SAN DIEGO — More than 300 Catholics between the ages of 18 and 39 are expected to attend the Annual Young Adult Adoration and Mass.
Sponsored by the diocesan Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, the event will be held on Sunday, July 14, at The Immaculata Parish, located on the campus of the University of San Diego.
Evelyn Beale, one of the associate directors of the diocesan Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, said that one of the draws of this event is to bring young adults from all over San Diego region together and to give them “a little glimpse” of the larger Church.
The evening will begin at 5 p.m. with an hour of Eucharistic adoration, during which priests will be available for the sacrament of reconciliation.
At 6 p.m., Auxiliary Bishop Felipe Pulido will preside over a Mass, which will be followed by a reception that promises fellowship and free tacos.
The liturgical music will be provided by Ruach, the young adult choir from St. Therese of Carmel Parish in Carmel Valley, which is co-led by young adults Catherine Marshall and Nicky Knuff.
Beale said that she is excited to have them lead the music this year.
“They’re an active young adult choir that sings every single Sunday at the 5:30 p.m. Mass” and “they breathe life into that Mass,” she said.
“I think it’s a great testament to show the young adult community what being really involved in a parish could look like,” Beale said of Ruach.
Beale described the event as “a fond, familiar event” that many young adults, like herself, have been attending for years.
“There are some people that also go every single year that I might not connect with a lot throughout the year because of busy schedules,” she said, “but it’s really joyful when I see them at the Young Adult Mass. That’s kind of our time to hang out and connect.”
Beale reflected on possible takeaways for young adults from this year’s event.
“I’m hoping, for the Mass, that they get this sense of being a part of something bigger than just their own local young adult community, that all the young adult communities are connected and working together to build the greater Church in San Diego,” she said. “I hope they get to see that on a big scale, with the bishop, and the music, and the beautiful church, that they get to feel like they’re a part of something really special.”
