The first meeting of the youth project “Coffee with a Priest” (#CoffeeTalk) in four years took place in the suburbs of Chicago on the territory of the parish of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The event brought together young people from different parts of the greater Chicago area for an open conversation about spirituality, family values and financial challenges of modern life.
This was reported by by Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Church-Palatine.
The meeting was dedicated to the topic “Family Finances: How Can Money Destroy a Family?” The organizers invited the participants to look at the problem from both a spiritual and a practical perspective.
The speakers of the event were Father Andriy Delisandro from the parish of St. Joseph the Betrothed and Oleksandr Shutkov, catechist of the parish of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
During the meeting, Father Andriy emphasized that God should be at the center of every family, because it is from Him that a person receives his talents, strengths, and opportunities. And the greatest treasure for a family is joint prayer and participation in the Liturgy.
Oleksandr Shutkov, in turn, spoke about financial responsibility and the importance of the right attitude towards money. During his speech, Shutkov also shared five steps that help families build financial stability and wisely plan for the future.
A feature of the event was work in small groups, where young people could directly communicate with priests, ask personal questions, and receive spiritual advice and support.
The organizers noted that the main goal of the project is to create a space for sincere discussions about the challenges that concern young people, and to help not lose the main life reference.
“We are not just resuming meetings – we are continuing our joint journey in search of answers to the most important questions of life,” the organizers emphasized.
In addition to the discussion part, participants had the opportunity to chat in an informal atmosphere over coffee, tea and traditional treats. The evening ended with lively communication, music and barbecue. Participants of the event had the opportunity to make new acquaintances and openly talk about topics that often remain outside of public discussion.
The #CoffeeTalk project was launched four years ago for the youth of the Ukrainian community of Chicago and is aimed at combining spiritual communication, practical advice and building a vibrant community around the church and Christian values.
Photo: by Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Church-Palatine
Author: Inna Mikhno