Young people invited to participate in Diocesan Youth Conference, Respect Life contest

Registration is now open for the annual Diocesan Youth Conference, planned for Feb. 10 in Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft.
 
The DYC is a gathering of the young church of the Diocese of Trenton, and is an opportunity for students in grades 8-12 – including those in preparation for Confirmation – to encounter Jesus in a new dynamic way through the gift of challenging witnesses and time with our God. There will also be a time for adoration, confession, and Mass with Bishop David O'Connell, C.M.
 
Keynote speakers for the event will be Oscar Rivera, a motivational speaker who takes an upbeat contemporary, approach to the Good News, and Franciscan Friar of the Renewal Brother Pierre Toussaint, who experienced a call to Christ during Adoration.
 
Youth who are interested in attending the DYC are asked to contact their youth ministers or key parish leaders. Youth ministers will register the young people and adult chaperones in the parish.  The Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries will only accept parish group registrations that include both youth and adult participants.
 
Cost is $25 per person if registering before Feb. 7. Registrations will be accepted Feb. 8-10 for $35 apiece. Learn more about the DYC, here. Entries are now being accepted for the Diocese’s annual Respect Life Poster, Essay and Photo-Meme Contest for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
 
The  2017-18 contest theme is “Be Not Afraid,”  and participation is open to children enrolled in Catholic grammar schools, parish religious education programs, junior youth programs and home-schooled students.
 
Entries will be accepted in six categories by age and media: Grades K-2 – posters; grades 3-5 – posters; grades 3-5 – essay; grades 6-8 – posters; grades 6-8 – essay; grades 6-8 – photo meme. The photo meme category replaces the previous years’ video option.
 
Each poster, essay or photo meme must be received by the school principal, director or coordinator of religious education or junior youth ministry leader by Jan. 5 for preliminary review, as only one entry from each of the six categories may be submitted to the Diocese by a particular school or program. Home-schooling parents may submit their child or children’s entries without this preliminary review. Contest submissions will be accepted at the Diocese through Jan. 12. Full contest rules and submission instructions are available, here.
 
Entries will be judged on creativity, clarity of message and visual appeal. Prizes of $100 will be awarded to one winning entry in each of the six categories, diocesan-wide. Prizes of $40 will be awarded to the first runner-up in each county.
 
Winners will receive their prizes at the Respect Life Mass on March 4 in their home counties. Learn more about the contest in this story from The Monitor.