was speaking to me.  Despite my initial discomfort, I was again reminded that God always intends for us to grow.  Let us not be complacent, but respond zealously to God’s challenges.  How are we to truly know what we are capable of if we don’t try? You never know what you’ll discover if you say yes to the Lord with confidence.

To God be the Glory.

Humility in Service

Photo: Patrick Ruiz

Humility in service.” (Jeff Adolfo of CFC Youth Campus Based)

One of my struggles before Regional Youth Conference (RYC) was that I could not balance being outgoing and being humble. I was becoming more aware that my quirkiness and outgoing personality was excessive to the point that I was distracting and seeking too much attention. Ironically, the comment above that originated from an amusing matter became my lesson during RYC.

I was already feeling sick from the common cold the day of RYC,. Throughout the weekend, my throat and sinus became worse. Breathing through my nose was almost impossible and breathing through my mouth dried my throat even more. It was a lose-lose situation for every part of me useful for breathing. However, the soreness helped me appreciate the quality of my conversations. During the Awake Fair, I met a brother who I wanted to encourage to interact with other people because he was sitting by himself. With a sore throat, I had to choose my words carefully, which I rarely do. At the end, it was not important that I got to know as many facts about him or that I convinced him to mingle. It was key that I listened to what he had to say about his favourite singers and listened to one of his favourite songs on his mp3. I listened.

Since breathing and talking was hard, singing was more demanding. Honestly, often during worship, my mind wanders and I end up singing aimlessly. The prayers that the songs really are become simply air that I carelessly spill out of my mouth. Unable to sing painlessly, it became my opportunity to take the prayers to heart as I sang the songs in my head. When I did sing out loud, I sang with conviction because despite how I sounded or whether I sang at all, it was what was in my heart that mattered. I sang not to bring musical joy to my own ears but to affirm in my heart that God is worthy to be praised, worshipped, and glorified.

I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about You, all about You, Jesus. (Matt Redman, “The Heart of Worship”)

Assigned on Twitter and writing as part of Press Team, though one of our goals was to get the official RYC hashtags to trend in Vancouver (e.g. be a topic discussed more than others on Twitter), my priority was to glorify God by documenting His message. Being behind the scenes, my sickness really brought me to humility in my service. As I listened, I heard the victories, struggles, and faith of my brothers and sisters. I was able to be obedient to my Press Team heads. Without the sound of my own voice, I heard God encouraging me and preparing me to answer my vocation. As a servant brought back to the heart of worship, I responded to God by glorifying Him through my tweets and my reflections. In my humility, the Holy Spirit provided me the courage to stand tall during Praisefest and lift my hands up to God as a child reaching out, waiting to be picked up and carried into loving arms.

That is what I must find, an elevator to take me straight up to Jesus, because I am too little to climb the steep stairway of perfection… Your arms, My Jesus, are the elevator which will take me up to Heaven. There is no need for me to grow up; on the contrary, I must stay little, and become more and more so. (St. Therese of Lisieux, The Story of a Soul)

Humility brought me to listen and respond. RSVP.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are Yours, now and forever. Amen.

Ready and Willing

Photo: Patrick Ruiz

RSVP: Come and See was the fourth Regional Youth Conference (RYC) that I attended and the first as a member of the service team. I was asked to serve under the Press Team and was subsequently tasked with tweeting from the CFC Youth Pacific Twitter account. The task seemed very daunting, as it was my first time serving for a regional event. Nevertheless I accepted the task and dived into the role knowing that, as long as I did my best and stayed grounded in God through prayer and meditation then everything would work out well.

It was a blessing to become acquainted and to get to know the other members of the Press Team. We all served with the intention of glorifying God and evangelizing His message through our service roles. Throughout the entirety of RYC all of us shared laughs but simultaneously stayed committed to our service roles. All the laughs and the spontaneities that He provided strengthened our bond as a committee. I clearly saw Christ in each member on the Press Team and those members remained convicted in their service. I saw the passion with which these brothers and sisters acted in their service and it was inspiring.

I was also inspired watching the rest of the service team serve with so much passion and God-given conviction. It was especially evident through the morning worship just before the Guildford Recreation Center opened. Despite the rigors of waking up early and having less than eight hours of sleep everyone sang with plenty of heart. Even throughout the entirety of RYC I did not see any evidence of fatigue from the service team. All of them were happy and gracious to be able to bask in the presence of the Lord, whether in adoration, Mass, or worship. Just being blessed with the opportunity to be around the rest of the RYC service team is encouraging and motivates me to undertake my current and future service with great fervor.

Both the workshops were called me to engage in deeper spirituality with God. Deacon Nick Meisl, echoing the words of Mother Teresa, uttered five words that resonated with me: “You did it to me.” If I am to live the message of the Gospel then I am responsible for acting Christ-like towards myself and to my fellow brothers and sisters. Brother John’s talk regarding discernment of spirits is a great tool that allowed me to do plenty of introspection and realize that my discernments haven’t always been rooted in Christ. The two workshops were fruitful and His personal message to me.

The greatest bit about service is the complete dedication of talents and efforts to the greater glory of God. I witnessed first-hand, in my first instance of serving for RYC, the fire of service evident throughout Pacific Region. He has called me to respond to His invitation and be a trailblazer for His greater glory.

I’m Walking on Sunshine

Photo: Paddy Magdua

Serving in a Regional Youth Conference (RYC) for the second time is truly a humbling experience for I have to put away many things that hindered me from seeing and hearing the Lord in my service.

Talking to some of the brothers in the CFC Youth community, the way I served this year is very different than last year because of the spiritual nourishment and maturity that I have been going through. Last year, I was so focused in service that I left the conference not fully knowing what the Lord was trying to show me through it. Instead of making my weekend worth of service a sacrifice to the Lord, I was more concerned of myself and not fully trusting in His will. It has always been the battle within us to see the Lord and to find joy with whatever we are doing.

Reflecting on last year’s Regional Youth Conference, I barely talked to anyone that I saw because of the pride in my service. As one of the photographers during the event, I pretty much ignored whoever I did not know. It is probably the main reason why I felt empty rather than being joyful. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said the following:

Like Jesus, we belong to the world living not for ourselves but for others. The joy of the Lord is our strength.”

I read this online when reflecting upon one of the daily readings a couple of days before this year’s Regional Youth Conference and I thought I should just keep it in my journal because it is one of those quotes to look back to later on. However, it made its sense to me after serving again as a videographer during this year’s RYC. It has always been a habit for me to have fun with whatever I am doing. Sometimes I get carried away and have too much fun but once I focus on having fun with the Lord, it brings me so much joy. Joy is something that I find every time I am to carry a cross. Throughout the weekend, every smile and laughter that I witnessed and captured made my cross less heavy. Smiling back and laughing with them were pretty much my conversation with Him.

In the Gospel of John it says:

Behold the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (John 16:32-33)

Knowing that the Lord will come and will never leave your side in whatever task you are given, I say do not be afraid of saying yes and fully surrendering yourself to him. He promised us that we will find peace and we will see the joy in His will.

The Beauty in Every Moment

Photo: Paddy Magdua

From a photographer’s experience, I find it difficult at times to participate in an event that I am photographing for. I become occupied with always trying to get the best looking photograph possible, instead of being there to learn and enjoy the event. I was essentially consumed by my craft. Fortunately, this year’s Regional Youth Conference provided a different experience.

Despite having my eyes practically glued to the viewfinder of my camera, I was able to truly capture the perfect moments, the victories, and shared emotions of everyone participating at the Regional Youth Conference. Every note that was sung, every hand raised high, and every dance move made was unquestionably lifted up to God. In between each release of the shutter on my camera, I got a better understanding of what it was I was photographing. The photographs are more than simple digital files that get uploaded to Facebook; they are testimonies to how beautiful this community is.

This year marks the second time I have photographed for a Regional Youth Conference. What made this one a paramount experience was really involving myself with the day’s activities instead of focusing purely on photographing. During worships, I would drop the camera or put it away somewhere else and sing, worship, and lift my arms up high. Every share and every talk, my camera allowed me to see the conviction of Christ in each and every one of their lives. Whether it be through the tears of joy or every smile, photographing each moment gave me a better perspective of the message they were trying to convey.

He said to them, ‘Come and see.’” (John 1:39)

What better verse to describe the countless photographs taken at this year’s Regional Youth Conference. Members of CFC Youth all over the world were able to witness Pacific Region’s Regional Youth Conference through our photographs, tweets, and blog posts. As social media continues grow, so will our strive to evangelize through photographs, videos, and even blogging. Thanks to our growing community, God has blessed us with the talents and opportunities to capture beautiful moments in times where Christ is truly present.

Illuminated

Photo: Camille Reyes

It was 10:30 p.m. on a chilly Thursday evening and I spent it anxiously waiting for bus 20 on East Hastings Street. My focus made a shift from the wait to the notification on my phone, as this was the same evening I discovered I would be serving as a member of the Press Team for the 2013 Regional Youth Conference (RYC). The blood in my veins raged inside of me, as I couldn’t contain my excitement or my composure. Although I had never really taken photos for any previous events, I knew that this was an opportunity to grow, to discover and to serve my God: an opportunity I couldn’t say no to.

When the day finally came, I was struck with a number of emotions. I felt as if I had just stepped into a room of darkness, not knowing what to expect had I taken another step. I really did not know what I was doing–but it was through coming in with nothing that I was able to realize how much I have walked out with from this experience.

For one, I was able to become a firsthand witness of the sweat and the dark circles that my brothers and sisters had acquired as they put in everything they had in order to prepare for and produce such a successful event. It is their charisma, their ceaseless positivity, their dedication, and their passion that they have to serve the Lord that inspires me time and time again. Through them, I am motivated to continue. Through them, I thirst more to serve my God and seek the replenishment that only He provides.

Being behind a camera, I was also able to come to a greater appreciation of the beauty in the unity that RYC provides every year, as it transforms a day-to-day site (the Guildford Recreation Centre) into a family reunion. To see over 500 youth come together for the common cause of praising and glorifying our God is astounding. This year, three of my cousins were able to participate in the event. It brought tears to my eyes to see them up there. Behind my camera, I was able to focus in on each of their faces as they performed, played and made use of their God-given talents with such vigour. I was able to see how immersed they were during worship. I was able to watch them compete in a basketball game, look at their opponent face to face and burst out with a giant, genuine smile.

Although I was not able to attend the entire conference this year, those minuscule things have made a lasting impact on me.

Through the 2013 Regional Youth Conference, I have seen.