Youth Ministry is a crucial facet of parish life. Ultimately our goal is to help young people know the love of God, embrace the faith of our community, and respond to their call to service of others. Our parish in general is enriched through their full participation in the life of the church. Ms. Carla Lucero and her team of young adults are responsible for the excellent youth ministry that is present here at Saint Ambrose. Thank you to them for their dedication and passion to the ministry.
I enjoyed being involved with youth ministry when I was a seminarian and in my early years as a priest. From my perspective there are four important components of a good youth ministry program. They are: involving high school students in the parish, building healthy relationships among high school students, personal growth for each of the members, and outreach service to others.
Please remember that good youth ministry is the work of the ENTIRE parish. Everyone must embrace young people as essential members of our community and realize our deficiency when they are absent from our midst. Pray for Carla and her team of young adults who serve in this ministry and pray for the fruits of the Holy Spirit to be abundantly bestowed upon all the high school students of the parish.
Your brother,
Fr. Kevin Carlin Kennedy
Our Hopes for Youth Ministry
At the middle of the cross is
Jesus Christ who is the center of all ministries because it is from him that we receive our mission. Through his Holy Spirit that we are able to make our lives and the world a better place. With Jesus at the center of youth ministry the following four aspects of youth ministry must be held in balance.
At the top of the cross is
Service to others. This is an important aspect of youth ministry because it is a crucial step in the process of becoming a mature adult. Maturity is when we are able to live for ideals that are bigger than ourselves and to be willing to sacrifice personal wants for the sake of others and ideals. Moreover, service and outreach to those in need is a non-negotiable component of our Catholic faith. Liturgical service is also important because it is a wonderful witness to the whole community about the importance of young people in the life of the parish
At the foundation of the cross is a focusing inward on
Personal Growth. Teens need to be attentive to their personal growth and well being. This refers to activities such as ?Life Nights? and other group activities focused on issues teenagers face while navigating their way through pop culture. Activities may also include faith sharing and bible study groups when they have time to ask how their faith is related to their everyday experience. We need to allow teenagers to ask difficult and controversial questions so they can work out answers in a healthy environment.
At the left hand of the cross is integration into the
Parish Community. I think a youth ministry program that prepares young people for a life long relationship with the Church must afford them opportunities to be part of parish activities from a young age. Here I refer to my hope have young people involved with as many aspects of parish life as possible. To that end, I hope you have noticed that many more high school students are serving as Ushers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors and representatives to the Parish Council. In the future I hope to see more teens in music ministry at all Masses and on various committees in the parish as well. A youth ministry program that does not emphasize integration into parish life leaves young adults wondering where their place in the church is when they leave high school.
At the right hand of the cross is
Peer Relationships. As important as it is for high school students to be part of the life of the parish in very visible ways, so to it is important to afford them opportunities to socialize with their peers as a subset of the parish community. Social activities, retreats and outings for teenagers are important to facilitate their commitment to one another. We need to provide opportunities for teens to have fun with those who share a common faith and have similar values.