- Status
L
Loml
Guest
I was confirmed ~4 years ago and it didn’t change how I looked at my faith at all.
I got involved with the local Catholic youth service about 2 years ago and they are much more inspiring and are largely responsible for me having faith in the Lord and his church today.
The youth service brought ‘relevance’ to being a Catholic. My confirmation group was lead (mostly) by people aged over 40. Not necessarily bad but they weren’t inspiring and if they were young we could at least ask them questions we wouldn’t ask our parents. The volunteers at the youth service are mostly under 25. Their enthusiasm for the Lord is infectious and after a short time they get everyone singing and praising God with their hearts.
The parish seems so concentrated on getting kids to focus on God with their minds but they need to be emotionally involved with God. So often they said ‘develop a personal relationship with God’ but never told us how. In my opinion our parish and others are decades behind the American Christians I see in movies and on TV, praising God with music and getting young people to do activities. Sitting around reading about the Nicene Creed and explaining what some of the ‘hard’ words mean won’t inspire anyone.
Of course young Catholics need to learn such things but whats more important is to get them to want to learn such things. All the information is easily available on the internet and they will look it up themselves once they are engaged and inspired.
Oh, I should add that inspiring young people to Love God should of course be done from a young age by parents, not by the local youth group when people are in their late teens and it could be too late.
A
ASD
Guest
That’s terrific.
However, I think there’s a pretty obvious distinction between
- Groups of friends and peers with infectious enthusiasm; and
- Catechesis. Education. Like, knowing what a sacrament is, who St. Paul is, what’s meant by Real Presence of the Lord at Mass, etc.
D
dconklin
Guest
Theology on Tap is a great way to teach the young adults. It is not intended to teach the Catechism or Canon Law directly, but it is very Catholic. Like most things with youth and young adults, it has to be prepared and presented properly. Put a notice in the bulletin about young adults discussing the latest encyclical will not work.
H
Highwayhound
Guest
One way I found to get a good base of knowledge is to watch one video about the faith each week for a year. After a year’s time a person will have a good base to draw upon. Videos can range from saints (ex. Ocean of Mercy) to history to breaking down the mass by its parts. So this is a good start.
Reading one chapter from the Bible each day is also helpful. That experience was helpful for me this year in particular as I knew where to look for some proverbs which helped me set a tone in a class of unruly kids. They are good kids, but definitely like to talk.
Another way to learn more is to read one book per month (more if you have the time). Again your knowledge will increase slowly, but surely.
Draw on your own personal experience if possible. I spent nearly every Sunday from 8 years old to 17 years old as an altar boy. The only time I missed were for family vacations. If my brother and I were there we were helping the priest. So what I did with this is to assign each of my students the task of being an altar server for one Sunday. Two at a time go with the instructor and learn the ropes while the other students and I are going through the catechism, watching a video, etc. The more ownership the kids have of their faith the more important it will be. This has been a positive addition to our program and this year I had to fend off the 5th grade teacher as he want to get his students into altar serving. My class should be done by the end of January and then it is all his.
I hope these ideas help. Now I have to go back to do some cutting and pasting as I read some good ideas in previous posts which I would like to have available in my notebook of ideas.
God bless
A
adecelles
Guest
We are currently using the Edge Program from Catholicyouthministry.com (unsolicited plug) it takes a dedicated team to present the material , it is organized and structured to be fun educational and hopefully inspiring. we just started in the Fall of 2010 and have had great feedback from parents and students.
If you are looking around to see who is going to evangelize and instruct the youth start by looking in the mirror, we all have to be on fire for Christ if we are going to spread the gospel.
If you are looking around to see who is going to evangelize and instruct the youth start by looking in the mirror, we all have to be on fire for Christ if we are going to spread the gospel.
S
Shoshannah
Guest
This is my 2nd year teaching First Communion CCD. I was asked to fill in last year for a Catechist who was moving away. I enjoyed it so much that I came back this year.
Our parish has about 800 students and 40(ish) Catechists. Our DRE is highly supportive and encourages Catechists formation courses and retreats even if they are not offered at our location. Parents receive informational meetings and updates throughout the year. There are also Mass attendance requirements and students can miss no more then 3 unexcused class absences. [There is also a reward system in place for perfect attendance of Mass and classes]
With the guidance of our pastor, in the last few years our parish has seen an emergence of youth ministries. In addition to our Youth Group (high school aged), there is now also a Jr High Youth Group (ages 9-13), an Acolyte Group (ages 7+), Youth Choirs (one of which is mostly children under 12), and “Jr” segments of other ministries. There is a Youth Mass in the works and various Youth Retreats throughout the year.
Of course, like all things, we come across obstacles and challenges but work through them as best we can. Not all parents are happy that there are rules and expectations from them as well their children. Not all students come in excited to go to “class” after they have spent so much time at school. But I think that our program has a good balance of rules/regulations, fun/games, and overall we continue to persevere.
Presently, our parish has strong leadership which has allowed for a very well structured CCD program. By preparing the Catechists, the students will also receive adequate preparation for their First Reconciliation and Communion. Involving the parents prompts them to get more involved in their child’s religious formation and sometimes their own. And offering activities post First Communion for youth offers continued religious formation for them as well.
Our parish is in a very dynamic era. This increased excitement coincided with the opening of our Adoration Chapel. We also have a once-a-month all night Nocturnal Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, weekly Prayer Group meetings, Legion of Mary ministry that encourages prayer of the rosary. All of these work together and consequently our CCD program seems to be also very strong.
God Bless
Our parish has about 800 students and 40(ish) Catechists. Our DRE is highly supportive and encourages Catechists formation courses and retreats even if they are not offered at our location. Parents receive informational meetings and updates throughout the year. There are also Mass attendance requirements and students can miss no more then 3 unexcused class absences. [There is also a reward system in place for perfect attendance of Mass and classes]
With the guidance of our pastor, in the last few years our parish has seen an emergence of youth ministries. In addition to our Youth Group (high school aged), there is now also a Jr High Youth Group (ages 9-13), an Acolyte Group (ages 7+), Youth Choirs (one of which is mostly children under 12), and “Jr” segments of other ministries. There is a Youth Mass in the works and various Youth Retreats throughout the year.
Of course, like all things, we come across obstacles and challenges but work through them as best we can. Not all parents are happy that there are rules and expectations from them as well their children. Not all students come in excited to go to “class” after they have spent so much time at school. But I think that our program has a good balance of rules/regulations, fun/games, and overall we continue to persevere.
Presently, our parish has strong leadership which has allowed for a very well structured CCD program. By preparing the Catechists, the students will also receive adequate preparation for their First Reconciliation and Communion. Involving the parents prompts them to get more involved in their child’s religious formation and sometimes their own. And offering activities post First Communion for youth offers continued religious formation for them as well.
Our parish is in a very dynamic era. This increased excitement coincided with the opening of our Adoration Chapel. We also have a once-a-month all night Nocturnal Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, weekly Prayer Group meetings, Legion of Mary ministry that encourages prayer of the rosary. All of these work together and consequently our CCD program seems to be also very strong.
God Bless
- Status