On Monday, January 7, 2023, 30 Carroll students with their four FOCUS missionaries and Carroll Campus Ministry staff, Fr. Marc Lenneman, Deidre Casey and Chris Yakawich, joined 17,000 other young adults for the 2023 SEEK conference in St. Louis, Missouri. Featuring speakers such as Fr. Mike Schmitz and Sister Miriam Heidland of SOLT, the week was exciting grounds to grow in their Catholic faith and friendships. “Seek was a life changing experience! It was an amazing community of love and faith!” shares Carroll senior nursing student, Katelyn McKay.
The days began with beautiful masses celebrated by Bishops and Archbishops from across the nation, and were filled with impact sessions from powerful speakers for college students, campus ministers, parish leadership, seminarians, and young families alike. “A highlight of my Seek23 experience would be having the opportunity to attend the impact sessions. I found the speeches and lessons learned from these amazing Christians really resonated with me and what is going on in my life at the moment,” says Carroll sophomore, Jared Nelson. Evenings included a swing dance, a powerful night of Eucharistic Adoration and worship in the Dome at America’s Center, and a Ben Rector concert, closing things up on Thursday.
Carroll FOCUS missionary Carly Jansen shares, “One of the most beautiful parts for me as a missionary was the adoration night. Getting to pray literally side by side to the students and experience the Lord's presence with and right beside them. It was surreal to be in a room of 17,000 people amidst that moment, but what felt the most special was sharing it with the Carroll students.”
Carroll participants were thrilled to be there together, representing Montana with over 60 students, missionaries, chaplains, and staff from MSU, UM and UM Western, to be encouraged as the Body of Christ as they return to their campuses for the spring semester. They wish to thank all the benefactors and prayers who supported them for this remarkable faith adventure.