Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I'm Brandon Vock, the host. Unfortunately, Bishop

Aaron is not with us in studio today. He is taking a well-deserved break. He just got

back in town from attending the big focus student leadership summit conference in Chicago.

This brought together over 8,000 young Catholics who are serving as missionaries on campuses

across the country. It was an extraordinary event and we'll be sure to recap it for you

on the next episode. But today, we wanted to share with you Bishop Aaron's opening keynote

talk from that conference. It covers the acts of the apostles and how we can live a missionary

life. And I think you're really going to enjoy it. So sit back and enjoy this talk by Bishop

Aaron.

Well, thank you all. Good evening to the focus world. I am delighted to be with you. It's

my first time at one of these focus gatherings. They're legendary, of course, across the

country. So to be here and just to see all of you is uplifting to my Catholic soul.

Well thank you for your presence and for your ministry. You know, honestly, I don't

know any other group or institution in the Catholic Church today that's fulfilling

its mission and living up to its carism more than focus. I really mean that. I think it's

one of the great manifestations of the spirit in the life of the Church today. And I've

known a lot of focus people over the years. In fact, I've taught a number at the seminary

who have gone into the priesthood. Here's my favorite focus story as I start. About, I

don't know, maybe 10 years ago, I was in Phoenix at the University of Arizona. And there

was a little gaggle of focus missionaries there who came to the church one day. And there

they were all energetic and smart and full of the spirit. And I said, well, what's your

project this year? And they said, we want to convert the most popular person on campus.

...