ST. PAUL, Minn. — A nationwide teen evangelization program is gaining renewed interest after the coronavirus pandemic shut down the ministry for several months in 2020.
Minnesota-based NET Ministries has seen both in-person and newly developed online retreats grow in popularity as teenagers seek companionship and new avenues for prayer and reflection, said Mark Berchem, the program’s founder and president.
The program has reached more than 100,000 youths in 110 U.S. dioceses since being founded in 1981.
NET Ministries invites Catholics ages 18-28 to devote nine months – August through May – serving with its National Evangelization Teams in offering youth retreats. NET Ministries also has been replicated in Canada, Ireland, Scotland, Australia and Uganda.
“The work of NET is relational evangelization,” Berchem said. “Our focus is on sharing the basic Gospel message with teenagers, to awaken faith and bring it alive in their hearts and minds.”
Designed for students in grades 6-12, the retreat format calls for alternating between large group sessions and small groups, using dramas to put the Gospel in visual form, prayer ministry and guided reflection time.
“We worked with three Twin Cities medical doctors to come up with COVID protocols to bring our missionaries and staff together safely in August,” Berchem said. “As we go throughout the country, we follow that guidance, which includes wearing face masks and practicing social distancing, as well as local protocols such as capacity limits in a church.”
Despite the extra safety precautions, retreatants are eager to participate.
“The majority of teens are doing online school and are used to being at home, so they are grateful to be there in person, with the gift of being face-to-face – even if it’s only half-face to half-face with masks,” said team leader Collin Towns, 22, of Fenton, Mich.
Team members are typically young adults right out of high school or college with a desire to serve before completing their college education or beginning a career.
Editor’s Note: More information about NET Ministries is available on its website, https://netusa.org.
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