The secrets and the successes of youth ministry

Intermountain Catholic

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Teens discover a pirate ship through the 2007 NCYC theme, ?Discover the Way'. The 2008 NCYC convention was held in Columbus, Ohio. photo courtesy of Shelly Valdez

by Jessica Blake

Since chaperoning 40 teens during the 1993 World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado, Shelly and John Valdez, then parishioners of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, discovered new rewards in connecting with teens.

"Standing next to people who couldn’t speak the same language to see the holiest man on the Earth right now," Shelly reminisced, "well, we all started crying, it was the most beautiful thing. His spirit was so powerful, we could feel it and we were so far back; it was extremely intense."

World Youth Day, sometimes described as a major pilgrimage, Shelly noted, "is a whole different experience if you’re older."

Although most Catholic youth groups focus on World Youth Day, Blessed Sacrament’s teens can identify more easily with the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC). "It’s a lot more intimate than World Youth Day," Shelly said. "It’s not so spread out, it’s so much safer and confined."

After Msgr. Robert Servatius, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, realized the couple’s devotion to the church through years of catechical training and their participation in the executive council and World Youth Day, he urged John and Shelly to guide Blessed Sacrament teens with their strong Catholic faith.

Before this biennial conference, Blessed Sacrament’s 19 youth council leaders discussed fund raising ideas. Shelly described their efforts in past years; "We’ve done University of Utah concessions, service projects like walk-a-thons and sold religious items, Bibles or note cards. Fund raising is just so bonding."

While the teens are raising funds to support their trip to the NCYC, they also had workshops to make items for distribution at the conference. Every youth group takes homemade hats, scarves, buttons, or other memorable gift to trade with other groups.

When the conference began, however, the fund raising seems worthwhile. Eighteen thousand-25,000 teens meet at the conference for four days with the theme in mind – November 2007’s theme- "Discover the Way"– 2009 theme- "Christ Reigns." The 2007 NCYC was held in Columbus, Ohio.

Teens prayed, attended Mass, concerts, and workshops, and learned from popular speakers such as Steve Angrisano, Jesse Manibusan and Renée Bondi. NCYC booths representing Catholic colleges, priests, life team programs, pro-life groups, St. Mary’s Press and others were put up to sell youth bibles, promote CDs, and most of all, causes. The petting zoos, blow up toys, prayer corners and clothing lines were specific to youth.

After sight-seeing, walking, hiking and using the bus to attend NCYC, John and Shelly noticed the experience enhancing leadership skills, and "all the kids came back with an evangelistic view." All of this, the NCYC said, in hope of "deepening your relationship with God and helping you on your journey toward salvation."

"I think they need to see the church bigger," said Shelly, "They can go and be Catholic and be accepted. It’s a spiritual retreat, a spiritual journey."

Other future youth projects include a Lenten project, their last project being an art activity. Shelly described teens setting up the art project for kids completely free. The Chastity Retreat, another popular youth activity, features police officers speaking about the effects of alcohol and a nurse in the parish about new diseases. Shelly said the 30-40 kids from this "generation (are) too sharp and advanced for ‘just because we said so.’"

The youth council, organizing most of these events, will be short 10 leaders this year, due to graduating students. Until then, the youth group members, attending schools in a large area, from Judge to Alta and more, will participate in more activities.

The youth group, mostly being a ‘social service unit,’ has conducted pizza parties, ice-skating, hiking, mini-golfing, rock climbing, and playing softball. They are still waiting for the annual Diocesan Spring Festival and parish picnic.

Watching kids all work together in a huge age range and seeing them take charge of a project they are proud of, is the most rewarding part of youth ministry, according to John and Shelly. Now, ministers for 12 years, John and Shelly say the hardest part of their job hasn’t changed- "finding and connecting with teens."