SCRANTON – At her home parish, Gina Morgese recognizes that she is one of the youngest people in the pews.
While attending the Diocese of Scranton’s annual ‘Leave a Mark’ Mass on Nov. 3, the Carbondale native found herself surrounded by many other young Catholics her age, all gathered to joyfully celebrate their shared faith.
“It gives me so much hope that the Church is alive, and God is present,” Morgese said. “I look forward to it every year.”
Held at the Cathedral of Saint Peter, this year marked the ninth annual ‘Leave a Mark’ Mass, which kicks off National Vocation Awareness Week. The name of the Mass originates from Pope Francis’ words to young people during the 2016 World Youth Day in Poland.
“I just always feel like I can be myself at these gatherings and connect with other people who have similar beliefs,” Morgese added. “It can be hard in our secular world, but I love moments like this, where I can connect with other young Catholics.”
The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, served as principal celebrant of the Mass, and Father Alex Roche, Diocesan Secretary for Clergy Formation, delivered the homily.
From the moment the opening hymn, “Lift Up Your Hearts,” filled the Cathedral, it was clear that this was no ordinary Mass – it was a celebration of youth, hope, and the power of the Church to unite.
“We are reminded that if we seek to know where we’re going in life, our vocation, our calling, if we want a sense of peace and purpose and joy, we must build our lives on the rock that is Jesus,” Father Roche said during his homily.
Speaking directly to his young audience, Father Roche reminded the young Catholics that each one of them is created in God’s image and has a unique purpose.
He also challenged them to be witnesses of Christ in our world – using examples of Christ the Good Shepherd, Christ the Healer, and Christ the Teacher.
“Your calling is to make Jesus Christ present in this world, and you’re all called to do that in a different way,” he explained.
Following the Mass, the celebration continued with a lively social at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, which featured food trucks, seasonal treats and more. Young adults from different parishes and universities mingled, shared stories, and made new connections.
“I really enjoy seeing how many young adults and people are interested in proclaiming their faith and not hiding it behind anything,” Chloe McDougall of Marywood University said. “It’s exciting to meet new people and connect the universities and churches that have people here today.”
Michael Garcia attended the ‘Leave a Mark’ Mass with several other young adults from his young group at Saint Matthew Parish in East Stroudsburg.
“I love it over here,” he said.
For Garcia and many others who attended, the night was filled with faith, fun, and fellowship, and was a reminder of the importance of providing opportunities for young adults to connect, grow in their faith, and experience the love of Christ in meaningful ways.
“My message for everyone is to go to your parish and see if there is a youth group. If not, see if a neighboring parish has a youth group because youth group is awesome. It’s very fun and you definitely have to experience it,” Garcia said.