By Sallie Bachar
Catholic Herald correspondent

Merrill teen to represent diocese at youth congress

MERRILL -- Patrick McConnell, a senior at Merrill High School and member of St. Francis Xavier parish, has been chosen as a delegate from the Superior diocese to the National Youth Congress.

The congress will be held in Indianapolis Dec. 6-10 in conjunction with the National Catholic Youth Conference.

McConnell is a typical, very active high school senior, except for one thing -- he wants to become a priest and is planning to enter the seminary upon graduation.

Patrick is the son of Robert and Barbara McConnell. Originally from Prairie du Chien, the McConnell family moved to Merrill approximately four years ago. Patrick has two brothers, Anthony, a freshman at Notre Dame, and Michael, a freshman at Merrill High School.

McConnell applied for the delegate position to the youth congress with the encouragement of Margie Faherty, former director of religious education at St. Francis. Faherty has watched McConnell grow and mature in his faith during the four years he has participated in the religious education and confirmation programs.

"He's a special kid," she said. "He has so much energy and enthusiasm for the faith and has a special gift that I think God will use in the church."

While at the congress, McConnell will have an opportunity to dialogue and participate in discussions with bishops and other teens from around the country. The main discussion of the congress this year is the subject of vocations, a topic close to his heart.

He said the priesthood has been on his mind ever since he was a small child but it wasn't until recently that he started thinking more seriously about it, especially since participating in the Agape TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) retreats. McConnell has made two retreats and plans to attend another one later this fall.

"It's the perfect example of a Christian community," he remarked, "and a cool place to be." TEC started him thinking about what it means to be a disciple because he met so many people in the retreat that are close to God and living a deeper faith life.

"TEC definitely has had a major influence on my decision," McConnell added. "That and Margie Faherty."

Just shy of a 4.0 grade point average, McConnell is a member of the National Honor Society and the Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Group. The latter is a nationally recognized program that trains youth in leadership skills. In addition, he is a member of another group called VICA, a vocational/technological club that prepares students to enter the marketplace with various skills from carpentry to computers. He is also active in wrestling, cross country and marching band.

Serving his parish is important to him as well. He is a member of Circle of Friends (COF) Bible Study which meets regularly all year round and is a volunteer teacher who will share his faith with the seventh and eighth graders in this year's religious education program at St. Francis.

After graduating from high school next May, he plans to follow his brother Anthony to the University of Notre Dame and enroll in the seminary there where he also hopes to major in biology/zoology. "I'm trying to be very open right now," said McConnell.

His parents have been very supportive of his decision but, as expected, he meets with mixed reactions from his friends and peers. McConnell is not hesitant, however, in talking about his future plans and is happy to hear that some of his friends that were indifferent in the beginning are now starting to make comments like "cool" and "awesome."

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© Superior Catholic Herald, 2001