Welcome to the Diocesan Youth Council! If you are here, you have been appointed by the pastor, youth ministry leader, campus minister or director of religious education to serve as a representative for your parish or school. Congratulations!

PASTORS/YOUTH MINISTRY LEADERS/CAMPUS MINISTERS/DIRECTORS OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION:
Send Vicky the names of your DYC reps, along with their parent/guardian’s guardian at [email protected]. She will send your reps welcome information. Don’t forget to confirm if your current reps are staying on for another year. 
You can add reps at any time throughout the year! It’s never too late to send a rep to the council. 
You will be also added to an email list to receive all correspondence being sent to DYC reps. 

NEW DYC REPS:
New DYC reps are encouraged to fill out this information form after they have been nominated by their parish/school youth ministry leader. (Here in Spanish) Both sides need to be filled out. 
Once completed, the form can be mailed to the diocese:

Diocese of Gary
Attn: Youth and Young Adult Ministry
9292 Broadway
Merrillville, IN 46410

OR It can be scanned and emailed to [email protected]

CURRENT DYC REPS:
Unless your information has changed, you do not need to fill out a new application form. If your information has changed (change of email addresses, phone numbers, mailing address or other contact information) please fill out an application again.
Be on the lookout for communication from Vicky in August about the new schedule.

Welcome to the DYC!
Thank you for joining the Diocesan Youth Council (DYC)! The DYC fosters enthusiasm for Catholic youth ministry and nurtures high school students for leadership roles. Your participation is pivotal in shaping the future of youth ministry.

As emphasized by Pope Francis in “Christus Vivit,” the Church must heed the voices of young people for its growth. Your role as a representative allows you to share your community’s stories, influencing decision-making and aiding leaders in understanding youth needs.

While we understand your busy schedule, we urge you to prioritize DYC commitments for effective communication. Your attendance ensures vital information flow, and we’ll provide ample notice for meetings. If conflicts arise, consider passing your spot to another parish representative.

How to be the best DYC rep you can be!

  • DYC COMMUNICATION: Because DYC reps are often very involved in many other activities, reminders are important! Each month, DYC reps, their parents, and youth ministry leaders will receive an email and paper mailing. Text messages will be utilized as reminders of meetings. We use the Diocesan Flocknote website to text and email quick reminders of meetings. Click here to sign up for our Flocknote emails and texts. Flocknote is a great tool and it complies with our diocesan safe environment policy. If you DO NOT want to receive text messages or have not received anything from Flocknote, please let me know. Email me at [email protected] or 219-769-9292 ext. 229.

    Notes, meeting dates, and other information can be found at our website, www.garyoyya.org/dyc.  If you ever need to contact me, email [email protected]. Parents and guardians: We also want to share with you the emails and texts that your child receives. Please feel free to email me your email and phone number if you would like to receive them as well.

  • FOOD: Please make sure you eat lunch before your arrival. Some light snacks will be provided. For all meetings, you are invited and encouraged to bring snacks to share.

  • PARISH REPORTS: During each meeting, reps are expected to give a clear and concise parish report. This can include what is happening in your parish youth ministry or other important events at the parish. While you don’t have to list out the entire parish calendar, you should know two to three things that are happening in your parish. “I don’t know what’s going on” is not a good report. Remember, ou represent not only a youth ministry, but a parish. There’s probably something going on in your parish!

  • Permission forms are not optional. Each month, you will be sent via email a link to the online permission forms that are required to participate in DYC meetings. If you did not receive a permission from, please email Vicky for the link. Permission forms are important because they inform your parents and guardians where you are. Even if you are 18, all current high school students need to have a completed permission form. If you arrive at the DYC meeting without having a permission form completed, your parents or guardians will be called to confirm that you are able to participate in the DYC meeting.

  • “Excused absences” are absences reported to me one week in advance. Each member is expected to notify the Coordinator of Youth Ministry for the Office of Missionary Discipleship and Evangelization at least one week before the meeting if he/she cannot be present and why. If a member has more than 3 unexcused absence she/he may be removed from the council. We suggest that once you get the DYC calendar, add it to your family calendar, personal calendar, and phone.

  • MANAGING YOUR SCHEDULE: You don’t have to be an adult to use a calendar! It’s one of the most important skills you can learn as a leader: high-achievers (and many of you are!) tend to take on many projects and commitments. Being a responsible leader means avoiding scheduling conflicts whenever possible, and when it’s not possible to avoid them, to give plenty of advance notice. Having a calendar helps you do that. If you have a smart phone, you have a calendar program- use it! Most email programs have them integrated with smart phones (Google’s is excellent), and there’s always good old-fashioned paper! 

    All Meetings are from 1-3:00 PM. Unless otherwise noted, meetings will be held at the Diocese of Gary Pastoral Center, 9292 Broadway, Merrillville, IN 46410. They are going to be very packed 2 hours, so please arrive on time.

    Our first meeting of the 2024-2025 school year will be on Sunday, September 29, 2024.

  • LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION: If you are applying for scholarships, college admission, etc., be sure to list your DYC involvement. Religious involvement- especially religious leadership- is very appealing to many acceptance boards. I am always happy to complete any letters of recommendation, etc. for you. Just give me what you need with plenty of advance notice. If you ask the night before it is due, I cannot guarantee that it will be completed in time.

  • MEETING WITH ADULT PARISH LEADERS: Your parish’s key youth ministry adult leader is also informed of DYC meeting dates and emails. This could be your youth minister, campus minister, director of religious education, pastor, or another designated adult youth ministry leader. You should be meeting with them at least once a month, to ensure that there is a flow of information back and forth. These don’t have to be long meetings, but you should meet with them to share what we talked about during the DYC meeting, discuss any issues or questions you might have, and to stay informed on what is going on in the parish. 

  • If you know you cannot make a significant portion of the meetings, please contact your youth leader ASAP about finding another rep. We understand that teens are busy, so no need to apologize. Being on the Diocesan Youth Council does mean a commitment to attending meetings.