It can be a quite amazing experience getting together with a large group of people united around a common purpose. Maybe you have experienced the energy and excitement of a Husker game or a music concert. Even Jesus confirms the power of gathering as a group, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). If gathering to cheer for a sports team or enjoy some  entertainment can create such camaraderie, just imagine gathering a large group of people with the common purpose of faith! Such events are held yearly, especially for young people – World Youth Day, youth conferences like the National Catholic Youth Conference, Benedictine College Youth Conference, or Steubenville Conferences, even the March for Life while not specifically Catholic does unite us around the pro-life cause. These events bring together people from all over to share in the joy of our faith. One of my greatest experiences at such a youth conference was entering into Eucharistic Adoration with 20,000 young people, kneeling in silent prayer before our Lord!

In our small communities we can at times feel isolated, that there are fewer of us coming to Mass compared to the past, that the Church is rather small – but the truth is we are part of  something much greater than ourselves. Coming soon to our archdiocese is an event where we can experience the excitement, energy, and joy of being Catholic, an event called ArchOmaha Unite!

A few years ago Archbishop Lucas held a number of listening sessions across the archdiocese to hear from you, the people of God, about your experience of the faith in our time and place. Maybe some of you had a chance to attend one of these sessions. One theme that came through to him was that people wanted feel a greater belonging to the  Church as a whole, experience a greater unity with the entire Kingdom of God here on earth. Too often we focus on the divisions and hurt, even among ourselves, parish verse parish, urban verse rural, etc. In a world that’s experiencing deep division, the ArchOmaha Unite event is an opportunity to put our differences aside and unite through what we share. On the eve of Pentecost next year will be a day for all Catholics in the archdiocese to come together and celebrate the gift of faith.

Saturday, June 8, 2019 at the CHI Health Center in Omaha we are all invited to come and experience our faith as never before – in a vibrant, joy-filled, one-day Catholic party we call ArchOmaha Unite. It is in Omaha because we need a venue to fit over 15,000 Catholics from every corner of our Archdiocese, to celebrate hope, family, community and ALL the things that make us ‘who we are’ in the Archdiocese of Omaha. ArchOmaha Unite will have something for you no matter who you are or where you are in your faith.

Archbishop George Lucas will be there with us with Q&A, stories of faith from all over the   Archdiocese and some surprises. Catholic Comedian Jim Gaffigan will be there with his hilarious takes on food, faith, and life with kids. There will be activities for the whole family, young people in grades 7 – 12 have their own session full of fun, faith and music as well as special sessions for children. You can explore the arena concourses featuring interactive exhibits, a Parish Path that features every parish in our diocese, a variety of food and traditional concessions, midway games and play areas. We will pray together with Pentecost Mass featuring the archbishop and priests, choirs and faithful from all over the archdiocese. The evening will conclude with a Theatrical event Cross & Light which tells the story of Christ’s Passion, resurrection, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. You will be hearing more about ArchOmaha Unite over the next several months. Registration for this free event will begin in January, but it is a good time to mark the date.

You can read more about it at the event website: unite.archomaha.org. I hope this can be an event that can uplift our souls, bring us together as Catholics in the Archdiocese of Omaha, so that we will be more inspired to live the fullness of life and joy in our Church, leading all to eternal life.