Shine

"Wow, is this a game?"
A 4-foot white panel with varying prizes stood at an angle to the two young women. This was one of the many booths at the University of Dallas Ministry Conference this past weekend.

"It's a disc drop game. You get three discs. If two of your discs fall into the same category, you win that object. Sister, would you like to play?"

"Shine" exploded from behind her.
It was the name of their organization printed on the backpack.
They were a Catholic workcamp where youth get opportunities to serve for a registration fee of $300.

Shine blazed from Amy Florian as she asked us, "What is the death rate?"
"100%," a man answered.
Why deny the human condition? Why not embrace it as a doorway into the sacred?
She led the workshop on "End-of-Life Issues."

Shine flashed from Robert McCarty as he joked, "Do you know why Catholics don't sit in the front row? I am convinced that we still don't know when to sit and stand during Mass. (slight pause) Try it yourself sometime."
He proved to us that we can still offer God to youth because they still want God.
He spoke on "Adolescent Catechesis: Pain....and Promise."

Dozens of topics were offered to the three thousand persons who came to the conference.
It was to help them keep their shine as volunteering in churches can quench one's light.

I held my breath and let the first disc fall.
It landed in the "backpack" slot.
Second disc into the "visor" slot.
Last chance. "Water bottle."

"Oh! No luck! I wanted the backpack so much!"
"It's okay, you can have it."
"Are you sure?"

Shine.
I showed my backpack off to everyone I met later that day.
They marveled at its bright green-ness.

I marveled at how they shone when I shared my little joy.

ps1. Photo of some of the sisters who went to the conference. Center: Prayer with Bishop Seitz, Auxiliary Bishop of Dallas Bottom right hand corner: Dr. Robert McCarty http://www.nfcym.org/about/mccarty.htm
ps2. More on Amy Florian http://www.amyflorian.com/
ps3. More on Shine Catholic Work Camp http://www.shinecatholicworkcamp.com/home/ ps4. University of Dallas Ministry Conference http://www.udallas.edu/academics/ministry/udministryconferencepage

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