Hot topics on tap for Café Catholica’s young adult summer speaker series

Young people wait in line for confession at a Café Catholica in 2018. The popular young adult speaker series returns next month, starting on July 11 at the Catholic Charismatic Center in Houston. (File photo by James Ramos/Herald)

HOUSTON — Dynamic local and national speakers are headlining on July Mondays and Aug. 1 for Café Catholica. The annual event brings together young adults 18 through 39.

“We’re looking forward to another awesome program for 2022. Our theme of Real Presence has a dual purpose of focusing first on the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and second on our call as Catholics to be a real presence to the people in our lives,” said Angie Pometto, director of the Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministry.

Father Dat Hoang, pastor at St. Faustina Catholic Church in Fulshear, will kick off the Monday night series on July 11 this year at the Catholic Charismatic Center off the Gulf Freeway at 1949 Cullen Blvd. His topic will be “God’s Presence through Life’s Absences.”

Another highlight is Spirit Night on July 18, where young adults can show their spirit for their favorite sports team, university or fandom. That night Meg Hunter-Kilmer, national speaker and blogger, will take the audience in a deep dive into the lives of new saints in modern times.

Café Catholica: At a glance
Dates: Mondays starting July 11, 18, 25 and Aug. 1
Location: Catholic Charismatic Center - 1949 Cullen Blvd., Houston
Schedule:

• 5:15 p.m. Confession available
• 6:15 p.m. Mass
• 7:15 p.m. Dinner
• 8:15 p.m. Speaker begins

July 11: Father Dat Hoang, pastor at St. Faustina in Fulshear, will kick off the Monday night series with “God’s Presence through Life’s Absences.”
July 18: National speaker and blogger Meg Hunter-Kilmer, on “The Presence of Christi in the Lives of Saints.” Spirit Night, when young adults can show their spirit for their favorite sports team, university or fandom.
July 25: Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, a strong supporter of young people in the Church, will open his Monday session to the audience for a question-and-answer opportunity.
Aug. 1: Edward Herrera, who formerly served at St. Michael Catholic Church in Houston, is executive director for the Archdiocese’ Of Baltimore’s Institute for Evangelization, speaking on “Holy Desire: Theology of the Body and the Eucharist.”

“I’m a Catholic, madly in love with the Lord, His word, His bride the Church, and especially His body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Eucharist,” Hunter-Kilmer says on her website. “After two degrees in theology and five years teaching in the classroom, I quit my nine-to-five to follow Christ more literally. Since May of 2012, I’ve been a hobo for Christ; I live out of my car and travel the country speaking to youth and adults, giving retreats, blogging, and trying to rock the world for Jesus.”

One of her posts on the blog, “Held by His Pierced Hands,” suggests to young parents to help their children transition from their favorite superhero or Disney princess to their favorite saints.

Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, a strong supporter of young people in the Church, will open his Monday session on July 25 to the audience for a question-and-answer opportunity.

Edward Herrera, who formerly served at St. Michael Catholic Church in Houston, is now at the Archdiocese of Baltimore and will headline Aug. 1.

Herrera, previously director of the Office of Marriage and Family Life in Baltimore, is now executive director for the Maryland Archdiocese’s Institute for Evangelization. He will be speaking on “Holy Desire: Theology of the Body and the Eucharist.”

The schedule for each of the Mondays opens with Confession available at 5:15 p.m.; Mass at 6:15 p.m.; dinner at 7:15 p.m. and speaker at 8:15 p.m. No registration is required.

There is also a new component to Café Catholica called Café Connect on social media, Pometto said.
“For 2022, we especially want to invite all young adults to consider participating in a Café Connect Discussion Group. These groups began during COVID-19 as a way to help people connect, and it’s been so successful that we are continuing to offer it in conjunction with Café Catholica,” she said.

“We have more than 20 groups available to join, so people will be able to choose a time and location (in-person and online options available) that works for them. Even if someone can’t attend the main event on Monday nights, they’ll still be able to join a Café Connect group and go deeper into the topics discussed and meet other Catholic young adults from around the Archdiocese,” Pometto explained.

She added, “We especially want to welcome any new young adults to Café Catholica, including the recently graduated high school seniors, current college students, and any recent college graduates as well as those returning.”