The Great American Pub in Conshohocken teemed with hundreds of young adults on Tuesday night, Aug. 26. Not in the bar, as could be expected, but instead in the ballroom to listen to Archbishop Nelson Pérez and Bishop Joseph Espaillat, auxiliary bishop of New York, at the Theology on Tap event.
Crowding onto a packed elevator, the doors opened to a ballroom that was filled with young adults milling about and a bartender that was extremely outnumbered. As the social part of the evening concluded and the talks by the bishops began, too few chairs left many young adults standing close together to listen to the bishops’ words.
This Theology on Tap event, held a block away from St. Matthew Church and hosted by St. Matthew’s Young Adult Group, drew its inspiration for the topic of “hope” from the book “From Christendom to Apostolic Mission,” in which author Msgr. James Shea traces the Church’s path in a post-Christian culture to a renewed mission of evangelization.
>>> PHOTO GALLERY: Young Adults Fill Conshohocken Ballroom for Theology on Tap
Now more than halfway through the Jubilee Year of Hope, this message remains important. In his talk Bishop Espaillat, who holds a master’s degree in theology with a specialization in Church history, provided the audience with further background on the history of the jubilee year.
“Every 25 years we have a jubilee year. This is biblical; this goes back to the ancient times; this goes back to the Jewish people. It was a time of reflection and reconciliation and coming back to God and putting God as the primordial being of our lives,” the bishop said.
The night began with Archbishop Pérez acknowledging the large group gathered. “It fills my heart with great joy to see so many people here,” he said, and reminded everyone that “the Church needs you.”
He described his recent visit to a refugee camp in Ghana, where the people had nothing. “To take a shower in that area,” he recalled, “it was a trickle and it was cold. I looked at that trickle and thought that it would take three hours.”
Archbishop Pérez described the scene as “heartbreaking and inspiring” and went into detail of a girl who had a dream to be a teacher, so that she could touch more lives.
These stories reminded the audience of how even in the midst of these desolate conditions, these individuals had hope.
“Christian hope is the grace to find hope in the midst of despair,” he said.
With his compelling stories that felt as if one were with Archbishop Pérez on the trip, the audience learned how hope can outshine the darkness of one’s present condition.
Bishop Espaillat, one of the youngest bishops in the United States, brought a contagious energy to his talk as he paced the floor and spoke with joy and exuberance. He encouraged everyone in the room to answer the call to serve the Church. This call can be followed by listening to and following the Holy Spirit.
Bishop Espaillat explained how often the Holy Spirit is forgotten. He recalled that the first thing Jesus did after his resurrection was to enter the disciples’ room through a locked door, greet them with “Peace be with you,” then breathe on them to fill them with the Holy Spirit.
On a lighter note, Bishop Espaillat of New York didn’t forget to take a jab at the Philadelphia Eagles. When a member of the audience met the bishop in Rome during the funeral rites following the death of Pope Francis, the person had asked the bishop to pose for a selfie. But the bishop said, “No, you have an Eagles shirt on. And you’re welcome for Saquon” Barkley, the star Eagles running back first drafted by the New York Giants.
Bishop Espaillat concluded his talk by reminding everyone of Romans 5:5, “Hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured into your hearts through the Holy Spirit.”
Both Bishop Espaillat and Archbishop Pérez had the same overarching message that is vital for young Catholics to hear today: that the Church needs young adults and hope remains by remembering that Jesus is the source of hope.
The bishops encouraged everyone in attendance to listen to the Lord’s call and become more active within their parish community.
Judging by the presence of so many young adults taking time from their busy lives to deepen their faith in Jesus and knowledge of the Church, it’s apparent that the Lord continues to call disciples throughout the Church of Philadelphia.
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