To put it simply, Youth Ministry is where young people are supported, empowered, affirmed and challenged within their local parish community. It is one among many of the ministries within the Church.

 Articles on Youth Ministry

Useful Quotes

 Bishop Crispian's Vision

• All are called to holiness
• All are drawn together in communion through Christian initiation.
• All are called to mission through Christian initiation.
• The Eucharist defines the Church.
• Everyone is gifted by the Holy Spirit.
• We are called to be a community of disciples

 Articles on Youth Ministry
 

• Effective Practices in Youth Ministry
• Investing in Young People
• Growing Disciples - Spiritual Gardening

Useful Quotes

"Youth Work is not a hobby but an essential part of parish life. 

A parish where some form of youth work does not take place is a parish where the work of God is not fully performed."

Cardinal Heenan 1970

"In working with young people do not try to call them back to where they were, and do not call them them to where you are, beautiful as that place may seem to you.

You must have the courage to go with them to a place neither you nor they have been before."

Quoted by a Young Person in Christianity Rediscovered -VJ Donovan

"The young should be the first apostles of the young, in direct contact with them, exercising the apostolate by themselves, taking account of their social environment."

Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity

"Youth must not simply be considered as an object of pastoral concern for the Church: 

In fact, young people are encouraged to be active on behalf of the Church as leading characters in evangelisation and participants in the renewal of society. 

Youth is a time of an especially intensive discovery of a "self" and "a choice of life". 

It is a time of growth which ought to progress "in wisdom, age and grace before God and people."

Christifideles Laici 

It is how we ensure the key themes of Bishop Crispian's vision for the Diocese are made real for everybody, including young people.

Key elements of Youth Ministry are:

• To empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today.
• To draw young people to responsible participation in the life, work, mission and work of the Catholic faith community.
• To foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person.

To be most effective, this is a ministry to, with, by, and for young people that involves their families, their parish community, and the larger community. At the heart of ministry with young people is the presence of caring, supportive relationships where they experience the Good News in the flesh.

There are eight components of youth ministry.(Click on the component to go to a description)

These are advocacy, catechesis, community life, evangelization, justice and service, leadership development, pastoral care, and prayer and worship.

Taken from Renewing the Vision, A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1997. 

• How are the voices of young people heard and listened to in the Church?
• How are the gifts, talents, and energy of young people respected and utilized within our faith communities?

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• increase their knowledge of the core content of the Catholic faith.
• enrich and expand their understanding of the Scriptures and the sacred tradition and their application to life today, and
• live more faithfully as disciples of Jesus Christ in their daily lives, especially through a life of prayer, justice, and loving service. 

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• builds an environment of love, support, appreciation for diversity,
• develops meaningful relationships; and nurtures Catholic faith.

• nurtured when the atmosphere is welcoming, comfortable, safe, and is enhanced when leaders promote and model an attitude that is authentic, positive and accepting.
•  is encouraged when our actions are inviting, supportive, and gospel-based and is created when activities build trust and encourage relationships, and are age-appropriate.

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• nurtures in young people a social consciousness and a commitment to a life of justice and service rooted in their faith in Jesus Christ, in the Scriptures, and in Catholic social teaching;
• empowers young people to work for justice by concrete efforts to address the causes of human suffering; and
• infuses the concepts of justice, peace, and human dignity into all ministry efforts. 

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• promoting positive adolescent and family development through a variety of positive strategies; caring for adolescents and families in crisis through support, counselling, and referral to appropriate community agencies;
• providing guidance as young people face life decisions and make moral choices; and challenging systems that are obstacles to positive development (advocacy).

• it awakens their awareness of the spirit at work in their lives;
• it incorporates young people more fully into the sacramental life of the Church, especially eucharist;
• it nurtures the personal prayer life of young people; and it fosters family rituals and prayer.  

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