IHM Conference - Apostolic Teens

As a part of the Teen Talk Sessions, Father Larry Swink spoke on Seven Habits of Highly Apostolic Teens. He recommended trying some of them and working up to more of these 7 habits.

There was a consensus among many that I talked to that Fr. Swink was a conference favorite this year. I know that my family hopes to hear him again every year going forward. He's a great speaker.

At this talk, the room was packed, mostly with the teens and I enjoyed their rapt and laughing faces. It was obvious that they really enjoyed him.

Here are my notes:

We're called to be saints, but there's distraction. We need power from above to get to heaven.


The Church is a mess and you guys are the army to change this world, just like the apostles. To change the world you need habits.


1. Morning routine - set an alarm and get up.


2. 8-15 minutes in mental prayer, dialoguing with God, then listening in silence. Mother Theresa said with out it you can not grow in holiness.


3. Spiritual Reading. Consider what's being said and make 1 resolution a day. (He recommended the Catholic Lifetime Reading List)


4. Daily Mass, staying in a state of grace and praying after communion.


5. The Angelus Prayer


6. The Rosary and here Fr. related a moving story about going 15 days in the confessional without a single visitor. Knowing that God does speak to us through His Word, Father opened the bible at the advise of an older and mentoring priest and promised to do what God told him to bring students to the Sacrament of Confession. He opened to the story of Jericho.


Yes, 7 times around.


In 28 degree weather and with a ski mask he circled the school praying the rosary, praying for the students whose lives are in a battle between good and evil and the next day 12 students visited the confessional!


7. Examination of Conscience. How did today go? Help me Lord to do better tomorrow. No company would neglect bookkeeping on a daily business. What did we sell, why did we sell it? (What sins, why?) What's more important than the business of your soul?

And, once again, the charming notes also taken by my 9 year old son:

IHM Speech Father swink

1 getting up not be lazy say prayers don't press snooze on that alarm clock get up

2 mental prayer say 8 to 15 minutes mental prayer come on you can stop playing your vidio game for at least 10 minuets and say a mental prayer.

3 Spiritual reading I myself like to for one hour read something spiritual you just stop at one time of the day and read for at least 10 mineits please.

One day I was waiting in the confesinel for 15 weeks without confession so then I opened the bible and landed on the walls of jerico and I thought and then I got a ski mask on ( it was about 28 outside) and my snow coat went to the high school walked around 7 times and said all 4 mystery's it was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

People were crying!!! It was such a good speech I have never seen anything like it I myself was about to cry at one point but I held it in

sent from my iPod touch

And at the end, he brought forward those who wanted to be enrolled in Our Lady's Scapular and prayed for that, blessing them in the garment of grace.
It was great to see my kids really enjoying the talks and I thank the IHM organizers for bringing Catholic homeschoolers together for encouragement like this.