LEWISTON – Bishop Richard Malone felt right at home among the 60 or so young adults gathered at DaVinci’s Eatery Sunday night.

“The events when I get to talk to young people really are my favorite,” he said after hosting Theology on Tap, a worldwide group that gathers young people for spiritual discussion.

Malone gave a brief lecture to the audience, encouraging them to “live in the world, but not of the world.”

“You must care for the world, environment and its people, but not let the world set the agenda,” he emphasized to the crowd sipping on beer and munching on food.

“Religion, in general, is a way of seeing and knowing,” Malone said. “A way to see as God would have you see.”

Malone stressed that in order to achieve such vision, people must do all they can do to inform themselves.

“Read, read, read,” he preached. “Faith involves the heart as well as intellect.”

“What’s going on in the culture and environment around us that affects our faith?”

Malone warned against secularism, a way of living life without seeing God within it.

Young people, he suggested, can better deal with doubts and guilt and work and family problems through faith.

Theology on Tap is meant to attract young Catholics with a blend of good food, drinks and religious discussion.

Apparently, it’s working.

Following the bishop’s talk, several audience members were eager to share their own ideas.

One young man encouraged people to take care of their physical selves as well as the spiritual self.

Another likened the constant battle of being a faithful Catholic to “walking the tightrope.”

An admitted non-Catholic, Ben, shared an important message with the crowd.

“Whatever your religious faith may be, the most important thing is to keep each other in our prayers,” he said. “We have to stop bringing more hurt into this world.”

For John Ryan, a Lewiston-Auburn resident, the discussion inspired him to “find ways to keep my faith alive” in the context of the world.

Organizer Cathy Malo was pleased with the turnout, which nearly doubled from the previous meeting of about 30 people.

“We expected a larger crowd because the bishop is here,” she said.

Malo is planning another Theology on Tap for after Easter.