By Madalaine Elhabbal
Washington D.C., Jan 3, 2025 / 14:20 pm
The Fellowship of Catholic University Students’ (FOCUS) SEEK conference is now officially underway in Salt Lake City and at its first-ever regional conference, held in Washington, D.C., where thousands have gathered for four days of fellowship and diving deeper into the Catholic faith.
“We are here, because guess what? Everything isn’t OK in the world today,” Bishop Robert Brennan told those at the opening Mass in Washington.
“My goodness, 2025 started off with unspeakable acts of violence,” the bishop from the Diocese of Brooklyn added, referencing the New Orleans attack on New Year’s Day.
Touching on this year’s theme, “Follow Me,” Brennan emphasized that in the midst of the world’s brokenness, “there is something more we need.”
“We are all here because we need Jesus Christ,” he said. “We all come seeking Christ, and we find that he’s already been reaching out to us.”
Brennan addressed the attendees, telling them to “relax” and to take the pressure off their shoulders. “I don’t promise lightning bolts or magic or anything like that,” the bishop said in his strong New York accent. “But this moment can be transformative. Let Jesus find his own way into your heart, into your life.”
Exciting News: SEEK26 Locations Announced!
The highly anticipated SEEK conference kicked off in Washington, D.C., Thursday evening with a big announcement – SEEK26 will be expanding to three locations across the U.S.: Columbus, Ohio; Denver; and Fort Worth, Texas.
“We are pleased and excited to be able to host SEEK26!” said Bishop Earl Fernandes of Columbus in a press release. “It will be a boost for our diocese and our city, showing that the Church is young and alive.”
Describing the conference as a “tremendous opportunity for our young people to encounter Christ and one another,” Bishop Fernandes added, “Together we will proclaim the joy of the Gospel!”
With a record total of 17,274 paid participants at the flagship location in Salt Lake City and 3,355 attendees in Washington, D.C., SEEK continues to grow each year. There were also 486 attendees at a SEEK conference in Cologne, Germany.
‘Our Hearts Are Restless’
The Jan. 2–5 satellite event in Washington, D.C., is completely sold out. While it will mostly mirror the Salt Lake City event, it will not include the “Making Missionary Disciples” programming track for Catholic adults in any stage of their faith journey.
At the U.S.-based conferences, 46 bishops and hundreds of priests are in attendance, with 489 in Salt Lake City and 128 in Washington, D.C.
Stay tuned for more updates on SEEK26 and subscribe to our daily newsletter!
