Holy fever sweeps church at night

Local event to hold church doors open for all

NightFever participants in Chicago. (Photo Credit: Michael O’Loughlin)

By lighting a candle, Catholic youth will open local church doors for anyone who seeks to enter.

“It all begins with a simple conversation and invitation,” says Christopher Pickup, team leader of the Catholic Christian Outreach at the UBC Campus. “We open wide the doors of the church to anyone with the desire to enter.”

“The goal of NightFever is to give people the opportunity to come to a place of encounter with Jesus Christ,” says Pickup. St. Patrick’s parish will host the event, where volunteers will invite passerbys to light a candle and bring it before the Blessed Sacrament. Their lit candles will be left to burn out as a symbol of the participants’ hopes and prayers, even after they leave. 

With wide open doors and an invitation to anyone, this could be the first time entering a church for some.

Pickup speaks on how NightFever encourages young people to share their own cause for faith with those outside. “At this time Pope Francis has challenged us as a Church to go out to the existential peripheries of our society and to bring the light of Christ to these places.”

NightFever started in Germany, after the 20th World Youth Day in Cologne. Its purpose of welcoming believers and non-believers alike to take some time to adore the Eucharist is a welcome period of prayer.

The NightFever will take place May 29. The main focus of the evening will be prayer and outreach.