2024 Theme Reflections
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2024 Theme ReflectionsPrepare for RECongress 2024 by exploring our themes. -
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Delve in to the inspiring themes of RECongress 2024!
Our theme reflections offer deeper understanding into our Youth Day theme Your Path Awaits, and our Adult Days theme Be Loved!
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Youth Day - February 15, 2024
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Your Path Awaits
What Does Your Path Await Mean?
As teens we are being asked to make life changing decisions on a daily basis. We are encouraged to do whatever makes us happy. Have fun, live your life, be comfortable. However, that is the path of the world. God on the other hand has a path specifically crafted for your salvation. This path will be full of challenges, pain, and suffering. But you won't be alone. Along this path, we have been given friends to help us endure the journey. That's why it's not just your path; it's our path. Together we can reach salvation; endure the pain with hope and joy knowing we are a step closer to salvation.
How did we come up with this theme?
After going over the readings for the day, we discovered an ongoing pattern that addressed the topic of choice. The first reading did not hesitate one bit as it spoke about how those who don't follow his path will “certainly perish”. With such threats it seemed obvious to choose God's path, but the question remained: Why don't we? Reality is not that simple. The Gospel goes over what it takes to follow his path. His path requires us to suffer greatly, be rejected and repent. Whoever wishes to follow him must first deny themselves. However, our pain won't be in vain as the Responsorial Psalm states, “Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.” The theme Your Path Awaits reminds us that our path full of suffering awaits us yet acknowledges we have people who will help us carry our cross to salvation.
Jaqueline Saucedo
Freshman
St. Mary’s in Palmdale, CA
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Adult Days - February 16-18, 2024
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Be Loved!
The theme of the 2024 Religious Education Congress, Be Loved!, is a daring invitation to experience God’s unconditional love in every corner of our lives. Our Lenten journey begins the weekend of RECongress with the beautiful opportunity to acknowledge and accept that we are loved no matter what, as the Psalm of the first Sunday of Lent remind us: “your compassion and your love are from of old.”This daring invitation of being loved will give us the opportunity to not only experience the dignity of being a beloved child of God, but also will give us the strength to be the reflection of God’s love that offers life and hope to our families, society, and Church.
Being loved is a basic need that we all claim and paradoxically it is challenging to allow oneself to be loved. Our weekend together will provide the opportunity to meet people from all over the world and many other offerings that will melt down our defenses allowing God to love us. Pope Francis reminds us that “the Church must be a place of mercy freely given, where
everyone can feel welcomed, loved, forgiven, and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel.” (Evangelii Gaudium, 114)
We invite you to participate in RECongress 2024 to deepen in this invitation to Be Loved! and to become a Church where everyone is loved and encouraged to live the Gospel.
Sr. Rosalia Meza, VDMF
Senior Director Office of Religious Education
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
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Adult Days Artwork Reflection
“Be Loved!” How do I “Be Loved!” ? What does that look like?
Maya Angelou was in a vocal class in 1955 when she experienced a “spiritual turning point”. She was reading aloud from H. Emilie Cady’s classic Lessons in Truth, and read the passage “God loves me.” When the instructor asked her to read the passage over again she said it louder and more strongly, “God Loves me!” He asked he to read it again. Maya then broke it down and said it slowly and deliberately... “God ... loves ... ME!” She said she is still humbled by that moment of realization and acceptance that God loved her, Maya. “God loves me … this God that made the fleas and the leaves, the stars and rivers … and you, loves me, Maya Angelou. I can do anything and do it well! That’s why I am who I am. Yes, because God loves me! I am amazed at it and grateful for it.” When we can accept that we are not only worthy of God’s unconditional love, but have always been in possession of it, we are left humbled and truly amazed. Awakened to absolute freedom to “Be” the best version of ourselves, aware of the eyes of God watching us ... smiling with the love of a proud father. We have only to open our hearts to “Be Loved!”. To dance in the powerful light of that love, ignited by it’s radiant fire, we can do anything! ... And do it well! Amen!
Val MacRae
Artist
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Adult Days Theme Song Composer
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Chris de Silva
For many years, Chris de Silva has been instrumental in arranging the music for RECongress - most often found behind the piano in the Arena. His gift of music is widely celebrated and his compositions appear in hymnals throughout the world. Currently, Chris is a composer, arranger, and recording artist with GIA Publications, Inc..
Chris is originally from Singapore and currently lives in Los Angeles where he serves as the Interim Associate Director of Campus Ministry at Loyola Marymount University. Chris holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Composition and Film Scoring from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, a Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology from Loyola Marymount University and a Doctor of Ministry from Candler School of Theology at Emory University.
We are delighted that Chris is sharing his gift of writing music by composing the 2024 Adult Days Theme Song. You will be inspired and drawn into melody as you are invited to "Be Loved".
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