Diocese to host FOCUS’s SEEK conference Jan. 1-5
Attendees at the SEEK 2025 conference. (courtesy photo/FOCUS)
GRAPEVINE — One of the largest Catholic conferences in the country is coming to the Diocese of Fort Worth. FOCUS has selected the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine as the site of a 2026 SEEK conference Jan. 1-5. Speakers include Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, Father Gregory Pine, OP, Father John Burns, Carrie Wagner, Trent Horn, and Jackie Francois-Angel.
FOCUS’s Senior Director of Formative Enterprises, Erin Falbo, a former FOCUS campus missionary at University of Texas at Austin and parishioner of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Keller, explained FOCUS’s intention for SEEK.
“At its heart, SEEK is an extension of FOCUS’s mission: to share the hope of the Gospel and equip students and missionaries to make lifelong missionary disciples,” she stated. “It’s a place where people can step away from the noise of daily life and experience Christ, community, and the richness of the Catholic faith.
“For 2026, our theme is ‘Verso l’alto’ — ‘to the heights’ — inspired by our newest saint, Pier Giorgio Frassati, who was recently canonized,” Falbo noted. “It’s a call to live with joyful courage and to strive for holiness in every part of life.”
The conference, which began in 1999 as a small gathering for college students, is slated to welcome tens of thousands at three conference locations across the U.S.
“Some of the most powerful moments I have experienced happen during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament,” Falbo said. “Imagine tens of thousands of people kneeling on concrete in silence before Jesus. It’s unforgettable.”
Breathtaking memories
Graham schoolteacher Alicia Olvera, who leads a women's group at St. Mary Parish, attended the 2024 Missouri conference with three friends. She returned the next year to Utah with a group of 16.
“Seeing people my age, and that number of people, was breathtaking, especially when it came to Adoration, being in a stadium full of people who were just on their knees worshiping all at once,” Olvera said. “It’s really important for people to see the magnitude of the Catholic faith. It’s more than just yourself; it's something so many people around the world share and makes you feel accompanied, especially as young adults, where you're feeling alone, or when people aren't sharing your same beliefs.”
Olvera recalled the quality of speakers, being particularly moved by the talk on sin by Monsignor James Patrick Shea, President of the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota.
“He's kind of a storyteller,” Olvera remarked. “He described this person who was after us, who knew where we lived, our phone number, observed us, planning like the perfect way to kill us. And the sad reality of our lives is that we're trying to be killed, but that Jesus Christ came to save us from that. Everyone was hanging on to every word he was saying, in tears. It was so intense in the best way.”
Campus ministries set aflame
With memories like these still fresh in many people's minds, a number of north Texas campus ministries are preparing for the conference now.
Sam Macaraeg, head campus missionary at St. John Paul II Parish and Campus Ministry in Denton, explained how they are preparing the hearts of students after 12 attended in Utah in 2025 and returned "with a flame,” he said.
“We just had a SEEK party last week to promote it and to get people aware of it,” he said. “We get the word out for SEEK pretty early to get a little buzz and excitement around it.”
In November, they host the “Awakening” retreat, followed by SEEK in January.
“‘Awakening' provides the breakthrough for people to let go of whatever in life might keep them from Christ and take concrete actions — committing a daily prayer, regularly going to a Bible study, and frequenting the sacraments,” he said. “A month and a half goes by, then SEEK happens. That'll reinforce all of what they're experiencing and give them a stronger desire to share the joy they've experienced.”
The anticipation is not unwarranted: much of the growth and transformations students undergo at SEEK are often deeply life-altering.
“One student said discerning the priesthood wasn't so scary after seeing hundreds and hundreds of priests and getting to know them in normal settings,” Macaraeg said. “Most people's interactions with priests are confession or seeing them in their homily — at SEEK, they’re around the whole time.”
Falbo said, “I’ve witnessed students return to confession after years away; intercessory prayer in the hallways; and friendships formed that have led to vocations and lifelong missionary zeal. “For those of us serving behind the scenes, SEEK is both humbling and invigorating. Our team grows in perseverance, unity, and joy as we witness lives being changed right in front of us. Our Church has so much to hope for. It’s a constant reminder that this is God’s work, not ours.”
‘Expect God to surprise you’
Though SEEK may have originated as a conference for college students, Olvera made a point of encouraging anyone interested in attending.
“There are particular talks more catered towards younger people, but the main sessions are not just meant for young adults,” Olvera said. “Everyone should go.”
Falbo’s advice is to come and “expect God to surprise you.”
“SEEK isn’t just a conference — it’s an encounter," she said. "You’ll find community, incredible talks, beautiful liturgies, and an invitation to meet Jesus personally. It’s a place where you can belong, be renewed, and be sent back into the world with purpose and joy.”