Diversity Is the Theme of Catholic Youth Convention

February 10, 2001

Source: The Buffalo News

On February 10, 2001, The Buffalo News reported that "diversity within the Catholic Church will be the theme of this year's Catholic Youth Convention next weekend in Niagara Falls. More than 1,000 teenagers and adults from 70 parishes in the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo are expected to attend the event...The featured speaker for Friday's opening session will be Brian Johnson, youth director for the Galveston-Houston Catholic Diocese in Texas...Johnson, an African-American who grew up in Baltimore, served as a facilitator for "Encuentro 2000," the Catholic gathering held last summer in Los Angeles...Saturday's program will open at 9 a.m. with a talk by Ann Marie Zon, a former nun who serves as a missionary to Nicaragua...Saturday's program also will include morning and afternoon workshops on a variety of topics, including stress and conflict in families, forgiveness, sports and Catholic values, understanding the meaning of neighbor, and using creativity to make the world a better place...Several teens also will be given awards for service to their parishes, leadership and involvement in school and community."