|
|||||||||||||||
> Goals > Components > Faith Formation & Confirmation > Youth Ministry Team Goals The St. Brigid Youth Ministry program strives to meet the three goals set forth by the United States Catholic Conference in 2000 and as stated in Renewing the Vision, A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry:
The Church has identified eight components of a comprehensive youth ministry program:
Youth Ministry at St. Brigid strives to be developmentally appropriate, intergenerational, multicultural, collaborative with the greater community, flexible and family friendly. Through the FAMILY PERSPECTIVE we recognize that the family has the primary responsibility for the faith formation of young people. The family is the central place where life and love are celebrated. Youth ministry seeks to lead youth into a deeper faith life within their families, not take them away from family life.
Faith Formation is a life long process. The middle and high school years are a time of much growth personally, academically, and spiritually. Faith formation is so crucial to this age group. Faith formation classes are held weekly. There are two options - Sunday afternoons from 1:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. and Tuesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Adult and young adult catechists instruct students using lectionary-based materials. Formal registration for faith formation is at the beginning of August each year. Registration is also accepted year round. Faith Formation classes are coordinated with the North Side Independent School District calendar. To meet the developmental and moral needs of our youth grades 6th - 12th the Aim for Success Program has been adopted. This program is a three-year cycle that supports the sex education that youth receive from their families. The program is one and a half hours long and is traditionally presented in the fall semester in place of a regular class. The program is designed for parents to participate with their youth. It has been determined the program will be presented every third year, allowing those entering middle school to have the benefits of the entire program by the end of the high school years. The Sacrament of Confirmation is open to all high school students who are baptized, have received first communion, have reached a minimum of 10th grade, and are regularly participating in faith formation classes or attending Catholic School the year prior to the request for attending Confirmation classes. Attendance in faith formation classes or Catholic School during the year of preparation is also required. Confirmation preparation begins with an orientation for parents and youth in August. Four Days of Reflection are scheduled - one in each of the following months: October, December, and February; and on Holy Thursday - along with other opportunities for faith formation throughout the school year. Registration for Confirmation is closed after the October Day of Reflection. The date for the Sacrament of Confirmation is traditionally scheduled for the month of May. Contact the office for more information. Youth Ministry Team Under the umbrella of the Youth Ministry Team (YMT) programming has evolved into six interconnected groups - Apostle Team, Retreats, God's Instruments: Summer Mission Project Team, Word Up Newsletter, Youth Music Ministry, and Faith Formation & Confirmation. These groups strive to meet the needs and components essential to the spiritual development of the youth of our parish. APOSTLE TEAM The Apostle Team is the leadership team composed of eight high school students and four middle school students. This team is responsible for the planning and implementation of a variety of programming during the school year. These programs provide opportunities for all the youth of St. Brigid to become involved in many different aspects of the church.
**See Youth Music Ministry for more information. RETREATS Two retreats are planned each year for the youth of St. Brigid. Late fall has become the tradition for our Middle School Retreats (6th grade - 8th grade). Registration for retreat participants begins with the beginning of faith formation classes. The retreats last from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. Retreat sites vary but are usually in the Hill Country. The retreat team consists of adults, college students, and high school students (10th - 12th grade). Recruitment for the retreat team begins in early August with weekly meetings through the retreat date. The first weeks of March have become the tradition as times for our High School Retreats (9th grade - 12th grade). Registration for retreat participants begins in November. Retreat sites also vary but are usually in the Hill Country. The retreat team consists of adults, college students, and high school seniors. Recruitment for the retreat team begins in late October with weekly meetings through the retreat date. A leadership retreat and other lock-ins are also planned throughout the year to meet the developmental and spiritual needs of the youth. ANGEL STAFF A very special component of the Retreat program at St. Brigid is a group of youth and adults that form the Angel Staff. The Angel Staff prays anonymously for the entire year prior to the High School Retreat. There are actually five Angel Staffs at St. Brigid: Secret Angel Staff, Guardian Angel Staff, Archangel Staff, Rector Angel, and Retreat Staff Angels. The Secret Angel Staff is made up of 12 High School students who are chosen by the staff at the high school retreat. Their job begins immediately as they begin praying for the youth of the parish and the up coming retreat. Being a Secret Angel is a true calling to be more like Christ. These angels are called to be positive role models - at church and in their personal life. They pray daily as individuals and weekly as a group. They reach out to the youth of St. Brigid by responding to written prayer requests and preparing Angel Activities for youth nights. Because this is such tremendous work, they too need support and prayer, hence the Guardian Angel Staff. This is a group of adults and young adults who meet and pray for the Secret Angel Staff. To further the support chain the Archangels are a smaller group who pray for the Guardian Angels. Finally, to support those preparing the high school retreat we have a Rector Angel who prays specifically for the retreat coordinators and Staff Angels who pray for the retreat staff. All in all over thirty people - youth, adults, and young adults - are praying year round for the welfare of our youth, their families, and our parish.
YOUTH MUSIC MINISTRY Youth Music Ministry is made up of two groups - the Youth Choir and a newly organized Liturgical Movement group. The youth choir sings every first Sunday at the 12:30 p.m. Mass and for special events and liturgies during the school year. The choir practices the two Wednesdays prior to the Sunday Mass. Middle school to young adult vocalists and instrumentalists are invited to join the youth choir. The Liturgical Movement group evolved after the members of the retreat team began choreographing movements to popular Christian music. Youth and adults have discovered that they can express Christ's message through this new genre. Youth, young adults, and adults meet monthly to choose music to which they can choreograph and express their faith and the many messages Christ has left us to learn from.
GOD'S INSTRUMENTS - GI'S SUMMER MISSION PROJECT The youth of St. Brigid have a commitment to giving of time and talent to the community of St. Brigid and our greater community (San Antonio and the world at large). To really focus on large scale projects, God's Instruments - a.k.a. the GI's, plan a weeklong summer project each year. Throughout the year the group seeks funding for their outreach project. This takes many forms but is most marked by the annual Knights of Columbus Spaghetti Dinner and the annual Trash to Treasure - both in the spring. In the past, High School youth, college students, and adults have prepared and implemented projects such as building structures for a church in Mexico or spending a week in San Antonio at local parishes that are in need. The summer mission projects in-town and out of town will typically alternate each year. Opportunities for on-going service projects throughout the year are also available for middle school students and others who are not able to make a weeklong commitment (see Apostle Team for more information). YOUTH NEWSLETTER A completely youth coordinated newsletter, Word Up is a monthly newsletter distributed with the Parish Newsletter. The newsletter features faith stories, a Parent's Corner, an Angel Corner, Saint of the Month, artwork and poetry by and for the youth of our parish. Faith stories, artwork, and other articles are welcome to be submitted to the newsletter team by youth of all ages - twelve to one hundred and twelve. |
|||||||||||||||