W. ROXBURY -- If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to get young adults excited about a church-related event, the young adults at St. Clement Eucharistic Shrine in Boston may have found at least one answer.

Almost 300 young adults gathered on the grounds of St. John Chrysostom Parish Sept. 16 for a pig roast sponsored by St. Clement’s young adult group. Two pigs were cooked over live fires from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. when the party started with a live Mariachi band. Tikki torches and candlelit tables were the backdrop for an event that brought together young adults from Dracut to New York City. Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley stopped by, conversing with students and young adults. There were even Irish fiddlers as the evening progressed.

Father David Michael, pastor of St. John’s, was happy to host St. Clement’s young adults who usually meet at the eucharistic shrine in Boston ? home to the Oblates of the Virgin Mary. Young adults have helped to create a unique sense of community and collaboration with the Oblates. The opportunity to celebrate and share their experience coincided with the hope that young adults throughout the archdiocese would feel compelled to build similar communities in their local parishes.

Tim Van Damm, the founder of St. Clement’s young adult group spearheaded the idea for the pig roast. “Young adult ministry is extremely important to the Church. Our goals were to bring together young adults from all over the archdiocese, to foster relationships between the already existing groups, and to encourage other groups to start,” he said.

“The event was a huge success and I’m confident that as we continue to help each other, our community will continue to flourish,” he added.

For further information on young adult ministry in any region of the Archdiocese of Boston, contact Stacia Stornetta 617-746-5850.