Bishop Burbidge invites all middle school students of the Diocese to join him Saturday, April 25 for BASH 2026!  BASH is the Diocese’s largest gathering of Catholic middle school students (6th—8th graders) every year – over 1,000 young people were present last year! 

BASH is an opportunity for the young Church in the Diocese of Arlington to gather each year to pray, learn, and celebrate the Catholic faith.  We are planning for hundreds of middle school students to gather for an evening of faith, fellowship, and fun!  This includes music, games, inspirational speakers, confessions, and a Vigil Mass for Sunday.  Bishop Burbidge will be the principal celebrant and homilist for this Mass.

When: Saturday, April 25, 2026 | 3:30 pm—8:30 pm
Where: Bishop O’Connell High School 
Cost: $25.00 per youth participant *includes bus transportation, dinner, snacks, and t-shirt!
Transportation: We will all take a bus from Nativity to Bishop O’Connell. Meet in the Nativity parking lot at 2:20 pm. We will depart at 2:30 pm. 

Registration: First, make sure your child is registered for Youth Ministry at Nativity for the 2025-2026 school year. You can fill out our free registration form here. Then you can register your child for BASH here.

Volunteers: We are looking for adult volunteers that are compliant with the Diocese’s Office of Child Protection. If you are not compliant yet but would like to join us, please reach out to us at cym@nativityburke.org to begin the compliance process. Register to volunteer here.

• Illusionist: Giancarlo Bernini uses mind-bending illusions to share powerful messages about faith. Whether performing at large youth conferences or on Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Giancarlo ties each trick to themes like finding your identity in Christ, breaking free from false beliefs, and discovering truth through the sacraments. Giancarlo’s blend of entertainment and inspiration helps him to engage minds and hearts while inviting young people to grow in their relationship with God.
• Keynote Speaker: Rachel Leininger is a speaker and author who has traveled nationally speaking to young people about God’s love as part of various events and ministries. She has been serving in youth ministry since 2006 as a volunteer core team member, and then as part of the REAP Team of the Archdiocese of Saint Louis.
• Tons of inflatable games, pizza, Rita’s, Smiley’s Ice Cream, and more! From the rock-climbing wall to bacon pizza, we’ve got a great day planned!
• Gaga Ball tournament and free throw competition, with great prizes available for the winners!