Viewpoints
Founder of 'One Billion Stories' to motivate high school youth at Eucharistic Congress
Last Updated on Thursday, 08 March 2012 10:25 18 September 2011
CHARLOTTE — Seth DeMoor has an incredible goal: to reach out to the more than one billion Catholics in the world to capture and share as many personal faith stories as he can to uplift and inspire us in our daily lives.
Just last month, he traveled 5,000 miles from his home in Denver, Colo., to Madrid, Spain for World Youth Day, interviewing some of the 1.5 million pilgrims to find out why they journeyed to see Pope Benedict XVI and gather with their Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ.
DeMoor is a 26-year-old cradle Catholic who was married in June. He felt a strong desire to better understand his faith during his college years at Colorado State University, and thanks to the efforts of two great priests serving in campus ministry, he came to realize what a treasure it is.
That's when his faith and his ministry really took off.
"On Jan. 3, 2010, I 'cast into the deep' on a 2,400-mile bicycle ride across the U.S. from Florida to Colorado," said DeMoor. He did so "because at the University of Colorado, I encountered stories from people of authenticity; who were young and all about sacrificing their lives for the Catholic faith. It was a beautiful encounter, so much so that I knew the world needed to hear their stories. And so was born One Billion Stories."
His mission is to "inspire devotion to Jesus Christ, by sharing Catholics' personal stories on the 'digital continent' that are rooted in fidelity to the Magisterium of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, through contemporary communication mediums."
At www.OneBillionStories.com, he gathers millions (and someday billions) of those stories. He is armed only with a video camera and laptop. Every night, he edits the next day's story to share on the web site.
— SueAnn Howell, staff writer
-
Father Patrick Winslow: What can we learn from Pope Francis?
It appears as if popes have something on their mind when first elected. One might call it a diagnosis and a proposed remedy for current ails. With Pope John Paul II, it was a message of hope to a world filled with fear. One can still hear him... -
David Hains: Close that unhealthy health center
The Gosnell abortion mill in Philadelphia and A Preferred Woman's Health Center in Charlotte have something in common: little regard for human life. It should come as no surprise that women are being mistreated in these facilities since... -
Peggy Bowes: Honor thy mother: Devotions to Mary
"We never give more honor to Jesus than when we honor His Mother, and we honor her simply and solely to honor Him all the more perfectly. We go to her only as a way leading to the goal we seek – Jesus, her Son." — St. Louis de Montfort,... -
Father Shawn O'Neal: In this debate, remember Church teaching on human rights
As a means to develop a comprehensive plan to reform our nation's current immigration system, a group of senators has introduced legislation formally called the "Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013."... -
Father Matthew Buettner: Radical Christianity
Recently, the Boston Marathon came to an abrupt end when two bombs exploded near the finish line. Three young people died in the explosion, including an 8-year-old boy who received his first Holy Communion just 11 months ago. Along with these... -
The Poor Clares: Joy and sacrifice
St. Paul was a man passionate with zeal and consumed by love for God and desire for the salvation of souls. His actions and words were geared toward one purpose: the claiming of souls from the dominion of the devil, and the deceit used by him... -
Brian Williams:The honest 411 on Vatican II
I recently had the opportunity to take a class about the Second Vatican Council offered through a diocesan adult education program. While much was covered within a relatively short span of four classes, one subject occupied much of our time...
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
LETTERS FROM OUR READERS
-
Vatican II called for post-conciliar liturgical adaptationsThe April 26 Catholic News Herald commentary entitled "The Honest 411 on Vatican II" discussed a participant's experience at an adult education series in the diocese. The course, "The 411 on...
-
Warrior saints are found throughout historyRegarding the April 26 letter criticizing St. Nicholas of Flue, I am disgusted that an American would insinuate that a soldier who distinguishes himself or herself in combat is not following...
-
Who would be worthy?In a letter in the April 26 Catholic News Herald, St. Nicholas of Flue was referred to as someone who "did not follow those teachings" of Christ because he defended the faith with his sword and...
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
MOST POPULAR STORIES
FROM THE PASTORS
Read and listen to homilies posted regularly by pastors at parishes within the Diocese of Charlotte:
- Fr. Frank Cancro at Queen of the Apostles
- Fr. Patrick Earl at St. Peter in Charlotte
- Fr. John Eckert at St. John the Baptist in Tryon
- Fr. Timothy Reid at St. Ann in Charlotte
- Fr. Benjamin Roberts at Our Lady of Lourdes in Monroe
- Fr. Patrick Winslow at St. Thomas Aquinas in Charlotte
- Watch full Masses live and on demand, listen to homilies and reflections from Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury
- Listen to homilies from St. William Catholic Church in Murphy