WASHINGTON \u2014 Young adult Catholics living in Washington, D.C., are flocking to the Emmaus Happy Hour, a monthly event that its founder says is rooted in authentic friendship and the spirit of the early Church.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe see all these Catholic communities that are separated from each other, and so the idea behind the happy hour is to bring as many of them as we can in one room and to build that community,\u201d said Fady Antoon, the founder and organizer of the event, citing the Acts of the Apostles as his main inspiration for the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like in the Book of Acts, when you read the disciples not only broke bread together, but also they prayed together and cared for the people in their community,\u201d he said, underscoring the event\u2019s charitable aspect.<\/p>\n Attendees are invited to make an optional donation, which Antoon said goes to a local charity. \u201cFor example, usually we always donate to the Cathedral of St. Matthew Homeless Ministry,\u201d he said, estimating the group to have donated around $1,000 to the D.C.-based ministry since the happy hour started in June 2025.<\/p>\n The most recent happy hour, hosted at a rooftop venue in Arlington, Virginia, called Top of the Town, drew 190 attendees despite a lack of formal advertising, according to Antoon. During Lent, Antoon organized a holy hour that was attended by more than 120 people. <\/p>\n The location of the happy hour \u2014 though always in Washington, D.C., or Virginia \u2014 changes from month to month, depending on where Antoon can find a venue willing to host the event for free. The Emmaus Hour always begins with a prayer led by a local priest but otherwise bucks additional structure.\u00a0<\/p>\n