Breaking Into Youth Ministry?

[cmaD2006]

MissyP ... check your PM. I have a very specific suggestion .

[MissyP89]

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1342465514' post='2456138']
There are youth at your parish, yes? You can approach your pastor with the idea of starting a youth group that would gather once a week. You won't be able to and allowed to do it alone. Do you know peoples there who would care to do this with you?
[/quote]

That's the weird thing. I never see people that would fall into the "youth" category. Mostly toddlers or infants, but even those are rare. Maybe it has to do with attending the Saturday Vigil Mass?

[beatitude]

Missy, I have no advice, but I will pray for you. I grew up in a parish identical to the one you describe and I know the problems so well.

[MargaretTeresa]

[quote name='MissyP89' timestamp='1342412853' post='2455975']
So I've decided I want to tell you guys a secret that's been growing in my heart for a while.

*deep breath*

I think I want to be a youth minister.

Now, this isn't something I'm able to jump into right away for a variety of reasons. But I truly believe that this is something God is calling me to do. The desire to get out there and [i]do something [/i]for young people in the Church is so strong in me that it's almost impossible to ignore any longer.

I'm not planning on leaving my current line of work for this -- at least not yet. I [i]am[/i] actively looking toward the next chapter of my life, though, and I'm ready to start exploring this seriously.

Quite a few of you have loads of experience in this area, both positive and negative. I want to learn whatever I can, and I know that PM is a good place to ask.

Feel free to scream "DON'T DO IT! RUN!!!!" at me and tell me why. I'll hear you out.

Something I do want to know right away is what qualifications I'll need to work with youth, if any. Do I need a degree for this?

Anyway. If you're comfortable doing so, please share whatever experiences you think will benefit me. PMs are welcome, too. And most of all, please pray for me as I discern.

Thanks, pham!
[/quote]

Girl, I was offered a job as a youth minister... at a high school... in New Joisey. (brrrrrrr)
I turned it down.
I got more spiritual growing to do before that.
Plus, I'm more a writer.
And I'm too close to high schoolers age.
IMHO, at least.
But you're not crazy.
I helped with children's ministry this past year.
That's where you have to be certifiable in order to do that.

[Slappo]

I did youth ministry for 3-4 months before realizing it wasn't for me. I don't have a lot of experience, but I was working with a parish that had no active high school ministry.

If you are starting up a youth group at a parish that doesn't have an active group of kids, expect it to be slow starting. You may have several nights that you spent hours planning and no one comes, or two kids come and you don't have enough people to do what you planned. You'll have to improvise and be adjustable in that regard. Don't let those events get you down or depressed.

Oh, and love Jesus. Love Him a lot .

[Not A Mallard]

I thought this thread was going to be about breaking into the building where youth ministry is held

[tinytherese]

You could also read the catechetical documents related to youth such as Renewing the Vision.

I haven't looked at this blog on youth ministry in depth, but it may be helpful. [url="http://www.dscottmiller.com/"][i]http://www.dscottmiller.com/[/i][/url]

[Groo the Wanderer]

qualifications:

must love youth
have patience
skill herding cats
absolute fidelity to the teachings of the Church
not afraid to make a fool of yourself on a regular basis

[Groo the Wanderer]

[quote name='MissyP89' timestamp='1342465996' post='2456144']
That's the weird thing. I never see people that would fall into the "youth" category. Mostly toddlers or infants, but even those are rare. Maybe it has to do with attending the Saturday Vigil Mass?
[/quote]

yeah. Sat vigil/anticipatory tends to attract mostly old fluffy air extractions and new parents

[MissyP89]

[quote name='Groo the Wanderer' timestamp='1342475675' post='2456170']
yeah. Sat vigil/anticipatory tends to attract mostly old fluffy air extractions and new parents
[/quote]

...And 20somethings who hate mornings. Hahahaha.

[BG45]

[quote name='MissyP89' timestamp='1342478299' post='2456193']
...And 20somethings who hate mornings. Hahahaha.
[/quote]

That's why I go to Vigil...

[MissyP89]

What happened to your symbolic "I like going to Mass in the dark and coming out with the sun up" happy fun time, Mr. Doctoral Candidate?

[BigJon16]

Perhaps there is another parish in your city with an active Youth Ministry? I know that not all of my Core Members (Lifeteen's word or the adult volunteers) are from my parish.



I was talking to one of my closet friends at Steubenville this summer after he had an amesome experience on a week long leadership retreat (Franciscan LEAD). I had attended the year before him and so we had this really amesome conversation about both our weekends and how some things were similar and different.

Towards the end of this conversation he confesses something to me.

He said "You know Jon, I think after that week, I think that I really want to become a youth minister."

I didn't have to ask him why. I knew the reason. It was one of the same reasons why I want to become a priest.

The youth ministers on that LEAD week had impacted him in a lot of ways. They had helped him with a lot, and inspired him to really be a man of God. My experience is similar.

We both want to do these things (In his case youth ministry) because we know how much these key figures in our lives have impacted us, and we want to be that person to someone else.

Remember that if you do chose to stick with youth ministry, that you [i]will[/i] inspire a whole knew generation of Catholics.


So yeah. Go for it!

Im praying for you!

[BG45]

[quote name='MissyP89' timestamp='1342485689' post='2456215']
What happened to your symbolic "I like going to Mass in the dark and coming out with the sun up" happy fun time, Mr. Doctoral Candidate?
[/quote]

I still do that when I go home for visits. STM has no 7am Sunday morning Mass though and it's already sunny outside on the first Sunday Mass, so I don't get my symbolism either way.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='MissyP89' timestamp='1342464483' post='2456132']I expected the scrutiny, Red, and honestly I was especially looking for your input on this; thank you very much. In some ways, my church life is already scrutinized and talked about [i]because [/i]I've been in church alone since I was 17. As for politics, I don't think I have any shiny illusions ... and that's all I will say about that. [/quote]

there is scrutiny, and then there is [i]scrutiny[/i]. not every parish will be the same (thank GOD!) but every parish has its politics (unfortunately). if you do this, be prepared to defend your faith from [i]within[/i] the Church and [i]outside[/i] the Church. the really difficult part isn't the kids or programming (in a way), it's their parents, because their parents have entrenched bad catechesis. the kids are hungry for knowledge and truth (and that in a way is easy). but their parents will yell at you, tell you you're wrong, patronize you, guilt you, and put you down, because they feel their faith is under attack by you (even though you're not attacking them). are you ready for that? are you ready for parish leaders to talk to you in the same way those parents will? are you ready to be the youngest person on staff (by many, many years in most cases), and to be talked down to in that way?

are you ready for this to consume your life? are you ready for the guilt when you take time off?

this is why prayer & the sacraments are so important when you're a ym - and i'm glad jaime brought that up already. i'd go into the chapel right when i got to work and pray. i'd pray before every youth group meeting. i'd pray before talking with kids. morning Mass wasn't really an option for me, but at least once a week I'd try to go to daily Mass. prayer and sacraments aren't really an option when you're a youth minister, it's [b]necessity[/b] - there is no slacking off unless you want to have youth group nights go completely down the gutter. when you're not in ministry, there's a tendency to slack off prayer/sacrament life....and that's simply not a good thing when you are in ministry. plus, you [i]will[/i] be attacked by the devil for your work. that's another scary reality.

i know it probably seems like i'm being harsh on you, but in a way, i want to make sure you know the realities of being a youth minister - challenges that are definitely different that a religious ed coordinator/teacher. yes, there are wonderful moments that make you keep going. but there is a reason that youth ministry is usually #1 of all church ministries for burn-out rates. (from my experience and talking with other youth ministers from around the country)