Students learn about music, dating, and their faith

Intermountain Catholic

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High School students from throughout the Diocese of Salt Lake City have a good time doing the Hokie-Pokie at a concert performed by Joshua Blakesley and his band. IC photos by Christine Young

DRAPER — A group of 156 high school students from throughout the Diocese of Salt Lake City quickly blossomed into a friendly, enthusiastic, and happy crowd after bonding at the Autumn Catholic Teen Social 2006 at Juan Diego Catholic High School Oct. 22.

The social was sponsored by the Diocesan Youth and Young Adult Ministry Office and offered a workshop on dating and relationships, a workshop on listening to music and its effects, lunch, a concert with audience participation, and a dance. Mass was celebrated at St. John the Baptist Church by Father Samuel Dinsdale, associate pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Park City.

Joshua Blakesley, a Christian singer and song writer from Alexandria, La., was the keynote speaker, who also put on a concert along with his band. His Christian music journey began in 1992, while he was in high school and involved with a school peer ministry team. He saw the power of God at work in the lives of teens and watched them become transformed into believers. He also realized the impact and the power of true praise and worship music offered in his own walk with Jesus, and he vowed to spread the Gospel from that point on.

Blakesley serves as the young adult coordinator and assistant music director at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Parish in Alexandria, which is French for "hasten to help." He travels around the nation speaking and singing at youth conferences and rallies, and at workshops for musicians.

In his workshop "Changing Your Tune," he said his goal was to create an awareness of the positive and negative the effects song lyrics can have on people.

"Music is powerful and creates or draws on the emotions we are feeling," said Blakelsey. "I have a message and a reason I want to convey in every song I write, as does every singer-song writer. I don’t want to change the music you listen to, but since music is a large part of a teenager’s life, I want you to be aware of how the music you listen to affects your mood and your emotions."

The students also learned how to handle their emotions while dating at a workshop presented by Chad and Kelly Rosamond, who are former youth ministers from St. Ambrose Parish, Salt Lake City.

"Dating should be about having fun and the dignity and respect of others, not about who you are going to marry," said Kelly. "Dating is having social engagements with a person of the opposite sex to create a friendship. Love is not simply warm, fuzzy feelings or the thought of sexual attraction or desire. Love is a decision you make. Real love chooses what is best for one another. Sexual pleasure is sacred and should only happen between a married couple. Outside of marriage it is called fornication or adultery"

The Rosamonds presented a Catholic examination of the sixth commandment, "You shall not commit adultery," and ninth commandment, "You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife." They explained terms such as chastity, sex, procreation, lust, impurity, licentiousness, and adultery.

Panel members made up of high school and college males and females clarified the definition of terms such as hanging out, hooking up, public display of affection (PDA’s), getting it on, and making out. The panel said one should be careful in using these terms because the meanings differ greatly between groups of friends, high school students, and college students.

The panel also said the man should pay for the date unless the woman initiated the date, but men appreciate it when women offer to pay. When asked if women like men driving fast, the panel said, "No." The panel said it is polite for a man to open the car door for a woman and make sure he gets her home on time.

"The national divorce rate in America is 50 percent," said Kelly. "The divorce rate among Catholics is also 50 percent. But the divorce rate is only three percent among Catholics who practice natural family planning and follow the Catholic Church’s teachings.

A list of sources is posted on the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry website at www.dioslc.org/departments.