North American Congress on Mercy

Faces of Mercy

< Previous | Back to Gallery | Next >

Photo by: Felix Carroll

Theresa Mowberry, Colleen Giszcak, Washington, D.C.

A Happening that Has Never Happened Before

By Dan Valenti

Two young women sat in prayer in a pew along the left side of the cavernous Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Nothing remarkable in that. How many times has that happened in the 50 years of the basilica's existence? It has been done countless times.

Of course, it has never been done before.

At least, it hasn't been done in such a way as occurred on Nov. 14. Theresa Mowberry, a recently degreed graduate student, and her friend Colleen Giszcak, who works at Catholic University of America, were attending the first-ever North American Congress on Mercy (NACOM).

Jumping on a Freebie
The women decided to take part in Church history only the night before, when they were given free passes from someone attending a Eucharistic Festival of Praise.

"We were given the chance as young adults to attend," Colleen said. "We talked about it and felt it was too important to miss."

Theresa explained that they are self-described "Catholic missionaries," part of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), a fellowship of young adults.

FOCUS is a national collegiate outreach that meets college students where they are and invites them to examine the meaning and purpose of their lives. Through large group outreach, Bible studies, and one-on-one mentoring, FOCUS missionaries are equipped to introduce college students to the Person of Jesus Christ and the Catholic faith, empowering them to share His love with the world.

Asked near the end of the day what they had learned or received from attending NACOM, Colleen summed it up with the word "renewal." She said the testimonies from the speakers, and in conversations with fellow pilgrims, she sensed a renewed energy that typically isn't associated with Catholicism.

Antidote to Disillusionment
"This was exciting to learn how these people [witnesses and speakers] were engaged in concrete actions [in their communities] to show God's love to other," she said. Colleen added that the experience made her committed to find ways in which she can extend her work as a missionary. This is critical, she said, "because there's so much disillusionment in young people today."

Theresa developed the point, saying that God's mercy, "as we learned today, is really the only answer" for a world that has increasingly gone astray. Asked which talks impressed her the most, she responded with excitement, "All of them! I have been wowed by all the speakers. Their message offers hope. That's what we need the most: hope. I want to help people hear about this hope."

These young women typify a story repeated many times over on the two days of NCAOM. What has happened countless times, seemingly, has in a strict sense not happened at all, and that changes everything.

Select an image