Catholic Cadets and Midshipmen Strive to Know Christ and Fulfill His Great Commission Through SEEK22

More than 100 enrolled at U.S. Navy and Air Force Academies participate in live broadcast; West Point and Coast Guard cadets will also take part

Young adult Catholics take part in SEEK22 live broadcast in Broomfield, CO, on Feb. 5, 2022.

DENVER, CO — Some of the nation’s best and brightest future military leaders were among more than 22,000 people from 20 countries to encounter Christ during SEEK22 (seek.focus.org), a hybrid, immersive broadcast hosted by FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) over the weekend of Feb. 4-6. Clergy, parishioners, college students, and benefactors explored the Gospel and the call to missionary discipleship in local and regional gatherings. They included a gathering of 80 midshipmen at St. Andrew by the Bay Catholic Church near the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and 25 Air Force cadets at the Omni Interlocken Hotel in Broomfield, CO, not far from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Additionally, more than 80 Cadets from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London, CT, will hold a similar gathering around recordings of the broadcast this coming weekend in Norwalk, CT.

The ongoing participation of Catholic midshipmen and cadets is coordinated by FOCUS missionary teams at the respective military academies. The Evangelization Office of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), under the direction of Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., collaborated with the FOCUS missionaries. Mark Moitoza, Th.D., AMS Vice-Chancellor for Evangelization, facilitated discussion at the Colorado gathering while Ms. Cassandra Lee, Associate Director for Young Adult Ministry, did so in Maryland. Ms. McKenzie Mauss, AMS Young Adult Missionary Coordinator, will administer the upcoming convocation in Connecticut based on the recorded program. Evangelization experts guided attendees through the crucial message of the Gospel, inviting them to encounter the person of Jesus Christ and live in relationship with Him. Keynote speakers included Monsignor James Shea, Father Josh Johnson, Father Mike Schmitz, Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, Sister Bethany Madonna, S.V., Ms. Tina Augustine, Ms. Hilary Draftz, Mr. Jason Evert, Mr. Curtis Martin and Dr. Edward Sri.

In the final SEEK22 keynote talk, Father Mike Schmitz, chaplain at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and host of The Bible in a Year podcast, urged participants to “not let what Jesus did go to waste on you … Jesus didn’t just come to help people, He came to save lives. As Christians, that’s our call – to save lives.” Acknowledging that sharing the Gospel isn’t easy, Schmitz emphasized, “People are worth saving. If you’re a Christian, it’s not an option. If you’re a Christian, that is your job. Do not let what Jesus did stop with you.” Inspiring words for Catholics whose job will soon be to lead the U.S. Military.

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