Youth Ministry 101

Kevin BohliDirector, Office of Youth Ministry

“Youth Catechesis is most effective within a total youth ministry”

–National Catechetical Directory, 1976

A Brief History…• 1840’s mostly private schools, just for the rich.

Education happened at home.• 1850’s first laws requiring all students attend

elementary school• 1925 Supreme Court ruled that students could

attend private schools…flourishing.• Religious Education, and community

• Post WWII, Protestantism in US no longer mainstream, Catholics begin going to public schools

• 1950’s CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) • 1950’s CYO (Catholic Youth Organization)

Recent history…• CCD/CYO was not working

– Cannot separate the two– Families not passing on the faith at home

• 1970 USCCB, A Vision of Youth Ministry

• 1997 USCCB, Renewing the Vision

“What is needed today is a Church which knows how to respond to the

expectations of young people. Jesus wants to enter into dialogue with them

and, through His body, which is the Church, to propose the possibility of a

choice which will require a commitment of their lives. As Jesus with the

disciples on the road to Emmaus, so the Church must become the traveling

companion of young people.” -PJP II, Youth: Sent to Proclaim True Liberation, WYD 1995, Philippines

Video

Jesus was the first relational minister…

• Meets them

• Walks with them

• Asks questions and provides answers

• Points them to God

Relational Ministry

“Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers and if

he does listen to teachers it is because they are witnesses.”

-Pope Paul VI, 1975

Evangelization in the Modern World

Three Goals for Youth Ministry

• Goal I: To empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today.

• Goal 2: To draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community.

• Goal 3: To foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person.

Eight Components for a Comprehensive Youth Ministry

1. The Ministry of Advocacy

• Advocate for young people in the parish.

• Parish council positions

• Get all other adults and groups working with young people

• Prayer team for teens

2. The Ministry of Catechesis

• “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

– Napoleon, Animal Farm

• Secondary Religion Guidelines

• Different Methodology– Teaching youth through talks, skits,

games, multimedia, internet, programs

3. The Ministry of Community Life

• Spending time with your youth “where they are”

• Small group sharing

• Retreats

4. The Ministry of Evangelization

• “The first means of evangelization is the witness of an authentically Christian Life”

-Pope Paul VI, 1975, Evangelization in the Modern World

• Young Life example

• Looking beyond the 30 kids in “youth group”

5. The Ministry of Justice and Service

• Direct service projects–WorkCamp, soup kitchens, etc…

• Teaching Social Justice–Encouraging social change

6. The Ministry of Leadership Development

• Leadership training

• Using youth as leaders in the youth program

• Modeling as a Catholic Leader in the Parish

7. The Ministry of Pastoral Care

• creating a network of support and prayer within your parish

• listening to youth

• assisting youth in finding professional help

8. The Ministry of Prayer and Worship

• Teaching youth to pray always and all ways

• Youth involvement at Mass– Helping to make worship beautiful

• Experience with all forms of Catholic prayers and devotions

Sample Program

A youth ministry program would consist of weekly gatherings that would fall into one of the following categories:

• Educational

• Issue

• Social

• Service

• Prayer

Sample Program

Each gathering would follow this rough outline:

• Gather (Catch their attention)

• Proclaim (Catechize)

• Discuss/Break it down (allow them to digest/discuss/articulate)

• Send (challenge them to take this with them and live it!)

Bridge between Religious Education and Youth Ministry

•Be relational in your classroom•Gather/Proclaim/Discuss/Send•Work with Junior High Youth Ministry

-BASH

Resources:www.ArlingtonCatholicYouth.org -Calendar of Diocesan Activities -Links to other resources-Resource Manual

Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry (NCCB) 1-800-235-8722

Diocese of Arlington Secondary Religion Guidelines-Pages of ideas for youth ministry-High School curriculum

K.Bohli@arlingtondiocese.org