In Manhattan on Saturday night, baseball fans crowded into bars to watch the Yankees in the first game of the American League Division Series. Fans of Harry Styles hopped on the Q train down toward Madison Square Garden, where the British singer was continuing his two-month residency at the famous venue. 

Walking up the hill on East 90th Street from Second Avenue toward Third, the rising sound of joyful voices was unmistakable. These were not the cheers of sports fans or the screams of concertgoers. They were strains of the faithful, observing the vigil of the 800th anniversary of the Transitus, or passing into eternal life, of St. Francis of Assisi. 

Inside Our Lady of Good Counsel, about 700 people, half of them 30 or younger, gathered in the sanctuary and balcony of the 125-year-old church. At least 25 people waited patiently in line for confession, a queue that was constantly replenished throughout the 90-minute formal observance. 

The observance began with hymns in a packed, illuminated sanctuary. The lights were then dimmed, and a spotlight focused on a statue of St. Francis, in front of which stood a first-class relic of the saint from Assisi. Throughout the program, stories from the life of St. Francis, read by Franciscan Friars, were interspersed with song. 

At the conclusion of the celebration, Fr. John Anthony Boughton, vicar general of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, lifted the relic and blessed all those in attendance before the lights were raised again. An art exhibit was on display in the church basement, and veneration of the relic continued in the balcony. 

Young adults seeking something simpler 

“St. Francis still speaks deeply to young people today. His life was simple, radical, and completely centered on Jesus. He lived the Gospel in a way that drew others to Christ, formed disciples, built community, and sent others out to evangelize. In a world filled with noise, distraction, and materialism, many young adults are longing for something simpler, more authentic, and more rooted in God,” said Pjetër Nilaj, director of the archdiocese’s Office of Youth Ministry, Young Adult Ministry, and University Apostolate, by email. 

Outside, four young men from Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., wrapped up a full day of emulating St. Francis. 

“The whole idea was giving back to the poor: food and blankets in the past, though it’s too hot for those now. Now, we cover utilities, and prayer and companionship. So we came out today to do that, and to cap off our night, we came here to Our Lady of Good Counsel for Catholic Underground,” Christopher Cruz told The Good Newsroom, still holding the cooler the four used to carry food around the city for distribution. 

“We had a really wonderful night, and this is a great, peaceful end to our journey today. And we are wiped, but it’s fantastic,” Cruz said. 

Around them, participants stood talking, drifted toward the subway, or walked toward home. 

The Yankees lost anyway.