An inviting beach on a magnificent Saturday morning was just minutes away --- but for more than 850 teenagers gathered inside the gymnasium of Bishop Garcia Diego High School, the focus was the Lord.

The annual regional Youth Day Jan. 17 offered youth from parishes from Simi Valley to Santa Maria the chance to join in song, prayer and praise --- and to learn (or re-learn) some important lessons on life and love.

"There are different kinds of love," said featured speaker Bob Schrimpf. "The kind Jesus practiced was self-giving, sacrificing love --- the agape love that lays down one's life for his friends."

Too often, Schrimpf noted, "we are self-centered in our relationships; we exclude others, especially those who are different; we shut each other out. How different would this world be if today we each walked out of this gym and said, 'How can we serve one another?'?"

A nationally recognized youth ministry expert from San Diego, Schrimpf offered the assembled youth a lifelong challenge: "Serve others; love and give to one another."

The young celebrants were greeted by Regional Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Curry, who reminded them that "even though we may sometimes forget God, God never forgets us --- our names are written on the palms of his hand, and he walks with us always."

And when the youth joined together in an enthusiastic rendition of Happy Birthday to mark the bishop's birthday, he replied with a smile, "You are the best gift I could receive today. You are a joy and a delight."

---Mike Nelson