Father Agustino Torres, CFR, celebrated this month’s Young Adult Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Feb. 1, telling the young faithful, “What a blessing to be able to offer something to the Lord. All of us are called to offer something in this Holy Sacrifice.”
“Brothers and sisters, may the Lord give us peace,” Father Torres, president of the Bronx-based Corazon Puro community outreach program, said in his homily during the evening Mass “The real presence (of Jesus) is real; it is not a symbol; it is not a metaphor, it is not an example…It is here, right here in this holy place we will enter into communion with Jesus, body, blood, soul, and divinity in perfect remembrance.”
Citing the day’s readings (Hebrews, Mark), Father Torres, who is with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, added, “The word sacrifice comes from Latin, sacrificium: to make holy…Sacrifice is used in athletic fields, you know – no pain, no gain. Psychologists have described it as: it is you making the future better by working on it in the present (such as getting in better physical shape). And so now spiritually the question arises, “What is it in your future that you’re asking for?’”
Father Torres alluded to Italian Franciscan monk anecdotes related to the importance of leaving past troubles and worries behind in the quest for spiritual enlightenment. He spoke of a reformed former convict who told him: “I got my mind on the resurrection.” “My brothers and sisters, do you have your mind on the resurrection?” Father Torres said.
And in talking about life tribulations, faith formation, and the Holy Eucharist, he noted the phrase “No pressure, no diamonds,” as he heard it years ago used by youths playing basketball in the Bronx, referring to a last-second winning shot.
“We come here to receive the fruits of the sacrifice of Christ,” Father Torres said. “Allow your mind to be transformed by it because what you do in your present is for your future. And my brothers and sisters: no pressure, no diamonds.”
The 7:30 p.m. Mass was preceded by a 6:30 p.m. Holy Hour, with music by singer/guitarist Basilio Perez. After Mass, attendees joined organizers for a pub/restaurant social gathering near the cathedral. The Young Adult Mass celebrations held the first Wednesday of each month, are planned by the archdiocesan Office of Young Adult Outreach through its Catholic NYC program.
Noëlle Tubbs was among the faithful in the pews. Amid the middle pews, she told The Good Newsroom after Mass, “I really enjoy being here with everybody. It’s something nice, something really special. I liked his (Father Torres’) no pressure, no diamonds message. I need that in my life right now. I really appreciated his message.” Tubbs is a parishioner at St. Joseph’s in Greenwich Village.
Also attending the Mass was Sean McCullough, who told The Good Newsroom, “I had some personal difficulties (last summer). I really wanted to get more involved in the Catholic community. I got started through that (attending the Young Adult Mass), So this is definitely a regular occurrence.”
Asked why he continues to attend, McCullough said, “It saved my life, man.”
Young Adult Outreach encourages young adults to visit www.catholicnyc.com to see all that the program has to offer. For more information, email Kaitlyn.Colgan@archny.org.