A plan for youth ministry

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

Want to start or revamp youth ministry in your parish or just get some new ideas?
Beginning this month, Timothy Messenger, director of the diocesan youth ministry office, is offering a free, five-part series to help those interested in planning and launching a comprehensive parish youth ministry program.

“Oftentimes youth ministry can be seen as just eating pizza and playing laser tag with teenagers,” Mr. Messenger said, in response to a question about comprehensive youth ministry. “Certainly things like this can play a large role in youth ministry, but it should actually go much deeper. Our ministry to youth should reach out to teens on a social, catechetical, and spiritual level that is engaging and ultimately leads to service and discipleship.”
 So this year Mr. Messenger is repeating a series he offered last year – to provide step-by-step guidance in how to lay the foundation of youth ministry, assess parish needs, build a core team, plan out the year, and launch a program by the fall.
Each meeting will end with an action step for people to implement in their parish as the program moves along. Youth ministry programs may start small and take years to grow, building on a base of young people who can be brought to diocesan events.
This series is not a course and does not offer any certification, Mr. Messenger said. It’s not about teaching theology, and “not like diving into the psychology of an adolescent.” He said he prepared the material, with handouts, using his own experience in the past, and presently at his parish, St. Anthony of Padua in Dudley, where he does youth ministry.
The series includes monthly sessions from February through May. There are two session options to choose from each month – 10-11:30 a.m. in the Chancery library, 49 Elm St., Worcester, and 6:30-8 p.m. at Holy Name of Jesus House of Studies, 51 Illinois St., Worcester. The last session is a core team training day in the summer, with date and place to be announced.
Sessions are primarily geared toward parishes looking to start youth ministry, but are also applicable to those hoping to revamp their programs or try newer ideas, Mr. Messenger said. He said those interested can attend whichever sessions they want; they do not need to attend them all. They can also bring other people with them.
Any adult who will be part of a youth ministry program can attend. The main point person, whether a parish staff member or a volunteer, should attend. If a parish doesn’t have a point person, the priest or catechetical leader can attend and gain tips about how to identify a such a person.
Last year’s series participants – 29 individuals from about 16 parishes – are welcome to come, but probably don’t need to, Mr. Messenger said.
Following are the session topics, dates, times and places:

A Vision for Youth Ministry: Feb. 25, 10-11:30 a.m., Chancery Library or Feb. 27, 6:30-8 p.m., Holy Name of Jesus House of Studies
This session provides an overview of the goals, components, and vision of a comprehensive youth ministry program, and discusses how youth ministry is a process of discipleship with the goal of forming followers of Christ.

Laying a Foundation: March 25, 10-11:30 a.m., Chancery Library or March 26, 6:30-8 p.m., Holy Name of Jesus House of Studies
This session will explain how to assess the parish by communicating a vision with parish staff and the parish as a whole, and surveying parents and youth. The session also addresses recruiting and managing an adult core team.

Methods I: Mapping out the Year: April 29, 10-11:30 a.m., Chancery Library or April 30, 6:30-8 p.m., Holy Name of Jesus House of Studies
This session covers how to plan the year by establishing a consistent meeting date, and discussing types of gatherings and methods for facilitating them.

Methods II: Planning Youth Gatherings: May 27, 10-11:30 a.m., Chancery Library or May 28, 6:30-8 p.m., Holy Name of Jesus House of Studies
This session covers how to plan a kickoff and dynamic youth nights with social, catechetical, and spiritual elements. It discusses communication strategies to engage parents and teens, including social media.

Core Team Training, date and place to be announced: This session gives adults training in relational ministry, giving personal witness, small group facilitation and safe environment, among other things.
Mr. Messenger said this program costs very little to put on, since he gives the training and uses handouts he photocopies.  
The youth ministry office receives funding from Partners in Charity – $108,596 from the 2019 appeal. The funding pays salaries for diocesan youth ministry staff and helps subsidize many events for youth and young adults. Those include the diocese’s middle school rally, the Steubenville East high school youth conference and Theology on Tap gatherings for young adults.

     – For more information, or to register, contact
Timothy Messenger at
tmessenger@worcesterdiocese.org or 508-929-4360.