SEEK 2026: A strong voice of young Church in United States
SEEK 2026 was held from January 1 to 5 simultaneously in three cities: Columbus, Denver, and Fort Worth, Texas. In total, the event attracted more than 26,000 participants, a 24 percent increase from the previous year. Columbus alone welcomed over 16,000 attendees, making it the conference's main hub.
Attendees included primarily university students and young adults, joined by priests, consecrated persons, lay leaders, and bishops. Notably, 58 bishops from across the United States were present, while the number of seminarians rose by 43 percent.
A papal message
A key moment of the conference was Pope Leo XIV's message, emphasizing personal encounter with Jesus as the heart of SEEK 2026.
The Holy Father invited young people to spend time with Jesus—both those meeting Him for the first time and those growing in an established relationship.
Speaking to Vatican News, Bishop Earl Fernandes of Columbus stressed the importance of the Pope’s words as central to the conference's mission.
“When the image of the Pope appeared on the screen, there was an overwhelming surge of enthusiasm. And then the Pope spoke not for one minute, but for five,” Bishop Fernandes said. “Many SEEK organizers and members of FOCUS later told me that the Pope summarized the meaning of SEEK better than they themselves could have. He planted a seed in the hearts of many young people, helping them reflect on their own vocation and respond to the question, ‘What are you seeking?’—the question Jesus asks Andrew and the beloved disciple.”
The Bishop also stressed that SEEK 2026 challenged stereotypes about the Catholic Church in the United States. He emphasized that what occurred at SEEK clearly demonstrated the Church’s youthfulness and vitality, reinforcing the conference’s message that young people are at the heart of today’s Church.
Voice of the young
Among the participants was Mary Brecount, a student at Hillsdale College in Michigan and a volunteer with Camp Wojtyla in Jamestown, Colorado. Speaking with Vatican News, she underscored the event's spiritual dimension.
“Young people around the world today carry a deep hunger within them. They long to know the purpose of their existence and the heart of their God. Gathering 17,000 students who are searching together for something that can truly satisfy is a breathtaking experience,” she said. “SEEK reminded us that we are not alone in our pursuit of Christ, but that we are part of a living, faithful, and committed community of believers.”
Reflecting on the papal message, she described it as a fatherly reminder of the Church's unity.
“We are not merely the future of the Church in a passive sense. We are its living, breathing, active heart. This moment is not far off—it is happening now,” she noted.
Community and continuity
The SEEK conference, organized by the FOCUS community, brought together catechesis, liturgy, adoration, confession, and sessions on vocational discernment.
Organizers have already announced that the 2027 edition will once again take place in Columbus and at the same time in San Antonio, Texas.
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