By David Eck

SIDNEY DEANERY — An evening of song, prayer, a speaker and even a skit is intended to invigorate youths in faith and encourage them to carry that energy back to their parishes.

"Cast Your Nets 2008" will be held April 13 from 6-9 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church in McCartyvillle. About 250 youths and young adults are expected to attend.

"The goal is to basically energize them about their faith," said Wayne Topp, associate vocations director for the archdiocese, "getting them thinking about what it is God is calling them to do and go out and live that life."

Highlights of the evening include a Mass celebrated by vocations director Father Kyle Schnippel, reconciliation, live music and a talk by Al Cucchetti of the Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford, who will discuss being new Disciples of Christ.

The point is to make the event multifaceted to engage young people, officials said.

"It’s just got so many great elements and dynamics," said Jon Paul Hebert, director of youth ministry and coordinator of religious education at St. Boniface and St. Mary parishes in Piqua. "I’m looking for it to energize my teens and give them an opportunity to celebrate their (faith). By the end of the event we want the kids to be asking themselves the question ‘What does God want from (me)?’ ’’

The program is new to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and there are plans to present a session in the Dayton area in late fall, Topp said. A session in the Cincinnati region is expected to be added in 2009 and plans are to do yearly "Cast Your Nets" programs in each region of the archdiocese.

The events would be similar, but the speakers and themes would vary by region.

The local event is modeled after a monthly program in Columbus that attracts 500 youths and young people each month. That event creates high energy for the faith, Topp said.

"We’re coming off a model that is used in Columbus," Topp said. "We’re kind of adapting to fit our archdiocese."

The event is a collaboration between the archdiocesan vocations and youth and young adult ministry offices, one of the first times the two offices have worked together in such an extensive way, officials said.

The program is targeted to high school students and young people in their 20s.

"What we want to do is pass on that message that we are each called to do something great (relative to faith)," Topp said. "If they can realize that, that in itself is very exciting."

A secondary aim of program is for attendees to take the enthusiasm and energy back to the parishes. The parishes, in turn, can help the young people discern God’s call.

"When you get kids involved in the parish setting it really helps to bring the parish to life," said Hebert. "It just overall reenergizes the entire parish."