DENVER, Feb. 2, 2021 — SEEK21 will encourage tens of thousands to encounter Christ and share the Gospel with others this weekend with live, engaging activities during the interactive, immersive event Feb. 4 – 7, 2021. More than 21,000 people have registered to experience SEEK21, making it the largest event ever for FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). FOCUS projects that more than 100,000 people will attend a FOCUS conference in the next five years, drawing them into a deeper encounter with Christ and increased zeal for evangelization. Registration is open at seek.focus.org. Throughout the event, the FOCUS Facebook page will share SEEK21 photos from around the world.

College students, missionaries, FOCUS alumni, parishioners, young adults, benefactors, clergy, religious and more will gather in Catholic centers, parishes, living rooms, outdoor tents and wherever they can safely congregate to journey together and ask the big questions about joy, peace, hope and salvation. Designed to be experienced in community, SEEK21 discussions and activities among small groups of family members and friends will provide opportunities for people to grow in faith and encounter Christ in a deeper way, both personally and in community.

More than 1,600 parishes will be participating in SEEK21 with small groups. The largest single parish represented so far is Mary, Seat of Wisdom Catholic Church in Park Ridge, Ill., which has nearly 170 people registered for SEEK21.

“God is calling each one of us to encounter Him,” said Curtis Martin, founder and CEO of FOCUS. “SEEK21 is one of the largest Catholic events ever focused on the kerygma, the proclamation of the Gospel as declared in the Great Commission. Each one of us is called to respond to God’s promise of eternal life and to lead others to that same promise by sharing how He has transformed our lives.”

The sacraments are a vital part of SEEK21. People are encouraged to participate in Mass and adoration with their small groups and in person at their local churches, if regulations allow. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan will be participating in the Archdiocese of New York. In addition to Bishop Robert E. Barron, who will be speaking during the event, more than a dozen bishops are participating in SEEK21 by celebrating Mass, hosting adoration and offering confession, depending on their location: Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila (Denver, Colo.) Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio (Archdiocese of the Military Services USA), Archbishop William E. Lori (Baltimore, Md.), Archbishop Nelson J. Perez (Philadelphia, Pa.), Bishop John O. Barres (Rockville Centre, N.Y.), Bishop Peter F. Christensen (Boise, Idaho), Bishop Thomas A. Daly (Spokane, Wash.), Bishop Donald E. DeGrood (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Bishop-elect Larry J. Kulick (Greensburg, Pa.), Bishop Daniel H. Mueggenborg (Seattle, Wash.), Bishop Steven J. Raica (Birmingham, Ala.), Bishop David L. Ricken (Green Bay, Wis.), Bishop Alfred A. Schlert (Allentown, Pa.), Bishop Joseph M. Siegel (Evansville, Ind.), Bishop David J. Walkowiak (Grand Rapids, Mich.).

During the Worldwide Prayer Vigil on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 10:30 p.m. ET, thousands of people will come together to ask God for an outpouring of His Spirit, for healing in today’s culture and our Church, and for the evangelization of all nations. Attendees will rally together as a universal Church to experience Eucharistic adoration in unprecedented ways, which includes live adoration happening simultaneously across the globe.

World-renowned presenters and experts on evangelization will speak during SEEK21, some of whom will travel to live audiences in different cities in accordance with local and state regulations. Keynote speakers include Bishop Barron, Msgr. James Shea, Fr. Mike Schmitz, Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, Sr. Bethany Madonna, S.V., Francis Chan, Hilary Draftz, Immaculée Ilibagiza, Curtis Martin, Dr. Jonathan Reyes and Dr. Edward Sri. Impact session speakers include Tina Augustine, Jeff Cavins, Leah Darrow, Jason Evert, Jennifer Fulwiler, Tim Gray, Scott Hahn, Trent Horn, Damon Owens, Oscar Rivera Jr., Lila Rose, Chris Stefanick, Sarah Swafford, John Zimmer and many others.

Several speakers throughout the event will discuss sharing the Gospel with all audiences through FOCUS 153 talks. FOCUS 153 seeks to equip every aspect of the apostolate to effectively reach all ethnic and racial demographics on campus and beyond. Talks will be presented in Spanish by compelling speakers such as Fr. Agustino Torres, C.F.R., Fr. Rafael Capó, Montse Alvarado, Priscilla Garza and Jeff Runyan. Fr. Capó will be presenting the talk “Hispanic Ministry and Evangelization (en Español).”

Matt Maher will perform for attendees on Friday night with a special SEEK21 appearance. The Village Lights with Sarah Kroger, Ike Ndolo and Ricky Vasquez will play session music and premier a new single during SEEK21. More than a dozen podcasters are involved with SEEK21, including Ask Father Josh, Forte Catholic, Girlfriends, Godsplaining, The Catholic Conversation, The Quizzical Papist, Jeff Cavins Show and Poco A Poco Podcast.

SEEK21 builds upon the best of live conferences and virtual gatherings and can be scaled up or down. Each host site, whether a household, small group, parish or campus location, has the flexibility to personalize their schedule. SEEK Hosting Resources include videos with tips for leading a small group, the SEEK21 Workbook and other important resources, include guidelines for Safety & Security, which encourages participants to research, understand and enforce all state and local COVID restrictions.

The cost is $70 for students at FOCUS campuses. The registration price for non-students is $149 for individuals and a group price of $489 for up to 10 participants. Special group pricing for parishes is likewise available. SEEK21 excitement and momentum will continue through an exclusive FOCUS Lenten Bible Study for SEEK21 attendees hosted by Martin and Sri.

Premier Level Sponsors for SEEK21 include Hallow App, Knights of Columbus, Seton Teaching Fellows, Vagabond Missions, Divine Mercy University, the University of Mary, Relevant Radio, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Our Sunday Visitor (OSV), The Vigil Project / Papercastle Records, Biking for Babies, Catholic Medical Association, FrancisCorps, Action, My Saint My Hero, The Catholic University of America, The Culture Project, The John Paul II Project, VidAngel – The Chosen and Visually Linked Bible.

Many sponsors are hosting special guests and activities in their virtual booths on the live SEEK21 platform, such as Hallow App, which is hosting a live Catholic prayer and meditation session. Knights of Columbus is hosting a virtual meet-and-greet with Michelle and Dan Schachle, whose youngest son, Michael “Mikey” Schachle, was the recipient of the miracle obtained through Blessed Fr. Michael McGivney’s intercession. OSV is highlighting its OSV Institute for Catholic Innovation, which supports and encourages innovative and effective Church-related programs and activities. VidAngel will host Justen Overlander, producer for The Chosen. Ascension is hosting Q&A events and book raffles with special guests such as Fr. Mike Schmitz, Fr. Mark Mary, C.F.R., Dr. Edward Sri, Jeff Cavins and several others.

More information and registration for SEEK21 can be found at seek.focus.org. 

About FOCUS

FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) is a Catholic apostolate whose mission is to share the hope and joy of the Gospel. FOCUS missionaries encounter people in friendship, inviting them into a personal relationship with Christ and accompanying them as they pursue lives of virtue and excellence. Through Bible studies, outreach events, mission trips and discipleship, missionaries inspire and build up others in the faith, sending them out to live out lifelong Catholic mission wherever they are. For the 2020 – 2021 academic year, nearly 800 FOCUS missionaries are serving on 171 campuses and nine parishes across the U.S. and Europe. By 2026, FOCUS expects to have nearly 1,300 missionaries serving on more than 250 campuses and dozens of parishes. FOCUS alumni, now nearly 40,000 strong, are living and serving in parishes and communities across the country. By 2026, FOCUS expects to have more than 70,000 alumni. An important blessing of a fruitful partnership between the local campus ministry and FOCUS has been the pursuit of religious vocations. Since 1998, 959 people have entered the seminary or a religious house of formation after involvement with FOCUS on college campuses, and FOCUS expects that number to double to nearly 1,900 in the next five years. FOCUS missionaries are typically recent college graduates who devote two or more years of their post-collegiate lives to reach out to peers on campus.  focus.org

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