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The formation and nurturing of youth guarantees a future for the Church. The only problem is that parishes are not doing a very good job of it at the present moment. Such is the conclusion of a National Study of Youth and Religion directed by Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton. They are also the authors of Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers (Oxford University Press, 2005). The responses from Catholic youth showed a significant difference from those of other religions and churches. "Of all the religious groups examined, Catholic teens have the lowest youth group participation rate, . . . two-thirds of Catholic teens who attend churches that sponsor youth groups do not participate in them." (p. 52). Some of the contributing factors are that their parents tend not to be involved themselves in on-going religious formation, that dioceses and parishes do not put as much emphasis on youth formation as do other churches, and that there has been a drop in Catholic high schools and formation programs for youth in recent years. "Evidence suggests," they write, "that more than a few of today's Catholic youth may be falling through the organizational cracks without much notice." (p. 216) Creating A Structure: Given this somewhat bleak picture of youth ministry, what can parishes do to reconnect with this important segment of their membership? One option is to attend to how this ministry is organized. Using the parish commission structure as a model, consider calling together a group of 35 to 45 teens and five to seven adults. Divide the youth into five groupings each numbering 7 to 9 teens along with an adult resource person. One group would work on liturgy and prayer, another on relation-building and socializing, a third on formation, a fourth on Christian service and outreach, a fifth on budget, facilities and communication. These five coordinating and planning groups would meet once a month, all on the same evening. They would begin with a short prayer and orientation together and then separating into their own groups for gathering information, making new plans for the year and assessing what has been accomplished. For instance, the liturgy/prayer group might evaluate the youth Mass to see if it entices teenagers to attend and relates to their needs. It might also plan other prayer experiences, such as a Taize Service or sessions trying out different models of prayer. The bonding/socializing group might plan events where teens – especially newcomers – can enjoy one another's company in a non-threatening and inclusive manner. The formation group might map out a year-long schedule of educational experiences that would include both parents and teens together, giving them a chance to discuss important aspects of their faith and mutual concerns. The service/outreach group might plan a series of projects, both in the area and beyond, even going to other countries for work projects. The finance/communication group might sponsor fund-raisers to pay for youth projects or set up a regular e-mail listing so that all the youth are kept abreast of current and future events. At the end of the evening, reps from each of the five groups would give a short report to the larger gathering about what they have accomplished and their plans for the future. Two people from each group would then meet briefly at the end of the evening as the Youth Council. This is the group that would keep the other groups functioning, as well as formulate the mission of the youth ministry as a whole. The youth minister and one other adult would work with this council in setting direction for the program, giving it a focus and purpose. The beauty of this approach is that the youth can become involved in the larger parish commission structure as they move into young adulthood once they experience this as part of youth ministry. Tom Sweetser, SJ & Peg Bishop, OSF www.pepparish.org Parish Newsletter - May 2006 A Service of the Parish Evaluation Project Milwaukee, Wisconsin Reproduced on the OPRFM website with permission |
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