Catholic Youth Ministry Blog

When You Know It’s Time For A Catholic Youth Ministry Makeover

Eric Gallagher — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 03:55:03 +0000

I have to begin this post by simply stating the same thing I say to youth workers around my Diocese and to those that follow the blogging that I do, that… it’s time. It doesn’t take long to look at the average Catholic youth ministry program in any given parish and see that it is time for a makeover. I am not saying that we are not making an effort, but let’s just admit right now that there is very much room for improvement.

I do not need to waste your time going through the statistics of what is happening to the youth that go through Catholic parish youth ministry programs and end up leaving their faith after high school. Many consider it an accomplishment or a goal if they can even get them to continue their faith journey through their last two years of high school.

Yes, there are many parishes and programs doing great things and may even being doing things as well as they can be done. Those people are probably not the ones that have picked up this book. Let’s start by identifying the key things that help us realize the need for a makeover in our parish youth ministry programs:

1. You have been doing the same thing for a very long time

It doesn’t necessarily mean that what you are doing is wrong, but things change, people change, the youth change. How long have you been doing the same thing in your parish to try and engage the youth?

2. You have no goals

If you are not moving forward, you are moving backward. If you do not have goals in place, what is sustaining your ministry? It is time to aim for something and focus intensely on that something as long as it takes to get there.

3. The parish does not know the vision

Does your parish struggle each year to find more adults to help with religious education or youth ministry? Does you have a hard time convincing people of the need to have adults investing in the spiritual lives of our youth? When you look at the families in your parish, do you see hope or do you see emptiness? It’s time to offer hope by giving a glimpse of what could be.

4. You do not know what’s in

Yes, some people can get by with their own style. Some people, if they take the time to actually look at what others are doing or are humble enough to ask for input and advice, they might find that they styles they are accustomed to are not really what’s in and actually are probably turning people away. How often do you network and learn from others that are successful in their efforts? How much time do you spend being a learner and a student of youth ministry?

5. Your communication efforts are failing

If you rely solely on your parish bulletin, email, and flyers around the Church to promote events and programs, you are ready for a makeover. Who do you have in your parish that is working to build relationships with the youth that no social media platform can?

6. The phrase “New Evangelization” has no meaning to you

We will get into this later in this book, but the New Evangelization is the style right now. The New Evangelization is why I decided to start casting this vision and process for how to evaluate and “makeover” your youth ministry program. In a sense it is the answer that we have been waiting for. The call for a New Evangelization is breathing new life into the Church and it can only benefit us when we jump on board. Are you ready to jump in?

Like I mentioned before, it is not that parishes are not trying. There are many efforts being made. It is simply time for something different. Just like a person may seek the wisdom and counsel of a makeover artist, it is time to take in the wisdom and talent that goes beyond our own means. It is time to grab the energy and life that the New Evangelization will bring into the Church and let the Holy Spirit move our ministries in ways that we never thought possible. It is time to think outside of the box and be open to something that is still the Church and it still demands our time and sacrifice, but will produce much more fruit.

Want to stay up to date with how I propose you give your youth ministry a makeover? Be sure you are signed up for our Email Newsletters!

Want to talk vision and other Catholic youth ministry stuff? Join our Catholic Youth Ministry Discussion Facebook Group!

Tags: leadership, makeover, New Evangelization, Vision

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Six Things That Will Make You A Good Catholic Youth Leader

Eric Gallagher — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:48:25 +0000

Youth ministry is tough. There are many ways to do youth ministry, many different types of youth leaders, and very little community to help you know if you are doing a good job or not. Here are six things you must be “doing” in order to be a good youth minister.

Pray

Prayer has by far been the the most fruitful discipline I have developed that has helped me in youth ministry. I think that 30 minutes of daily prayer is minimal for those who work in youth ministry. If possible, it should be done in front of the Eucharist.

Learn

Youth leaders are typically NOT readers. As as I moved around in different areas of ministry, I have found reading to be more and more fruitful. As I train and form leaders I can give them bite-size knowledge on what the Church teaches in regard to Discipleship and Evangelization but I do not think you can really grasp it until you put the time in to learn it in depth yourself. I can get people fired up about Discipleship and when they ask for more I can point them to a good book to start with (I have been recommending Forming Intentional Disciples lately), but when I check in months later they have not even opened it.

I give you permission to read (learn) during work. You should ask your pastor first if you think he might have a problem with it. I doubt he will.

Work Hard

People may take my online presence as a sign that I have too much time on my hands. The truth is, I work my tail off every second I am in the office. Just because you think you are getting paid less than you think you should be and there is usually no one looking over your shoulder, you do not have the right to slack off during office time. I work like crazy during my office time so I can go home and enjoy my time with family. There is never enough time to do everything we should be doing in youth ministry, so stop wasting it!

Network

I do spend time online on Facebook and Twitter, but it is for set periods of time and it is with a purpose to check in on what others are doing and talking about. It is good not only to learn from others, but sharing your own knowledge and wisdom with others will help build a confidence in what you are doing as well. We have a great group on Facebook for Catholic Youth Ministry Discussion.

Live It

I was inspired recently to evangelize more outside of work. I spend so much time teaching others to evangelize but I find it difficult to do in life outside of ministry. Beginning this week I have committed myself to do things that will give me the wisdom and experiences of evangelization that will give a more true witness when I am encouraging others.

Be Open

I think that the biggest thing that gets in the way in Catholic youth ministry is the leaders. Being truly open means that you are ready at any time if God has a completely different plan for your ministry than what you are doing right now or hope to do in the future. Get out of the way!

I know these are not the only five things that make you a good Catholic youth leader, what are some others? Please share in the comments below!

Tags: Catholic Youth Ministry, Evangelization, Networking, youth leader

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Preparing the Way (for your Youth Ministry successor)

Eric Gallagher — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 20:08:24 +0000

Advent is a season of preparation. This morning I was thinking on that a bit and I know the focus of Advent is to prepare for the time when the Lord comes at Christmas and also at the time of the last judgement, but this morning I was thinking about how we can best prepare for when we leave our ministry and how we can prepare “the ministry” to be ready for when the next person comes. There are numerous ways that we will can prepare and organize things in such a way that will help our successor not have to make up so much group from our absence.

Here are few things that I practiced as a parish youth minister and also on the Diocesan level now that will and have hopefully helped those that follow after me.

Keep A Good Database

I am very good with keeping files organized on the computer and keeping records of things that I do. I also keep good records of people who are attending events and how often, including the adults. For example, if people go into my computer files, they can go into My Documents and find folders that say Games, Lessons, Attendance Sheets, Budget, etc.

Write Follow-Up Reports

One thing I also do is I have a blanket event sheet for every event that I do. It includes all of the basics like marketing, applications, finances, etc., but the last thing on the sheet tells me to make a few notes for next time this event is done. I don’t always go back and look at these because I can usually recall the big things that we needed to consider for next time, but I know it would be helpful for those who were not there!

Manage Contacts Well

One of the hardest things of walking into a new position can be if you do not know people. Be sure to care enough to organize your email contacts well and even create groups in your email for leaders (youth and adult). Also, in most email contact programs you can take notes. Spend a little time every now and then to make some notes on each of those contacts. When you are ready to leave, if you are using an email account that cannot be transferred than you can simply export these contacts for their use.

Use Social Media Accounts that are Transferrable

Have your Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking accounts set up so that they are not tied to you! For example, in the parish I had a “Sacred Heart Youth Group” group and now at the Diocesan level I have “Sioux Falls Youth Events” page. When I left the parish, I was happy to assign the new leadership that took over admin privileges. When you do leave, TAKE YOURSELF OFF AS AN ADMIN.

Don’t Stretch Yourself Thin

One thing my Bishop has taught me well that he takes into consideration is whether or not something will be sustainable when he leaves. If you are one of those overworking youth workers that does too much, STOP IT. Set your program up so that another person could take it over and it wouldn’t kill them. If your life is not in balance, you are not only setting yourself for failure, but the next person will be affected as well.

What other ways are you (or should you be) preparing for the next person? Please share in the comments below!

Tags: advent, leaving, Organization, quitting, transitioning

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Do Not Labor For Experiences That Perish

Eric Gallagher — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 02:28:26 +0000

In my last post I talked a bit about the excitement that we get when we finally are able to get that youth we have been seeking out to attend a retreat or conference that we know will offer them a great experience where they will likely be opened up to the love of God and they will have their initial conversion towards him. I have also mentioned in a previous post about a priest that has opted NOT to send youth to these types of experiences because the parish was not ready for the youth that would return.

In John chapter six after Jesus had fed the five thousand from just a small amount of food, those who were there came looking after him. He is quick to point out though that what they are looking for is NOT what they should be looking for. Yes, they were looking for Jesus, but ultimately the reason they were looking for Jesus was because he fed them.

Here’s what it says:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life…” – John 6: 26-27″

What do you offer in your parish for the youth that are longing for the food which endures to eternal life? Their experiences are great, but these experiences should act as a spring board into a deeply rooted relationship with Christ.

Your games are great, but they should act as an invitation into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

Your volunteers are great, but they will not be there when the youth graduates high school.

Do not be afraid to give the youth in your parish Jesus. Here are two ways that I recommend you do this:

Create An Atmosphere For Discipleship

This can be done in so many ways. You could set up a small group ministry, a mentoring program, or any other way that you can find great adults to connect with youth and partner with them in their faith.

Utilize the Sacraments & Prayers of the Church

I know Eucharistic Adoration is not a sacrament but I have found that the one single best programming idea I have had has been to offer monthly Eucharistic Adoration and Confessions. Do it during youth group time. If your priest is not able to do this, than go as a group during the regular confession times in the parish. Invite youth to daily Mass or invite them to pray the rosary weekly or even daily.

Through these two things, youth will learn the disciplines necessary and will also begin to see and experience the food that will never perish.

What are some things that you have done in your parish youth ministry programs that have helped youth accomplish these same things? Please comment below!

Tags: Discipleship, Follow-Up

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One Way You Can Set A “Converted” Youth Up For Failure

Eric Gallagher — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:27:26 +0000

As youth leaders, there is one feeling that hopefully everyone can relate to. When you spend a bunch of time and resources to finally get that one person to go to a camp or conference and they come back to the parish fired up and wanting to do more. You have hand-picked this person because they are a natural leader and you know that if you just get them, there will be a dozen other youth who follow.

Here is one way that you can screw this up…

Give Them The Plan.

I was talking with a youth leader today in this scenario. She is an incredible youth leader and I am confident God will do great things through her in the first few years of her ministry. She has two youth that are fired up and ready to live out the call that they received at a summer camp to GO! While she is not totally sure what they should be doing, she expressed to me such a deep understanding of what her role is, she said something to the effect of “they are the ones with the call to do something, I do not want to inhibit that with my own plans.”

Here are five things you should do when you are in this scenario

1. Teach

Instead of getting so excited that you now can have that leader that will lead their peers, be sure to teach them first. They have received a gift from God (the call to serve and do more), now you must teach them to discern how to use that gift. Help them to understand what is going on first and then they will be able to more confidently do it.

2. Ask the Right Questions

This is actually very simple. Start by asking them questions like “What do you feel you are called to do?” or “What do you think we need most in the parish for the youth right now?” or “Why do you think God is calling you to do this?” In short, we want them to always know that there is a plan. These questions help them learn to discern that plan and it will give so much more meaning to what they are doing.

3. Know their Gifts

“But the guy at camp told me that I should go home and start a youth group” they might say. Ask and learn what their gifts are. Maybe they are supposed to start a youth group but maybe they need an adult to lead it. Maybe they can be involved in other ways as a leader (by example if needed).

4. Leave Room for Failure

I know what it’s like to immediately put these youth on a pedestal and assume a full conversion has happened in their lives. Sherry Weddell in her book “Forming Intentional Disciples” talks about five thresholds of conversion. These are five areas of conversion that must happen before one can become an intentional Disciple. We MUST give the youth more space to grow and learn.

5. Have Options

Be ready to have a few options for them to consider (leading a prayer group or other ministry, helping plan youth nights, visiting the sick, general office help, etc.) and then be prepared to be flexible and allow them to choose one of those opportunities but in a way that better uses their gifts.

I have no doubt that when you do these things, these youth will be able to much more freely give themselves to the parish that they return home to. They will be doing what they were created to do and what they feel God has called them to do. This will set them up to be leaders in the faith not just now but for the rest of their lives.

What other ways can we help those youth grow to be mature intentional Disciples after they experience their initial conversion?

Tags: conversion, Discipleship, initial conversion

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What Will Catholic Youth Ministry Look Like in 5 Years?

Eric Gallagher — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 21:35:31 +0000

I recently started a discussion with a few other youth leaders in our Diocese and I also asked this question in our Catholic Youth Ministry Discussion Facebook Group. It was not my intent to write a post about it, but it seemed like there are so many common ideas and movements, that it is worth sharing. So here are some thoughts about what we need to do and where we should start moving not just in five years, but RIGHT NOW!

Youth Ministry Will Happen Outside The Walls

As I think about this comment, the first things that comes to mind is the business of the youth of today. I think one reason we will have to take youth ministry outside the walls is so that we can be worked in to their schedules. Once they learn that they are being fed by the Church (you) they will gladly begin to start investing more time in it and will move it up as a priority in their lives.

Non-Gathered Ministry

I think of the Safe Environment swing as I think about this. We have become so protective and have had to formalize the atmosphere to ensure the most “Safe Environment” for the youth to learn in. This has been necessary but it is time for the pendulum to swing back and time for us to ease up a bit. Discipleship can exist within a youth group setting, but it limits it so much. We have to start thinking about Discipleship as a livelihood that is able to exist even outside of gathered programs.

More Adult Focused

In short, youth ministry must become a greater partnership with parents. We share in their responsibility as a parent. We must begin offering specific training to parents that help them partner with us so that they are able to take back their primary role of evangelizing their children. Along with parents, we must begin setting up an atmosphere for even more adults to help and share in this.

More Courageous Leadership

For too long have youth leaders been the “hands-on” leaders that are overworked and drained because they feel they have to do everything. It is time for youth leaders to become leaders and to learn to delegate HUGE pieces of their ministry to those volunteers that have the gifts or are interested in growing in those areas. We are too afraid to ask for help, which makes use bad stewards of the gifts within our parish.

I have several more posts with some challenging thoughts on what we need to start doing NOW so that we can be where we need to be in five years.

Lastly, I have to thank the local youth workers that gave me much of the content for this post and also those great Catholic Youth Ministers in our Facebook Group (you can join the group here!)

Please continue the discussion, what are some things or areas of ministry that you see as necessary for change and growth to be where we want to be in five years? Please comment below!

Tags: Catholic Youth Ministry, future of youth ministry, looking ahead

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How Did You Meet Christ?

Eric Gallagher — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 02:03:17 +0000

The Church was build upon the idea of multiplication, meaning God intended that the faith be passed down and spread through us. In the first chapter of the Gospel of John we read:

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah”(which is translated Anointed). Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

This passage stuck out to me in prayer the other day. So John told Andrew and Andrew told Simon, who later became our first pope. As a person who can’t help but relate things to my work in youth ministry this led me to think of a few different things:

Who Brought Me To The Faith?

I lost my grandmother a few months ago and during the that time I was so thankful for the incredible faith that she and my grandfather had. This faith was passed down to my own father and now through me.

How Do I Pass Down The Faith?

My first priority is of course sharing the faith with my spouse and passing it down to my children. Am I doing that well? Also, is my ministry as a youth minister intentionally helping them know the faith?

How Do I Encourage The Youth To Pass Down The Faith?

Am a consistently challenging the youth I work with to share the gift of faith that they are receiving with their family and friends?

You Might Have To Work Through Someone

Sometimes in ministry we just need to find that youth or adult that we know is called and we may need to go through someone else to get them. Your most effective leaders (youth or adults) may just be someone who knows someone who knows someone.

Who brought you to faith? Please share with me in the comments section below.

Tags: Faith, reflections

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Casting Deeper #6 – Transformation

Eric Gallagher — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 13:13:01 +0000

This is the final post of a six part series. To see the whole series, go here.

In my last challenge to cast deeper, I am going to focus more on those leaders that may be in the trenches with the youth. This entire series is geared towards those youth leaders that lead leaders. We must know how to effectively cast down vision in order to grow. We must have a vision and plan in order for our youth ministry to grow.

This post is a challenge to shift our vision from simply connecting with youth or getting them to events, but it seeks to transform the youth.

I work a lot with social media and am learning a lot about what works and what doesn’t and how I can use social media to continue growing the ministry done through the Catholic Youth Ministry Hub. I have learned exactly this though. My efforts in social media must reach beyond the connection. In order to truly connect with the followers, I have to build a relationship with them. Once they realize that what I am offering is true and authentic; once they realize that my ministry comes from a passion and not a desire to earn an income, I become a trusted figure and they are more likely to engage in the content that I provide.

Now I am comparing relational ministry to social media which I understand are very different things, but the concept is the same. If you truly want to make your activities and your small groups more effective and you want them to transform the youth that participate, you must be connected through real relationships. Until that is done, your activities and small groups will simply be avenues of connection and NOT transformation.

I see this through our summer camps. We have excellent summer camps in our Diocese that are great opportunities for conversion. Unfortunately through camp our ability to continue many of those Discipleship focused relationships is minimal. Unless youth are able to get back into a parish and continue that relationship with “Church” it is very difficult for the experiences of camp to stick and continue to transform their lives.

How can we help facilitate transformation in our parishes? How we help ensure the challenges and experiences that youth have through our events transform their lives instead just being a temporary high? What do you do in your parish? Please share below in the comments section.

Tags: Casting Deeper, Discipleship, transformation

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Stop Blaming The Mass

Eric Gallagher — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 13:34:30 +0000

In my reading of the Catechism for the Year of Faith, I came across a paragraph that hit me pretty hard #1072. It states:

“The sacred liturgy does not exhaust the entire activity of the Church”:it must be preceded by evangelization, faith, and conversion. It can then produce its fruits in the lives of the faithful: new life in the Spirit, involvement in the mission of the Church, and service to her unity.

I am always looking for the fruits. That is how we know that we are working together with God’s plan. So in order for the sacred liturgy to be fruitful in the lives of our youth, it must be preceded by evangelization, faith, and conversion.

Now that the Holy Spirit helped me have a “moment” with the paragraph, I think I will have a great reference for those people who ask me:

How come the Mass isn’t more inviting and welcoming to people?
How are we to evangelize the youth when the only time we may see them is at Mass?
How can help the youth get more out of the Mass?

Here is the answer to those questions…it is through our evangelization efforts that happen outside of the Mass that draw them deeper into the Mass. In short, even if there were perfect music choices and perfect homilies, it would still be difficult drawing young people deep into the beauty of the Mass without the proper efforts being made outside of the Mass.

So it’s time to get off the computer and out of the office and begin setting up a vision for Evangelization with a priority on Discipleship. It’s time to stop blaming the homilies and the music director.

The Mass is not a fault here…that’s all I’m saying!

Thoughts? Please comment below!

Tags: CCC 1072, Liturgy, Mass, Music, Sacred

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Casting Deeper #5 – Owned Faith

Eric Gallagher — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 00:30:58 +0000

This is post #5 of a six part series. To see the whole series, go here.

I like youth group a lot and I think they are a great atmosphere to get the youth involved in a community where they can feel safe and be drawn to the love of Christ. But once again, this is not our goal. In this post, I challenge all who work in youth ministry to look beyond attendance in youth group and look for an owned faith.

There was a time in my youth ministry that I decided to call one youth each week that had not been to youth group in awhile or I knew couldn’t normally make it to youth group because of other commitments. I was always perplexed at their initial response. It always had something to do with “I’m sorry I haven’t been coming to youth group.” My response to them was always “I don’t care if you come to youth group, I just want to check in and see how things are going.”

I don’t care if youth come to youth group or not. I care if they are doing well in their faith. As the parish youth minister, my job is to minister to the youth and help them to grow in their faith. If youth group is not their thing or they just are not able to make it, I would fail if I did not reach out to them in other ways.

Let’s cast deeper and not worry so much about attendance which does not assume that their faith is growing. Let’s make sure every youth is reached out to individually whether is be through youth group or through an effort that means so much more! If they are owning their faith and they are a part of community that helps them grow in their faith, whether it be another ministry in the parish or maybe even their own family, it is not important that they come to youth group.

In short, it’s about their faith, not about youth group. Cast Deeper!

Tags: Casting Deeper, owned faith, Relational Ministry

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