Middle school students attend diocesan rally
Cinthya Hernandez, of St. Ann Parish in Burleson, holds her hands together for prayer during a middle school rally at Nolan Catholic High School in Fort Worth, on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. The rally is an opportunity for middle school youth and their adult leaders from the Diocese to spend a day together in celebration of their Catholic faith and identity. (NTC/Ben Torres)
FORT WORTH — With a bustling atmosphere somewhere between a pep rally and a school dance at times, the annual Diocesan Middle School Rally enjoyed its largest turnout and perhaps most successful celebration in its history.
More than 360 students from 16 parishes gathered at Hartnett Arena at Nolan Catholic High School for the Feb. 14 event, and while a smattering of Valentine’s Day shirts and accessories dotted the crowd, the primary objective was quite clear — to proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to young people, specifically, middle school-aged students.
“We do this by facilitating an environment wherein they can encounter Christ in a threefold manner,” Director of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry for the Diocese of Fort Worth, Victoria Ramon, said. “In fellowship with other young Catholics from across the diocese; in speakers invited to witness and teach about Christ; and in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament in exposition.”
The day's festivities started with a group check-in and T-shirt pickup for all the participants and were followed by sports, games, and a movie, with a nap mixed in for good measure.
Students were then treated to lunch from Chick-fil-A and a performance from the event's emcee and Christian rapper and performer Joe Melendrez.
Adelaide Artho, a sixth-grade student at Hall Middle School in Weatherford and member of St. Stephen Parish, said she decided to attend the rally because she loves learning about God, making new friends, and seeing different people, but also relaxing and having a good time.
"I liked it when we took a quick nap and then got to sing and play games," Artho said. "That was a lot of fun for me."
In the afternoon, students broke into two groups, divided into girls and boys, and speakers Daisy Gaytan and Dexter Sanchez spoke to the groups about issues facing young people and the importance of faith in addressing those issues.
Gaytan shared one of her favorite quotations from St. John Paul II, "Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure," and spoke about some of the problems affecting young women today.
"How many of you here, as women, have ever been told something negative?" Gaytan asked.
Most of the girls present raised their hands.
"Just shout out something negative that someone has said to you," Gaytan continued.
Things like "ugly," "short," "not smart," "not beautiful," "not kind," "not gentle," "not humble," and "girls have no meaning," were called out.
"The reality is that in today's world, we see that us women are constantly being attacked," Gaytan said. "In what way? Social media — you need to get your lips done; you have to wear this type of makeup; you have to wear this type of clothing; do not date this kind of man; you have to have this type of job…then we have mothers who chose to take care of their lovely kids — to be a stay-at-home mom. What do we have society telling us? 'That's not a real job.'"
Gaytan spoke about Mary's pivotal role in Catholicism and the importance of embracing a relationship with her and Jesus Christ.
Jacqueline Guia, a Granbury Middle School eighth grader who attends St. Frances Cabrini Parish, said Gaytan's message of faith and cultivating a relationship with Mary and Jesus Christ really touched her.
"I feel like I've done a lot of stuff that I probably shouldn't have done," Guia said, becoming emotional. "I want to make my parents proud. My parents are very religious, and I look up to them. I really want to be close to God and grow my relationship with God, and I felt like this was a good way to do it."
Alex Torres, who serves as director of youth ministry at St. Frances Cabrini, said his objectives heading into the event were for his students to take some of their first steps toward their faith and see people their own age striving for the same mission they are on.
But, Torres added, it is also important to have a little fun along the way.
"When I presented it to my sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade students, I told them this was a way to see kids your age playing and enjoying the fun side of our faith," Torres said. "It's not only about catechesis. Having fun, forming relationships, and creating that type of environment with the faith community as a whole are also important."
Charlie Berneche, coordinator of youth ministry at St. Mark Parish in Argyle, echoed Torres' thoughts and said the importance of events like the rally cannot be overstated when it comes to building fellowship and a sense of belonging.
Berneche also emphasized the rally’s significance in introducing the students to a Church larger than their parish. He said, "It's a fundamental building block of revealing the magnitude of the universal Church. Gatherings like this help them understand that they belong to something bigger."
Julia Russell, a parishioner at St. Mark Church in Argyle and eighth-grade student at Harpool Middle School in Lantana, said Gaytan's speech and those activities, like the music and games, were so energetic, they made her feel more engaged.
"I thought having this experience might make me want to come closer to God," Russell said. "That it would speak to me in some way and allow me to make new friends, and I think it did. What [Gaytan] said today also really hit me and made me realize some things about my faith."
The day's activities convened with Eucharistic Adoration, and for the Director of Youth Ministry at St. Stephen Church Annette Calderon, nothing was more important.
"There is a spiritual benefit to this rally," Calderon said. "Not only are the students anticipating it because of their friends and the environment, but also because it is an opportunity to get to know Jesus Christ, especially through Eucharistic Adoration.
"Those encounters with Jesus Christ come in those special moments like Adoration...we may not see the benefits yet, but the seed has been planted."
Delaney de Reza, left, Catalina Sanchez, center, and Mia Castellanos, react to a game of Jenga with their parish mates from St. Rose of Lima in Glen Rose, during a middle school rally at Nolan Catholic High School in Fort Worth, on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. The rally is an opportunity for middle school youth and their adult leaders from the Diocese to spend a day together in celebration of their Catholic faith and identity. (NTC/Ben Torres)