National
Initiative on Adolescent Catechesis Symposium this summer in Bellville
There
is so much on adolescent catechesis now that the NIAC
has been working for over one year. There is a week long symposium from
August 11-15th in Belleville, IL at Our Lady of the Snows that looks
very good. There will be another in Cleveland in November. The Monograph
Series, that includes several papers on adolescent catechesis, put out
by the National Initiative is now complete.
Although
on-site participation in the National Symposium is invitation-only,
others who are interested in the Symposium proceedings will be able to
participate via a remote web-based process. If you are interested in
learning more about the Virtual Symposium, please contact Ela
Milewska
Two events from AACYM
Boat Cruise
The AACYM is hosting a boat cruise for Youth Ministers on Wednesday,
April 30th. All who minister to youth are invited to an evening of
camaraderie. Information can be found on the AACYM web page. www.aacym.org
Reserving a space can be done from the site also.
Lay
Ecclesial Ministry Info Session
May 20th the AACYM is hosting Sr. Eileen McCann who will be sharing
information about the documents on Lay Ecclesial Ministry. The meetings
will be held at St. John of the Cross at 11:00 and 7:00. You do not need
to be a member of the AACYM to attend. The cost of attending is $20.00.
The event is free for AACYM members.
Certification
for Parish Youth Ministers
Avoiding
Irrelevancy: Certification for Youth Ministry
One
of the first things youth ministers learn on the job is that there is no
such thing as tenure. Adolescent culture, with its musical raps, radical
clothing, and poetic angst, seems to undergo a metamorphosis every six
months or so.
The
struggle to avoid irrelevancy represents the greatest single challenge
for those committed to the mission of youth ministry. Once an adolescent
tunes a caring adult out, even a jackhammer can’t seem to loosen the
cement imbedded in their young ears.
Aware
of these and other harsh demands which youth culture places upon those
sent to serve them, the OFCYM is committed to offering quality
opportunities for on-going growth and certification. In youth ministry,
one never ceases to learn new ways to touch the heart of the youth.
While
we experience sanctifying grace in Church in the sacraments, we discover
actual grace in study. Reaching hard adolescent hearts today requires
increased quantities of both sanctifying and actual grace.
This
summer the OFCYM invites all committed to the mission of youth ministry
to study: “Revelation through Scripture and Tradition with a
Youth Perspective. This course, (which is also the first course in the
Fostering in Faith certification process for catechesis and youth
workers in the Archdiocese of Chicago) will begin on July 30th at St.
Eulalia Parish in Maywood, IL at 6:30 p.m. Call Jackie (312-243-3700) to
register.
This
fall (dates, TBA) we invite youth ministers and those committed to the
mission of youth to enroll in Youth Ministry 101: A Comprehensive
Methodology, which will be held at Holy Trinity Croatian, 1850 S. Troop,
Chicago, IL. Call Chuy Deleon (312 243-3700) for more information.
