Holy Fire Chicago
October 14 and 15, 2022
Credit Union 1 Arena
Holy Fire is returning live and in person this fall! Holy Fire is a powerful moment of encounter, worship and fun for young people in grades 6 through 9. It also offers our youth preparing for the sacrament of confirmation an engaging and significant experience of the broader Church to which they and their parish or school belong.
As you prepare for Holy Fire 2022, please note these important details:
- Regular ticket price for the 2022 event is $35 (scholarships are available for Archdiocese of Chicago parishes and schools).
- Holy Fire will be held at Credit Union 1 Arena (formerly known as UIC Pavilion).
- Each community is invited to participate either on Friday (October 14) or Saturday (October 15), with school ministries typically attending on Friday and parish religious education ministries typically attending on Saturday. The program will run from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. both days.
- To continue to affirm the significance of this experience to our young confirmation candidates, participating parishes and schools will receive priority scheduling for their 2023 confirmations.
- Going forward, Holy Fire will occur every other year (next event in 2024), meaning youth will attend only once as part of their two-year confirmation preparation process.
TALENT
 | SR. TRACEY DUGAS, FSP Sr. Tracey belongs to the Daughters of St. Paul and her Religious Community is in Chicago. She studied at Notre Dame Seminary. She was born in Louisiana but is currently living and working in Chicago.
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 | NOELLE GARCIA Noelle was born in Texas, but has lived in Colorado, Tennessee, Michigan and now Dodge City, Kansas! She has been speaking to youth and adults for over ten years. Her primary mission is to teach through her own testimony, that we are all “wonderfully made” in God’s image. Noelle has been featured in CNN’s Latino in America and EWTN’s Life on the Rock as she shared her witness of God’s love through the midst of her struggle with depression and poor self-image and how that encounter with Christ radically changed her life.
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 | DR. ANSEL AUGUSTINE Dr. Ansel Augustine is the Director of the Office of Black Catholic Ministries for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He is the former Executive Director of Cultural Diversity and Outreach for the Archdiocese of Washington. Previously he served as the Associate Director/Coordinator of Black Youth & Young Adult Ministry for the CYO Youth & Young Adult Ministry Office. He began his career in ministry over 20 years ago when he became the youth minister at his home parish of St. Peter Claver in the Treme area of New Orleans, which he helped to rebuild following hurricane Katrina. He has presented workshops and keynotes around the country and has written various pieces related to ministry.
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 | GIANCARLO BERNINI Giancarlo resides in the Dallas, Texas area. He fell in love with magic when he was 8 years old and loves to bring people together. He is a Bible Study Leader and a Eucharistic Minister and is the member of Beta Upsilon Chi (Brothers Under Christ). Gave a witness while incorporating magic into a witness talk at NCYC and was very well received. Team will work with him to focus content for middle school/young high school aged attendees for Holy Fire.
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 | DANA CATHERINE A young singer/songwriter, speaker, and former youth minister from North Carolina, Dana travels throughout the U.S. to encourage and inspire others with her songs and witness. Growing up in a Catholic family, Dana always had a strong faith, but it wasn’t until she went to college at UNC Chapel Hill that her relationship with God truly deepened. Through the ups and downs of college life, Dana began to understand that true and lasting happiness, peace, and purpose is found in Christ alone. Only then did she realize that God was calling her to step out and share His truth and love with others using the musical gifts she was given. Now, Dana finds abundant joy in allowing the Lord to use her and her music for His greater glory.
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 | PJ ANDERSON PJ’s most recent studio album, Mercy, Mercy, debuted at #7 on iTunes and received glowing reviews. In recent years, PJ has led thousands in worship at events worldwide, including World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland and the Mass for Life in Washington, DC. For the past 10 years, he has spent his summers with Catholic Heart Work Camp, offering his musical talents and serving as a director, giving students meaningful opportunities to serve and minister in cities across the US and abroad. Amidst these opportunities, the recent years have been a time of immense growth for PJ as a worship artist and storyteller.
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Holy Fire Leader’s Guide in English and Spanish – Now Available
The Leader’s Guide includes activities, reflection questions and faith conversation prompts for both preparation before the event and processing after the event. In addition, the Leader’s Guide provides additional information regarding what to do better prepare your young people to participate in Holy Fire itself. Using any or all of this material is optional.
Holy Fire Scholarship Application – Now Available
The Scholarship Application for Holy Fire 2022 is now available here. Representatives applying for the Holy Fire Chicago Scholarship funds should complete and submit the scholarship application form to [email protected].
Apply by May 15 to receive early bird award confirmation by May 31. Final day to submit a scholarship application is Friday, September 16, 2022. We ask that you please be a good steward with the scholarship application and only apply if you are in need.
