Young Adult Ministry leaders in Ulster County have scheduled two nights of activities, Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, led by husband-and-wife duo Bradley and Kayla Banning.
The Young Adult Night and Dinner Fellowship on Friday will take place at the St. Mary/St. Andrew Parish Hall in Ellenville. The evening will include adoration, confession, fellowship, and dinner, along with a talk by Kayla Banning on chastity and Theology of the Body. The next night, Bradley Banning, a singer-guitarist, will perform a country music concert and give a testimony to the Catholic faith throughout the evening.
“It will be an awesome event to bring our young adults together. We have several groups here in the Hudson Valley,” Fr. Kenneth Riello, pastor at St. Mary/St. Andrew, told The Good Newsroom in an Oct. 20 phone interview. “They will pray together; we’ll have adoration and confession, followed by fellowship and dinner in the hall. And we’ll have a dynamic presentation by Kayla Banning, who is quite good…The young people will be enriched in their faith, get to know each other and support one another. And I think that’s very important in this day and age,” Fr. Riello added.
Kayla Banning, a native of Keller, Texas, is described as a gifted Catholic speaker and worship leader. These days, alongside her husband, she travels the United States helping to spread the faith. “Whether through her graphic designs, her passion for singing, or heartfelt connections with people…she strives to bring joy and hope to all those she encounters,” according to Trinity Tour Travels.
Bradley Banning is described as “a music artist, Catholic convert, and devoted husband and father with a clear mission: to bring faith, family, and truth back to the heart of country music,” according to Catholic Speakers Organization. “Known for his powerful blend of heartfelt storytelling and conviction, Bradley writes and performs songs you can share with your kids, your parents, and your parish.”
Other Young Adult Ministry events:
Eucharistic Day Retreat and Renewal: Saturday, Oct. 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 59 E. Main St., Elmsford (Westchester County).
Organizers, in promotional material, invite all to “renew your faith at the Eucharistic Day Retreat and Renewal for Westchester County Parishes this Saturday, Oct. 24…Enjoy prayer, evangelization workshops, Eucharistic Adoration, Mass, and lunch, with keynote speakers Bishop John S. Bonnici (Diocese of Rochester) in English, and Fr. José F. Ortega (pastor, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Bronx) in Spanish.”
Frassati Hike: Saturday, Oct. 24, meet at 8 a.m. at St. Vincent Ferrer Church, 869 Lexington Ave., Manhattan. Join the Frassati Fellowship of NYC for its October hike. The group will embark on a moderate hike in Byram, N.J.
The Frassati Fellowship of NYC is a Catholic community of young adults in their 20s and 30s, “helping one another grow in love of God and neighbor in the footsteps of our patron, St. Pier Giorgio Frassati,” organizers said.
Effeta Young Adult Retreat: Friday, Oct. 30, 6 p.m. to Sunday, Nov. 1, 3:30 p.m., at St. Elizabeth Church, 268 Wadsworth Ave., Manhattan. Effeta is a retreat for young adults, ages 18 to 28, led by fellow young adults, designed to provide a weekend of faith, community, contemplation, and spiritual growth.