Young women involved in Challenge leadership clubs throughout the New England area traveled to Overbrook Academy in Warwick to participate in the 8th annual video contest. Photos courtesy of Laura Kilgus.

The following article about the Challenge Club’s annual video contest was originally published in the Rhode Island Catholic, the diocesan newspaper. Reprinted with permission.

Video contest inspires young women to use media to spread Gospel

BY LAURA KILGUS, Staff Reporter
4/29/10

WARWICK— More than 100 girls with a creative talent for spreading the Gospel message via digital video, recently spent the afternoon at the 8th annual video contest at Overbrook Academy.

The event sponsored by Regnum Christi, brought together girls from across New England involved in the Challenge leadership club, part of the international organization ECYD, “Educational, Culture and Youth Development.” ECYD is composed of Catholic youth who commit themselves to follow the example of Jesus in living a life of charity, friendship, generosity and happiness.

A screening of 10 short videos, created by the girls, shared the theme “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be.”

Deb Bauer, who coordinates the outreach program at Mater Ecclesiae College, said that the video contest was a response to Pope Benedict XVI’s message to Catholics that digital technologies represent a great resource and present a great opportunity for believers.

“Through our video contest, we strive to respond to the Holy Father’s desire

	Lights, camera, action. Young women watch their homemade videos at Overbrook Academy.

to use the mass media to promote the faith and Christian values,” Bauer said. “Christian values are always founded on the Gospels and Christ’s words and example.”

In the 44th World Day of Communications, Pope Benedict XVI said that no door should be closed to those who are committed to drawing near to Jesus.

“In this way the Word can traverse the many crossroads created by the intersection of all the different ‘highways’ that form cyberspace, and show that God has his rightful place in every age, including our own,” the pope said in his message. “Thanks to the new communications media, the Lord can walk the streets of our cities and, stopping before the threshold of our homes and our hearts, say once more: ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.’”

Lori Lively, a consecrated woman who helped to coordinate the event, said that the goal of the video contest was to encourage the girls to go beyond having fun in front of the camera and use the message for good.

“We want to give them the tools and show them how they can use that for God,” she said. “Each one of them put their heart and souls into this contest.”

Actor and media professional Jim Morlino, who has worked for the consecrated men and women of Regnum Christi for 9 years, helped to judge the contest and spoke to the girls about the importance of using media as an opportunity for evangelization. He shared that film is a rich and powerful medium that can truly move the human heart and soul.

“You are the people, you are the next generation; you are the church,” Morlino said to the girls. “I challenge you to spread the Gospel. The tools are there ready for you to use. I challenge you to be the next wave of Catholic artists to make art to glorify God.”

Bauer said that she hopes that the theme helped the girls to reflect on their different personal talents and how they have received that as a gift from God.

“What is so beautiful about the video contest is that we are trying to proclaim the glory of Christ,” she said. “A lot of this passes away, but he remains.”