New Updates:
- Save the Date: Presentation on Pope Francis’ Christus Vivit, November 25, 6:00 PM, St. Matthias Church, Crown Point. We have a location, date and a time! We are excited to announce that we will be hosting an evening presentation on Pope Francis’ Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Christus Vivit given by Paul Jarzembowski. Paul works at the USCCB with Youth and Young Adult Ministries under the Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. He’s also a native NWI resident and Andrean grad. Paul was part of the USA delegation that attended the Vatican Synod in Rome last October on Young People, Faith, and Vocational Discernment. We are so excited to bring his wisdom and observations from the Synod and from Pope Francis’ Christus Vivit. The event is FREE, but we are asking people to register to make sure we have enough space. You can do so here: http://bit.ly/ChristIsAliveTalk Please feel free to invite anyone you know! This event is open to the public.
- This talk is for people who:
- Work with teenagers.
- Minister to young adults.
- is a teenager or young adult
- is a member of any age at a parish
- want to know how to incorporate young adults into their ministry
- are passionate about sharing in the ministry of the Church with others
- TAPT XXXII: Save the Date! March 27-29 at Camp Lawrence. Time to start getting ready for TAPT 32! After a year away, TAPT will be back at beautiful, Camp Lawrence located in Valparaiso, IN. We’ll send out applications for teens during the early part of December, but start telling your teens to save the date now! TAPT is open to any high school student who has not already been on a TAPT weekend.
Adult leaders: If you are interested in serving on the TAPT team, please contact Jamie Sandona at [email protected]. Adult leaders must be able to serve on the TAPT weekend, as well as attend three formation meetings (March 1, 8, 22). Formation meetings are important because they help bond the retreat team, review super important information, and receive training on small group facilitation.
- NWI Catholic Publication Survey: The Diocese of Gary needs you input on how best to communicate with you! I know. You might be thinking: “But Vicky, I already receive emails from you every week or so. I have all of the information I need.” To which I respond, “That’s very kind of you! But there is so much more going on in the Diocese of Gary than I can share in this email.” If Christus Vivit has taught me anything, it is that we can all learn from the experiences and stories of others. Did you know that the Diocese asked the faithful to donate to Catholic Relief Services to aid in recovery efforts after Hurricane Dorian devastated the Bahamas? Or that Sojourner Truth House in Gary raised $12,400 to help at-risk women and their children? Or that the Diocese donated the former Sacred Heart church building in Michigan City so that it can be used to provide hot meals and a place to sleep for people who are homeless? All of these wonderful stories were captured in the last edition of the NWI Catholic.
- To give some feedback on how you would like to receive news from around the Diocese of Gary, please fill out this survey. Even if you do not subscribe to the NWI Catholic, please fill out the survey. Your input is important, too! The survey will take you about 5 minutes to fill out:
- Parish Vocation Ministry Workshop: The Office for Vocations is hosting a Vocation Workshop on Saturday, October 26, 8:00 AM to noon at St. Francis Xavier, in Lake Station. The purpose is to help parishes learn how they can promote and foster vocations at a parish level. If you are interested, please register by October 18 by emailing Peggy Guernsey at [email protected].
- Need your feedback-Travel Distance for Training: One of my roles as your Ministry Consultant is to maintain relationships with other dioceses and agencies so I can pass along the best information and opportunities to you. I’m getting ready to attend a meeting of diocesan youth ministry directors and want your feed back on a questions I’ve been pondering: How far would you be willing to go for a one day youth minister training? Take this quick survey and let me know. It will help me with planning and seeing how to best serve your needs. THANK YOU! I hope I’m not bogging you down with all of these requests for feedback, but the only way to know how to best serve you is by asking!
- Andrean High School is looking for a parish to share in transportation for NCYC. If your parish is going to NCYC and is looking for another group to share the cost for transportation, please contact Adela Bonta, campus minister, at [email protected]. Thank you!
- I met yesterday morning with Elizabeth Ortlepp, a recruiter for the San Damiano Scholarship program at Marian University in Indianapolis. The San Damiano Scholarship program is designed to help support and form lay leaders withing the Church. It’s perfect for young people who see themselves being involved in ministry throughout their lives. It’s for people who want to keep God’s call for them at the center of whatever work they do, whether it’s work for the Church, work for businesses, nursing, teaching, or any field. Elizabeth and I chatted about the scholarship program, about how to help young people discern life after high school, and how faith after college helped us grow into the people we are. I myself am an alumni of Marian and of the San Damiano program and, though we graduated in different classes, Elizabeth and I have known each other through our alumni connections to the university. When she handed me a packet of information, I was hit by a strong feeling of déjà vu. I was taken back to when I was in high school and was first handed a folder of information about the San Daminao Scholarship program as I was looking for classes. I knew I wanted to keep my faith alive after high school and that I was called to stay active in the Church. I truly believe my time at Marian and with the San Damiano Scholarship program changed my life. I was able to meet peers who had a passion for their Catholic faith. I was given leadership skills and roles that helped boost my confidence. I felt like I was given a voice to “preach the Gospel at all times” through a dedication to service and seeing God in all things. It helped prepare me for what I am doing today. I say all of this to serve as a reminder: if you see potential in a young person, if you see the spark inside them, ignite it! Make sure you are telling them, “you would really benefit from this,” or “your faith inspires me.” And then give them to tools to grow.
The deadline for the San Damiano Scholarship application in on October 15th for this year’s seniors. For more information, please check out their website or let me know! I would be happy to share my info packet with you. At their website, you can also nominate a student you think would benefit from receiving the San Damiano Scholarship. They will also have a large presence at NCYC this year (look for their adult quiet room, where adult leaders can escape the noisiness for a little bit with coffee and I think cookies).
Reminders:
- NET Retreat: Date Available! If you are looking for a retreat for your students in December, look no further! NET Ministries will be in NWI early December. Their schedule is still open to hold a retreat on December 12. If you, your parish, or school would be interested in hosting a retreat, please let me know at [email protected]. You can also go to netusa.org for more information.
- World Youth Day 2022: Lisbon, Portugal, August 2022. I know. 2022 is a long way away, but that will give us a lot of time to do some planning. If your parish is interested in sending a group to World Youth Day, please let me know. I’m hoping to have an informational meeting next month.
- The next DYC meeting will be on October 20, 2019. Let me know if your parish would like to send representatives.
- Formation opportunities:Â If you are looking for monthly formation opportunities, the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (the folks who put on NCYC), host webinars that focus on helping our young people. If you register, but can’t make it, you can always come back and watch them later. And they are totally free! Find the link:Â http://nfcym.org/webinars
Youth Ministry Events and Formation
- Holy Fire 2019, October 18 or 19, Credit Union 1 Arena, Chicago. If you are looking for a faith experience for your middle school students, the Archdiocese of Chicago is hosting “Holy Fire 2019,” in October. Open to 6-9th graders, young people will hear high energy musicians and inspirational speakers from around the country and join with thousands of youth to get inspired for their faith. More info can be found at www.holyfirechicago.org.
- Liturgical Conference: November 8-9, St. Patrick Church, Chesterton. Raise your hand of your young people are liturgical ministers at your parish’s Masses! I’m betting a lot of you. The Diocese of Gary’s Offices of Worship and Intercultural Ministry are hosting “Source and Summit: Transfigured in the Eucharist/Fuente y Cumbre: Transfigurados en la EucharistÃa.” All liturgical ministers are invited to attend: Eucharistic Ministers of Communion, Lectors, Art and Environment Ministers, Minsters of Care, Musicians, and Ministers of Care.” There will be sessions presented in Spanish and English. The cost is $35 per person, with a discount to $30 if three or more people from a parish signs up. Lunch for Saturday is provided. Registration forms will be available at the end of the week.
- Charity Summit: November 16, 2019, Queen of All Saints Legacy Center, Michigan City. Young people are passionate about making a difference in the world. Their example of calling for justice for the Earth this past week has been inspiring. The Social Teaching Ecclesial Commission is hosting a Charity Summit on Saturday, November 16 at Queen of All Saints Legacy Center. There is a special invitation for young Catholics who are looking to put their faith in action. It is free, but participants need to register. Please email Gayle at [email protected].
- Youth Ministers’ Retreat, January 24-25, 2020, Lindenwood Retreat Center. Save the Date! Youth Ministers are invited to the third annual Youth Minsters’ Retreat, hosted once again at Lindenwood. More info will come out in a few months. If you are interested in attending, please click this link to fill out an interest form. Please note: that link will not register you for the retreat. The information collected will be used to help plan the retreat.
Just a Thought:
Y’all are awesome! Thank you for the responses from last week’s mailing! I received a nice list to pass along from you!
“I don’t use just one resource…. I search the web and Pintrest for most of my ideas, such as games, icebreakers, topics. Plus, our teen planners usually decide how our evening will look.”
“Here are a few links that I used before and/or saved them for future use to go back to:
10 coolest party games youtube
More games:
Questions to ask teens:
“ God Minute: it’s an app led by a priest who did a mission at Holy Spirit. He does a prayer type meditation thing each day. I love them.” I also received one joke:
Why did the chicken cross the playground?
To get to the other SLIDE.
That made my day.
🙂
Peace and all goodness,
Vicky Hathaway
Ministry Consultant for Youth and Young Adult Ministry
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