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Story and photos by Joe Kohn of The Michigan Catholic
Published February 17, 2006

Detroit – Nearly 2,000 teenagers from across the Archdiocese of Detroit came together last weekend to clean.

Yes, clean.

"Time to Clean Up" was the theme for the 24th annual Rainbow conference hosted at Detroit's Marriott Hotel Feb. 11 and 12 by the Catholic Youth Organization. Youths from the archdiocese came together to worship, make friends, dance, sing songs, share stories of faith and receive encouragement to purge their lives of sin daily.

"We've got to clean up our mind, body, soul and the environment," said conference attendee Erin Connell of St. Anne Parish, Ortonville. "You clean yourself up by, first, becoming friends with a lot of great people, getting closer to your friends, cleaning up your soul by not listening to bad music and not watching the bad media around you – as well as helping out with the environment and different things with your Church."

Morgan McGregor of St. Kieran Parish in Shelby Townshipsigns her name on a friend's T-shirt in the main hallway at the Rainbow conference.

As is custom, attendees received affirmation – and a lot of laughs – from one another, and from national Christian speakers. This year they heard from singer, speaker and songwriter Steve Angrisano and musician Tony Melendez, who was embraced by the nation in 1987 when he played his guitar for then-Pope John Paul II. Melendez, who was born without arms and plays guitar with his feet, was embraced and kissed by the pope after his performance.

The centerpiece of the conference was the Mass, concelebrated Saturday night by Cardinal Adam Maida and a number of local priests. Confessions also were heard by a number of priests.

A 'huge' faith

Many conference attendees, who were ninth- through 12th-graders, found affirmation in the number of their peers present at Rainbow.

The conference hall was packed for the keynote addresses.

A young lady joins a thousand friends in dancing to the bands at Rainbow.

The dance floor was filled as rock music played and colored lights flashed.

And wherever teens went – hallways, small educational sessions, the karaoke room, etc. – they found peers who shared their same values.

"There's so many people here and the faith is just huge," said Spencer Rumley from St. Christopher Parish in Marysville. "When you go to church and learn about God, it's like 'eh' – but when you come here, it's more exciting and you feel like He's right next to you."

Young people from small parishes and distant suburbs especially seemed to like the camaraderie and diversity born of the gathering.

"We're from St. Frances Xavier in Ecorse, and not many people have heard of us," said attendee Anna Blackburn. She said she liked a session called "Box of Crayons" – a simile for the diversity of young people at the conference.

"We describe ourselves as a box of crayons because we're all different, but we're all put in the same box," she said.

Nationally known Catholic musician Tony Melendez, who was born without arms, plays a guitar with his feet as teens at the Rainbow conference dance.

Her fellow parishioner Evan Castorena said he enjoyed being with so many others, too.

"I've made a lot of friends from other churches," he said.

Emily DeWitt from St. Anne Parish, Ortonville, said she was impressed by the number of her peers she was able to meet.

"It's kind of shocking," Emily said. "It's like, wow – I didn't know there were than many of us that were that strong in our beliefs that would actually show up."

The hard part

One task seemed to give some teens difficulty (well, two, if you count the karaoke machine) – choosing their favorite part of the conference.

Alycia Caver, a parishioner at St. Gregory Parish, Detroit, said it's hard to pick her favorite part of Rainbow, but she knows it helps bring her closer to God.

"It's fun," Alycia said. "It helps me learn about myself and what I need to do to be a part of Christ.… I don't have a favorite part. It's all good."

A young man wearing a "Jesus Still Rocks" T-shirt signs the words to the song "Yes, Lord" during the opening session of CYO's annual conference.

Shannon Moran of St. Edith Parish in Livonia knew what she liked most: the opening address given by Angrisano.

"When I saw everyone come together and everyone was just worshipping the same God, it was just really moving," Moran said.

Angrisano led the young congregation with prayers, inspirational stories and songs of worship.

"The main question God asks is, 'Do you know me?'" Angrisano said to a captivated audience of 1,800 during the keynote address. "There's a reason that you're here, and I believe God is asking you that question today."

Part of the conference's allure is that it is organized by teens, for teens. It's planned and conducted by the CYO leadership council, a group of teens from various parishes.

John Sparagowski of St. Peter Parish in Mount Clemens, a member of the leadership council, said this year's Rainbow offered teenagers a good atmosphere.

"It started off as more of a reflective conference, but at the same time it's really an exciting conference," John said. "(The keynote speakers) are just amazing and they add phenomenally to the conference."

The theme proved to be a good one, too, said Jonathan Horeski, a parishioner at St. Thecla Parish in Clinton Township.

Jonathan was the leader of the CYO leadership council.

The theme, he said, was to help attendees turn more to God, though most teenagers can struggle in a culture that encourages them to be lukewarm in their faith.

"A lot of them I know have drifted away and are here with their youth groups – but I hope this revitalizes the faith inside them," Jonathan said.

Cardinal Adam Maida and a number of priests from around the Archdiocese of Detroit celebrate the Liturgy of the Eucharist during the Rainbow Mass Saturday night.

'Cleaning house'

Carolyn Lusch, a CYO leadership council member from Our Lady of Loretto Parish in Redford Township, said the conference's theme was drawn from the day's Gospel readings where in Leviticus God gives Aaron the power to cure lepers, and in Mark Christ encounters and cures a leper.

"We had readings about leprosy and healing and, so, it's time to clean up," said Carolyn.

During one of several concert sessions, Tony Melendez illustrated how much cleaning needed to be done to open the young generation up to God's healing grace.

Michael Cieslak of St. Colette Parish in Livonia makes a video of his friends at the conference.

"Raise your hand," the performer said, "if you know someone who's on drugs."

Almost every hand went up.

"Now raise your hand if you know someone who's had an abortion," he said.

Hundreds of hands went up.

"We really need to clean house," Melendez said.

In his homily, Cardinal Maida brought together the Christian and the teenager life perspectives.

"While we are not lepers, sin keeps us from our brothers and our sisters," the cardinal said. "Sin prevents us from being the people that God wants us to be."

Mike Hand from Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Farmington fills out some info on his new friends during an “icebreaker” session to kick off Rainbow XXIV.

He said, just like the leper, a teenager can find God's healing power and love by inviting the Lord into her life. He encouraged them to "take an interest in our spiritual lives and assess what we need to clean up" – whether it be spending more time in prayer, dropping bad habits or stepping outside a comfort zone to help others.

He added that, once it's cleaned by the grace of God, the soul – just like a teenager's bedroom – doesn't stay clean forever.

"This process of cleaning up is not a one-time deal," Cardinal Maida said. "We have to do it constantly in our lives. We need to turn to God, to turn away from sin and evil."

After the Mass, some attendees said they appreciated the message of Rainbow.

And the context – it's easier to clean when you have company.

"Just seeing all the other people who are around and just knowing that there's that many others – it means a lot," said Katie Rogala of St. Edith Parish in Livonia.

"It makes you feel more unalone."