RALLY

Bishop Burbidge invites all teens of the Diocese to join him at RALLY 2023! This annual event is an opportunity for the young Church in the Diocese of Arlington to gather each year to pray, learn, and celebrate the Catholic faith. RALLY includes Mass with Bishop Burbidge, Eucharistic Adoration, inspirational speakers and entertainers, breakout sessions, inflatable games, music, and more!

RALLY is designed to be open to any high school aged youth wanting to attend, at any stage in their faith journey.
Our goal is to have all 70 parishes and 5 missions participating in this event. If you have a child in high 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: Sunday, October 22, 2023. 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.
WHERE: Bishop O'Connell High School, Arlington, VA
PROMO VIDEO: Please share with all high school students: RALLY 2023 Promo Video.
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).

Our lineup includes:

Jimmy Mitchell (Keynote Speaker) - Believing deeply in the power of beauty to evangelize culture, Jimmy Mitchell's gifts of storytelling and piano-playing have brought him to every corner of the world. Whether he's mentoring young people in virtue or interviewing award-winning artists in his studio, Jimmy loves nothing more than helping others fall in love with God. To learn more about Jimmy, click here.
Ben Walther (Musician) - Ben is a singer, songwriter, worship leader, husband and father. He has been making music for more than 15 years. Ben travels across the country leading worship and sharing his gifts with God's people. To learn more about Ben, click here.
Breakout Sessions - Three rounds of breakout sessions where teens can learn about different aspects of the Catholic faith and be encouraged in their relationship with Christ! (Note: If you have speaking experience and are interested in being considered to be a presenter, please fill out the Breakout Session Presenter Application on or by September 25.)
Games and Entertainment - From inflatables and the rock wall to GaGa, 9 Square, and Bingo, there is something for everyone!
Delicious Dinner - Hundreds of pizzas (including the ever-popular bacon pizza!) with dessert from Smiley's Ice Cream and Rita's Italian Ice.

Volunteers needed!

We are in great need of adults who can serve as volunteers for this event! Whether you are able to assist all day or only have a few hours to offer, we would love your help in making RALLY happen safely and smoothly! Please complete the RALLY Volunteer Survey to let us know when you are able to serve.

Steps for RALLY Registration:

Get high schoolers excited about RALLY by putting the poster up around the parish, having some of your older, "veteran" youth talk about the event at a youth grouping or in their Religious Education class.
Compile a list of participants, including their grade and T-shirt size, and download the RALLY Permission Slip (available in English or Spanish below) for each to complete.
Fill out the Parish Participation Survey if you have teens that are willing to serve in these specific ways during program and the Mass. This must be completed by noon on Friday, October 13.
Online Registration for parish group leaders is now open! The instructions and registration can be found here: RALLY 2023 Registration Information.

Downloads

Information for Directors of Youth Ministry
Permission Slip (English)
Permission Slip (Spanish)
Poster (printable, 11x17)
Poster (printable, 8.5x11)
Poster (image for use on social media)
Poster - Spanish (printable, 11x17 pdf)
Poster - Spanish (printable, 8.5x11 pdf)
Poster - Spanish (image for use on social media jpg)

Future RALLY dates

2024: Sunday, October 27
2025: Sunday, October 26
2026: Sunday, October 25
RALLY will continue to be held at Bishop O'Connell High School