{"id":7984,"date":"2026-05-20T04:03:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T04:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=7984"},"modified":"2026-05-20T04:03:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T04:03:00","slug":"recongress-selects-long-beach-convention-center-to-host-annual-catholic-conference-starting-in-2028","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=7984","title":{"rendered":"RECongress selects Long Beach Convention Center to host annual Catholic conference starting in 2028"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the largest annual Catholic gatherings in the United States will soon make its new home in Long Beach, officials with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said on Tuesday, May 19.<\/p>

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The Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, a seven-decade-old convention that\u2019s also known as RECongress and annually draws more than 20,000 people, will move from Anaheim to the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center in 2028, the conference\u2019s organizers said. A five-year agreement with the Convention Center will bring Catholics from across the U.S. and the world to Long Beach for the four-day convention through 2032.<\/p>\n

For 70 years, RECongress has been organized by the L.A. Archdiocese\u2019s Office of Religious Education. Over the decades, it has evolved into a globally recognized convention focused on faith formation, spiritual growth and community building. And despite its current popularity, organizers said, it has the potential to keep growing.<\/p>\n

The congress has been held at the Anaheim Convention Center for the past 57 years. The 2027 RECongress, scheduled for April 22-25, will conclude the convention\u2019s long history in Anaheim.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re excited, especially because we are coming back home,\u201d Sister Rosalia Meza, senior director at the Office of Religious Education, told the Southern California News Group in a Tuesday interview. \u201cThis is the Archdiocese of Los Angeles; that\u2019s the beauty of coming here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though it\u2019s been awhile, the move to Long Beach \u2014 necessary because of the event\u2019s continual growth \u2014 is not unprecedented, RECongress organizers said, though the change is still a massive shift.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our long history, we\u2019ve made lots of changes,\u201d said Paulette Smith, event coordinator for RECongress and associate director of the Office of Religious Education. \u201cWe started in a high school, moved to a college, moved to an LAX hotel and then moved to Anaheim, and I\u2019m sure with each of those moves and the growing of the event, that leaders were always significantly nervous.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to have that same historical courage and know that it\u2019s always been a positive change when we\u2019ve moved,\u201d Smith added, \u201cand so this is another milestone in our history.\u201d<\/p>

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Relocating to Long Beach is intended to enhance the attendee experience, while aligning with a destination that reflects the event\u2019s objective of connection and renewal, said officials with the organization Meet Long Beach.<\/p>\n