By Rebecca Sontag Abide, a five-day conference for archdiocesan teens, is no typical retreat. Abide is immersive and intense. It is a “going deeper” experience seeking to form teens into missionary disciples whose whole lives are solidly rooted in Christ. It cultivates authentic Christian community and fellowship, docility to the …

Wow, what an adventure. I just got back from Michigan, where I spent a week with an apostolate called St. Paul Street Evangelization (“SPSE”), bringing the Gospel to absolute strangers. Me. I did that. Nicholas Hardesty, the most introverted guy you will ever meet, walked up to random people in …

Each year, youth from across the Archdiocese of Cincinnati gather for a week retreat named Abide. This “full immersion” experience conference gives our young women and men an opportunity to learn what it means to be a missionary disciple of Jesus Christ. At the end of the gathering they journey …

By Gail Finke As a scorching summer burns to a close, thoughts turn from camps and concerts to school, fall sports, and programs organized around the academic year.      Summer youth programs at parishes, schools, and organizations – many that have long histories, others new and fast-growing – have …

Awake Junior High Camps:  Youth Evangelization and Discipleship Director Brad Bursa calls these “pre-evangelization” opportunities concentrating on building community, especially within youth groups. Because the Christian life is difficult to lead in isolation and young people are often isolated, Bursa said, the camps are meant to give students from grade …

Sixty-five young people gathered last week with youth ministers, priests, deacons, Children of Mary sisters, and 15 college assistants for a “full immersion” conference on what it means to be a missionary disciple of Jesus Christ. At the end of the gathering all 100 engaged on hands-on ministry in downtown …

The Abide summer conference for youth is in full swing. Friday night, the 65 youth and their college and adult companions headed to Cincinnati’s Washington Park for some hands-on ministry: talking, playing, and (if the opportunity arose) praying with people enjoying the sprayground, the play fields, and the music. Next …

What is Abide? Simply put Abide, through personal accompaniment, forms and commissions high school youth to root their lives in Christ through His Church, and to share this Christian joy with others as missionary disciples. Abide’s pinnacle experience presents a unique opportunity: to go into the world as a missionary …

From June 14, 2017 through June 18, 2017, the Abide Conference was held at Mount Saint Joseph University. Abide’s pinnacle experience presents a unique opportunity: to go into the world as a missionary disciple. On Friday June 16, 2018 the conference participants went to downtown Cincinnati, St. Xavier Church, and …

June 16, 2017 – Abide is unique! A typical teen conference lasts three days (at most). Abide is five days. Teens are not only taught about who Jesus is, they live a daily personal encounter with Him. This is accomplished through daily mass, frequent opportunities for confession, adoration, worship and …