|
ConQuest boys endure rain, wind in bid to help seminarians
By Joyce Coronel, The Catholic Sun
December 20, 2007
TEMPE — Members of the ConQuest Boys Club of Phoenix braved wind and rain Dec. 1 and re-enacted the journey Christ made with two of His Apostles from Jerusalem to Emmaus.
The prayer march included eight boys age 10-14 and five adult men, who hiked seven-plus miles from downtown Tempe to the Diocesan Pastoral Center in Phoenix to raise money for seminarians from the Diocese of Phoenix.
After donning red plastic ponchos, they began their journey by kneeling in a parking lot near the Mill Avenue Bridge, asking for God’s protection.
Ken Torrens, one of the adult leaders, told the boys to stick close together and be obedient, reminding them of the number one rule: “no whining.” The group strode briskly down Washington Avenue, attracting the attention of passing motorists who honked their horns in support.
Jordan Plante, the youngest member of the club, walked at the front of the procession, carrying a large crucifix. Buddies Jeshua Torrens and Dominic Plante, both 11, who met as first grade students in St. Theresa’s parish religious education program, followed close behind.
While many kids their age might have been tempted to spend a rainy Saturday morning sleeping in or playing video games, these two boys thought it was important to join in the hike.
“I’m praying for virtue and for the apostolate. I’m doing it for those who want to become priests,” Jeshua Torrens explained.
“I’m doing it because Jesus walked 7.5 miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus with the Apostles,” Dominic Plante added.
Matthew Reinhardt, regional director of the ConQuest Boys Club, said the boys asked friends, neighbors and grandparents to sponsor them for a mile of the hike. They raised about $300 for seminarians.
Reinhardt said the purpose of the boys’ club is to “form young men who have a love for the Church and who serve the local parish, or in this case the diocese. We want them to be the best parishioners and Catholics they can be.”
Many of the boys were jumping in puddles at the beginning of the walk, but as the rain continued and their feet got tired and wet, a few complained.
“Offer it up for the seminarians,” they were told. “Then the wind and sun came out and by the time we got to the chancery, they were dry,” Reinhardt said.
The club is an apostolate of Regnum Christi, the lay ecclesial movement founded by Fr. Marcial Maciel, who also founded the Legionaries of Christ order of priests. ConQuest meets weekly for 12 sessions in the fall and 12 in the spring. Participants come from parishes throughout the diocese.
“It’s based around fun, formation and outreach or apostolate. We start every meeting with a Gospel reflection,” Reinhardt said.
ConQuest tries to instill a deep, personal relationship with Christ and ensure that the boys have the virtues and skills to live a Christian life in the world.
“It’s difficult to be a Christian young man in today’s world,” Reinhardt added.
Fr. Don Kline, director of Vocations for the Diocesan Priesthood, celebrated a Mass for the group at the pastoral center where the two-and-a-half-hour hike ended. Group leaders said that Christ similarly celebrated the second-ever Mass when He arrived at Emmaus after walking the road from Jerusalem with His Apostles.
“They were troopers,” said Fr. Kline, “I was impressed. They were young and to make such a sacrifice for guys they don’t even know was pretty amazing.”
|
