Canada’s East Coast is expecting another sizable gathering at next month's Steubenville Atlantic conference at Dalhousie University in Halifax, the only one to be held in Canada this year.

In total, more than 600 attendees, many being youth from Grade 9 to 12, are expected to join together at the weekend conference in a celebration of evangelizing and empowering themselves as radical, joyful disciples through keynote speaker sessions, praise and worship, music, Eucharistic adoration, reconciliation and general fellowship. 

Steubenville Atlantic begins on July 11, with an introduction to worship before Holy Mass and further men's and women's keynote sessions and adoration the next day. Following evening adoration , procession and worship, Sunday will see youth partake in discussions in groups about the faith and journey through the events of the weekend with their peers. 

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Alex Stapleton,  a site coordinator for the conference and overall project coordinator at the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth, says that this year’s Steubenville Atlantic event is a big improvement from past offerings and shared his joy in seeing the attendance numbers rise following the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“As a Canadian-run conference, we have been going strong since 2007. We unfortunately had to cancel due to COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, and coming out of the pandemic, we saw really low numbers, particularly because a lot of parishes didn't have youth ministry programs going on,” he said. “We're back in our original Halifax location this year, and it’s looking like it will have a big feel and a fullness in the auditorium once again.” 

This year’s event will take place under the theme of "Consumed," taken from Deuteronomy 4:24 — “The LORD your God is a devouring fire; He is a jealous God.” As explained by Sarah Morrison, a local site coordinator for Steubenville Atlantic, the theme is a nod to how youth should feel consumed by their faith, not by earthly pleasures.

“ It’s a very harsh reality that youth are facing today where they're consumed by so much noise, media, technology and different opinions. They must be so lost on where to turn, and I think everyone's experiencing that to some extent,” she said. “This theme is an opportunity for youth to realize that they are meant to be consumed by Christ and to be consumed by the love of God as opposed to all of the things of this world.”

“ God is more powerful than the things of this world. He wants to consume our hearts, and so we are hoping people enjoy the weekend, become filled and take it home with them,” Stapleton added.

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This year’s anticipated return to form has yet to be replicated in places like Toronto, a city that hasn’t hosted a Steubenville youth conference since 2019, with the worldwide pandemic largely to blame. Steubenville came to Toronto in 2014 at the former Maple Leaf Gardens and held five successful conferences in the Greater Toronto Area, filling venues such as Roy Thomson Hall and Ontario Tech University in Oshawa with faith-driven young adults. 

A struggle in re-securing venues due to ongoing COVID policies and size requirements in 2021 led to Toronto’s Office of Catholic Youth attempting various outdoor events, such as summer camps, to keep youth engaged. 

For Morrison, the reality of Steubenville’s Canadian decline, apart from Halifax, is a shame. She spoke about the joys of seeing the faith alive, well and growing amongst young people, an element of the youth conference that she continues to find special and unique. 

“ I can imagine being in their position as high school students and not knowing that so many other Catholic youth exist. To be able to know that they're not alone in their faith and to see that the Catholic faith is still alive and people are still encountering Jesus every day is the most inspiring thing. It becomes an opportunity for these youth to learn that they're not alone,” she said. 

Claire Gomez, from the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth, said the faithful, youth-driven environment is something to look forward to again this July. 

“I loved having the experience of going to Steubenville Atlantic for many reasons. The people at Steubenville were super kind and so full of joy, and it was such a friendly environment to be in. The small group talks helped me connect with others, and the music really pulled the whole conference together. I want to go back again this year because it was so amazing getting to see Jesus in front of me every night, along with many other youth, alongside me,” she told The Catholic Register.

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Hoping to make new friends, strengthen her leadership skills and draw closer to God at this year’s event, Gomez also shared her hopes that Steubenville will return in full force to other areas throughout the country as it has locally in Halifax in recent years. 

“Steubenville should absolutely expand to more places in Canada. It would be amazing to see countless numbers of other youth who live a similar lifestyle in one place praising God,” she said.