Catholics prepare to converge in St. Louis for SEEK24: Here’s what to expect

By Jonah McKeown

St. Louis, Mo., Dec 28, 2023 / 07:00 am

More than 18,000 people from across the country have signed up to attend the SEEK24 Catholic conference, which promises to bring a vibrantly Catholic presence to downtown St. Louis starting on New Year’s Day 2024. 

Put on by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), SEEK is a roughly biannual event aimed at galvanizing young people to deepen and share their Catholic faith. The 2024 conference is set to feature world-class Catholic speakers, fellowship opportunities, numerous prayer and worship sessions including Eucharistic adoration and Mass, and family-friendly entertainment. 

The number of registrations FOCUS has received for this year’s Jan. 1–5 conference is a new record, said Curtis Martin, one of the organization’s co-founders. 

“This milestone is a testament to the work of God, drawing people from across the globe and of all ages to come and be transformed in Christ. SEEK’s growth reflects a collective passion for faith and the shared journey of becoming missionary disciples in our everyday lives,” Martin said.

“As we prepare to gather for SEEK, we echo Christ’s call to radiate light in our daily lives. Post-SEEK24, our journey leads us back to our campuses, parishes, and communities, each of us carrying a renewed flame to live as missionary disciples for Christ,” Martin concluded.

FOCUS’ 2023 gathering, also held in St. Louis, was the organization’s first fully in-person national conference since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to FOCUS’ estimate, nearly 19,000 people — students, adults, families, bishops, priests, religious sisters, and more — ultimately attended the five-day 2023 conference at the America’s Center Convention Complex in downtown St. Louis. 

Many of the speakers who headlined last year’s conference are returning for 2024, including Father Mike Schmitz, Chika Anyanwu, and Father Josh Johnson. The SEEK website currently lists nearly 120 speakers.

The conference’s organizers have stressed that although many aspects of the conference are geared toward young people, people of all ages are welcome. In particular, the organization’s “Making Missionary Disciples” track is designed to provide practical leadership training for priests, bishops, diocesan and parish staff, as well as FOCUS alumni, parishioners, and benefactors. 

The death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, which took place only a few days before the start of the conference, was on many people’s minds last year. This year, anticipation of the upcoming National Eucharistic Congress, taking place in mid-2024, is expected to dominate the proceedings. Figures associated with the Eucharistic Congress feature prominently in the speaker lineup, including Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, and Montse Alvarado, president and chief operating officer of EWTN News. (EWTN is the parent company of CNA.)

Last year, more than 1,800 local St. Louisans joined the conference attendees at a special Wednesday evening Eucharistic adoration session held in the former stadium of the St. Louis Rams football team. That evening more than 500 priests heard more than 3,000 confessions in two hours, along with thousands more throughout the event, FOCUS said.

FOCUS sends missionaries to college campuses across the United States and abroad to share the Catholic faith primarily through Bible studies and small groups, practicing what it calls “The Little Way of Evangelization” — winning small numbers of people to the Catholic faith at a time through authentic friendships, and then forming and preparing others to go out and do the same. 

The Colorado-based organization celebrated its 25th anniversary this year.

Jonah McKeown is a staff writer and podcast producer for Catholic News Agency. He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has worked as a writer, as a producer for public radio, and as a videographer. He is based in St. Louis.