BASH

Bishop Burbidge invites all middle school students of the Diocese to join him at BASH 2023!

BASH is our largest gathering of Catholic middle school students (6th-8th graders) every year! This event is a celebration of our Catholic faith and love of the Lord. We are planning for hundreds of middle school students to gather for an evening of faith, fellowship, and fun!

This event includes music, games, inspirational speakers, confessions, and a Vigil Mass for Sunday, with Bishop Burbidge as the principal celebrant. BASH is designed to be open to any Middle School aged youth that want to attend, so please welcome and invite them to participate in the life of the Catholic Church!

Our goal is to have all 70 parishes and 5 missions participating in this event. If you have a child in middle school, we encourage you to call your parish to see if they will be participating. Perhaps if they are not already planning to participate, this will change if they hear that there are interested families!

Details

WHEN: Saturday, April 22, 2023. 3:30pm-8:30pm
WHERE: Bishop O'Connell High School, Arlington, VA
COST: $15.00 per participant (youth and adults)
HOW TO SIGN UP: Young people that want to participate must sign up through their parish point of contact (usually the Director of Youth Ministry).

Promo Video: BASH 2023 Promo Video

Speaker

Paul J. Kim - Paul utilizes his many talents (music, beatboxing, comedy, inspirational talks) to communicate the Gospel message of Christ to people in a way that is engaging and entertaining. In the past decade, he has impacted people of all ages in 48 states and in 16 countries. Paul has released two music albums, his videos have accumulated tens of millions of views, and he presents to an average of 40,000 people a year! To learn more about Paul, visit his website.

Registration Procedures

Young people that want to participate must sign up through their parish point of contact usually the Director of Youth Ministry). The cost is $15.00 per participant (youth and adults), which includes entertainment, dinner, snacks, and a t-shirt.

Instructions for Directors of Youth Ministry to sign up your youth:

Get your youth excited about BASH by putting the poster up around the parish, sharing the promo video, and having some of your older, "veteran" youth talk about the event at a youth meeting or in their religious education class or the classes at the parish's school.
Get a headcount of how many will be participating, and download the BASH Permission Slip/Forma de Permiso for each to complete.
You will register your group online. Registration is now open. The registration link and instructions can be found here: BASH 2023 online registration.
Online registration is open through Monday, April 17 at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to register any additional participants after that date, please contact Cristina in the Office of Youth, Campus, and Young Adult Ministries at (703) 841-2559.

Check-In Procedures

Come to BASH on Saturday, April 22 (check-in begins at 3:15 p.m.). Be sure to bring a SIGNED ORIGINAL permission slip for each participant and keep it with you at all times.
When you check in, you will verify your list of attendees, pick up pre-printed name tags and sign a statement agreeing to have the OYCYAM bill your parish $15.00 per attendee.
Your parish will be sent an invoice following BASH. Instructions on making your payment will be included.
BASH begins at 3:30 p.m. & concludes at 8:30 p.m.

Address and Directions

Address:
Bishop O'Connell High School
6600 Little Falls Rd
Arlington, VA 22213

Directions:
Take Rt. 66 East to Exit 69 (Lee Highway/Washington Blvd.). Go to traffic light at end of ramp and turn left onto Lee Highway. Go two blocks and turn left onto Underwood Street. Continue on Underwood for about three blocks. Bishop O'Connell High School is located on the right.

Downloads

Event Information
Permission Slip (English)
Permission Slip (Spanish)
Poster (printable, 11x17 pdf)
Poster (printable, 8.5x11 pdf)
Poster (printable, 8.5x11 jpg)
Poster - Spanish (printable, 11x17 pdf)
Poster - Spanish (printable, 8.5x11 pdf)
Poster - Spanish (printable, 8.5x11 jpg)

Future BASH dates

2024: Saturday, May 4
2025: Saturday, May 10
2026: Saturday, April 25
BASH will continue to be held at Bishop O'Connell High School.