Our names are Genesis and Adriana, and we are both students, Confirmation catechists, and members of the young adult group here at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. We are always so grateful to be a part of this Church community.

We are also so thankful for the opportunity to attend World Youth Day this year in Lisbon, Portugal. We are both attending for the first time, and we are excited to strengthen our faith as we reflect on the theme “Mary arose and went with haste” (Luke 1:39) among young Catholics around the world. We also cannot wait to visit Our Lady of Fatima and take the prayers of the SEAS community to our Blessed Mother. We would like to thank you so much for all the support you have shown to us, both through your participation in our Mardi Gras and Mother’s Day fundraisers, as well as your spiritual support through prayer.

Fr. Vic is a Capuchin Franciscan Friar and Priest from Rancho Cucamonga, CA. He is currently the Vocation Director for the Capuchins on the West Coast of the U.S. and is the Catholic Chaplain for the Pasadena Police Department. He has been doing youth ministry for 13 years and loves to share the Gospel through Catholic Hip-Hop and Rap. Fr. Vic will be the chaplain for SEAS WYD group this year, and is most looking forward to seeing Fatima, visiting sites connected to St. Anthony of Padua, and journeying with the youth and young adults at SEAS.

I am Br. Nikolas Barth, OFM Cap, a Capuchin Franciscan friar of the Province of Our Lady of Angels. I currently live at Padre Pio Friary in Oakland, CA, where I am finishing my seminary studies and serving at St. Jarlath Catholic Church. I have been a friar for nine years and I am preparing for ordination to the diaconate this October. I met the SEAS YM/YAM Director, Matthew Sie, on the basketball courts of UC Berkeley several years ago, and I’ve since had the blessing of being a brother along his journey through his undergraduate studies, missionary experiences, and now full time ministry at your beautiful parish. I’m very much looking forward to accompanying him and all those headed to World Youth Day. As a (somewhat) young Catholic myself, I find myself in the minority of those who profess faith among a generation of ‘nones.’ Yet I see a great thirst for God among my generation and those following, a desire which I’m convinced is written on our very hearts. I am going on this pilgrimage to witness the world’s youth pursuing the fulfillment of this desire first hand, and hopefully to contribute positively to that pursuit among your very own parishioners. Pray for us please, and know of our prayers for you. May the Lord give you Peace!

My name is Natalie Celt, and I am a first year PhD student studying biomedical engineering at UC Irvine. Apart from my Catholic family, I attribute lots of my faith growth to the incredible community of young Catholics that I met during my undergraduate journey at UC Berkeley. During these polarizing times in our society where the Truth is under constant attack, we are challenged more than ever to remain a steadfast witness to the Gospel and a beacon of love towards our neighbor. It is for this reason that I feel God has called me to join millions of young Catholics in Lisbon for World Youth Day, for “as iron sharpens iron, so one sharpens another.”

During this trip, I am excited to invite the Holy Spirit to enrobe me with greater courage and zeal, so that my peers and I can go and make disciples of all nations (or at least Orange County) upon our return. I am looking forward to encountering the true universality of our faith through the diversity of cultures that flock to WYD, as well as seeking encouragement from our Blessed Lady in our pilgrimage to Fatima, during which I intend to offer the intentions of all our parishioners here at SEAS. Words cannot express the immense gratitude I feel for your spiritual and financial support, and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you all.

This summer, our SEAS youth and young adult group has the opportunity to attend World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal. This is an incredible event that brings together young Catholics from all around the world to pray, learn, and celebrate our faith together. As you can imagine, this trip requires a significant amount of fundraising, and our group is working hard to make it possible. To support our efforts, we will be selling hand-arranged Mother’s Day flowers. These beautiful arrangements make a perfect gift for the special mothers in your life, and all proceeds will go towards funding our group’s activities. I am personally very excited for this trip and what it will offer me and the other young adults in our group. We will have the chance to deepen our faith and connect with other Catholics from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, I am eager to learn more about Portugal’s rich culture and the Catholic lifestyle there.

I’m Martin Vu, and I’m entering my senior year of high school. I’m really looking forward to the upcoming trip to Portugal for World Youth Day. This stage of my life is filled with important decisions that I will have to make, like learning to drive, choosing a college, and deciding on a career path. It’s easy to veer off course and end up unhappy later on, which is why I’m so excited about this trip. The timing couldn’t be better, as it offers me a chance to reflect and spend time with God, seeking guidance to ensure I choose a path that brings me happiness while praising Him. I’m also thrilled about the people I’ll meet, the activities we’ll do, and the valuable moments of self-reflection I’ll have.

My name is Alex Gonsalves. I’m 24 years old and currently pursuing a M.S. in Exercise Physiology at San Diego State University and I will be completing my degree this summer. In addition to being a student, I also coach badminton and work in a lab performing exercise-based research. I love our Lord, playing badminton, working out, and building and painting plastic model airplanes.

I am a recent convert to Catholicism and was received and confirmed into the church on January 22nd, 2023. I was baptized a Methodist but in high school and college I drifted away from God. It took some difficult times to realize that there was more to life than just me and what I wanted. After searching for God at several churches, I came to the realization that the Catholic church is the one true church instituted by Christ and found my home here.

I want to attend WYD to see and explore the riches of the Catholic faith, and to be in the presence of so many other young people gathered out of love and worship of God. I am looking forward to the pilgrimage to Fatima, as well as seeing Portugal, as I have Portuguese ancestry.

My name is Hien Nguyen. I am a young professional located here in Irvine working as a software engineer for Zillow. I am extremely excited to join the SEAS pilgrimage group for World Youth Day this summer. As we prepare for this trip both logistically and spiritually, I’ve been able to reflect on what God may have in store for me (and the whole group!) in Lisbon.

I am looking forward to re-ignite my faith through Christian friendship and a community of faithful Catholic friends, and there is no better way to do this than amidst the millions of young Catholic who will be joining us for WYD. Know that we will be praying for you individually and as a group when we travel in August, especially when we take our trip to Our Lady of Fatima. You can submit your prayer intentions to us at tinyurl.com/SeasWydPrayer. We also encourage you to follow our Instagram accounts @SeasIrvine and @seas_yam to get more updates about our WYD journey!

My name is João Pedro, I am Brazilian, and I have been studying English in California for approximately a year. I was raised in a Catholic family and always attended Sunday Mass and participated in groups and pastoral work in Brazil. Getting to know Catholicism in California has been an incredible experience. Ten years ago, the World Youth Day took place in my hometown, Rio de Janeiro, and now, 10 years later, I have decided to seize the opportunity to be part of this extraordinary event once again, which was a turning point in my faith journey.