DIOCESE—The 2020 Youth Summit will not be held this fall.

 

The summit, hosted by Bishop David Malloy, has been held annually for the past several years. But Phase 4 guidelines for a safe COVID-19 reopening in Illinois prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people. The youth summit crowd has exceeded 1,000 most years.

 

The cancellation was announced in a letter issued jointly Aug. 21 by John Jelinek, director of Religious Education and Formation in the diocesan Catholic Education Office, and Jennifer Collins, director of the  Life and Family Evangelization Office in the Department of Pastoral Services.

 

They wrote, “We sincerely regret the loss of this opportunity for the youth from across the diocese to explore and grow in their faith — and the effect that this void may have on your programs and the teens of your parish.”

 

They added, “Be assured that we look with great hope to the fall of 2021 and — God willing! — the prospect of another Youth Summit next year.