About Family & Youth Ministry

Dear young people, make the most of these years of your youth. Don't observe life from a balcony. Don't confuse happiness with an armchair, or live your life behind a screen. Whatever you do, do not become the sorry sight of an abandoned vehicle! Don't be parked cars, but dream freely and make good decisions. Take risks, even if it means making mistakes. Don't go through life anaesthetised. Live! Give yourselves over to the best of life! Open the door of the cage, go out and fly! Please, don't take early retirement.  Pope Francis, Christus Vivit

Download Strategic Plan here

Strategic Plan for Family and Youth Ministry

Bishop Fabbro has commissioned The Diocese of London to be a mission-oriented church to create disciples of Jesus and we believe that starts with the family.  With this in mind and in the spirit of the recent Synod on Young People, Faith and Vocational Discernment we are happy to announce a new Strategic Plan for Family and Youth Ministry in the Diocese.  

FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS

 

Our Mandate

To assist and support parishes as they engage young people and families in the life, mission and ministry of the Church. 
 

Core Values

• Family Oriented: We recognize that the family is the primary formers of faith in young people and effective youth ministry fosters and supports family life and the family’s efforts to form missionary disciples.
• Relevant: Programs, communications, liturgy and gatherings need to be culturally relevant and sensitive to the realities young people and their families are engaging.
• Relational:  “It is in relationships – with Christ, with others, in the community – that faith is handed on.  For the sake of mission, too, the Church is called to adopt a relational manner that places emphasis on listening, welcoming, dialogue and common discernment in a process that transforms the lives of those taking part.” ¹  It is within these relationships that we draw young people into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Vocational: The basic Christian vocation is the call to holiness² and youth ministry initiatives should effectively reflect that God calls each person into relationship with him, respects one’s freedom and yet has a plan for every person.
• Adoptive: As each of us is an adopted child of God, so must our parish communities be committed to fully adopting young people and families.  They must be embraced and welcomed in the manner which they present themselves, listened to, mentored and accompanied on the journey to holiness. 

 

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

The following outlines the strategic objectives from a diocesan level and a parish level

Family and Youth Ministry Outreach Office

• To provide workshops and formation opportunities for  parish teams in their work with youth and families
• To support the Youth Ministry Certification program to  better prepare individuals for the work of youth ministry
• To  equip disciples within parishes we will offer on-site youth/family ministry training
• To develop programs and  initiatives that parishes can adapt and use in their own communities
• To deliver activities, articles and ideas that are relevant to families, parents and young people that can be shared via social media, bulletins, or other publications
• To support and enable all members of parish teams to effectively engage, inform and  disciple parents, youth and families  
• Create and share new, relevant methods of youth and family ministry

 

 Parishes and Families of Parishes

Mission and Financial

• Create a preferential option for youth and family ministry in all parish families
• Invest in personnel, programs, activities and resources  for young people and their families
• Support parents in their role as first witnesses of the faith

Personnel

• Discern the gifts and charisms among the parish staff to determine those best suited to work with children, youth, parents and families
• Ensure initial training and  provide ongoing formation and support opportunities to effectively train members of the parish team responsible for the work of youth  and family ministry

Parish Culture

• Recognize all moments of  contact with families and young people as opportunities for evangelization and embrace those encounters with joy, grace and a spirit of welcome.
• Create a culture of accompaniment within the entire parish , engaging everyone in the work of mentoring young people and welcoming families
• Recognize the unique gifts and  energy that young people have to offer, drawing them into  the life, mission and ministry of the church

 

 METHODOLOGY AND APPROACHES FOR PARISHES

It is essential to recognize that  while doctrine and theology remain the consistent, the ways in which we impart that theology and the truth of our faith must be flexible and adaptable.  Youth Ministry is fluid and all efforts should be made to work within the current culture in which families are living, if we hope to draw them into a relationship with Jesus and His Church.   

It is with this in mind that we offer the following suggestions:

 

Children 

• Keep children in mind when planning liturgies. 
  • Encourage families with small children to sit up front so it is easier for them to see the altar
  • If you supply a weekly bulletin make it easily accessible as families come in so children can interact with them throughout the mass
  • Make sure families know where the restrooms are
  • Get to know children’s names so you can acknowledge them before or after mass
• Whenever possible, provide a Children’s Liturgy of the Word with well-trained catechists and leaders
• Provide activities and events outside of the mass that help connect the church with fun, food and friends

Tweens and Teens

• This is the typical age for “youth group” but current trends indicate even this is changing
  • Young people are more likely to participate in events that have a short, defined duration measured in weeks rather than months
  • Small, intimate groups (discipleship groups) are sometimes preferred
  • It is important to have well trained adults available to mentor young people
• Young people have a desire to make an impact on their community and the larger world
  • They want to do meaningful work in service to others
  • They want to be heard and respected
  • Their gifts should be acknowledged and utilized in the life of the parish
• This generation of young people like being with their parents.  Provide opportunities for them to share the journey.
• Significant  transformations can be experienced in the midst of large gathered events such as World Youth Day, Steubenville, Rise Up conference, weekend retreats and camp experiences

Families

• Whenever possible eliminate roadblocks for families that may make it difficult for them to attend gatherings
  • Feed them a meal
  • Provide child care when required
  • Offer multiple time options for mandatory gatherings to accommodate busy schedule
  • Provide age appropriate activities for all members of the family
• Parents love opportunities to create great memories with their children, parishes should be deliberate about designing events that help them do that
  • Provide gatherings and activities for the whole family
  • Offer a space for family photos
  • Post photos on social media (with proper consent)
• Families need to know we care about them even when they are not present regularly
  • Provide workshops and activities that support the challenging yet rewarding work of parenting
  • Communicate relevant articles, prayers, memes or links on social media or in other communiques
  • Create a file on good resources for those crisis moments that you can share with parents
• Provide parents with knowledge and skills to confidently  lead their children in the faith
  • They desire to pray for and bless their children. Train them, give them resources, model for them and let them practice.
  • Give them the tools and opportunities and resources to explore their faith, to find ways to express their faith in words and actions their children can understand.  Supporting them helps support their children
  • Their children may be having experiences of faith that they have never had (adoration, Steubenville, retreats) whenever possible give them a small taste of these experiences
  • Follow up meetings and events with them with talking points and discussion starters