Youth Ministry Focus Area
Parish youth ministry is a relatively
new concept and new style of ministry in
the U.S. Catholic Church. The National
Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB)
issued a landmark statement, in 1997,
called Renewing the Vision: A Framework
for Catholic Youth Ministry. In it, bishops
called for dynamic and effective forms of
leadership education to prepare both
adults and youth (peer ministers) who
minister with youth and who are called
to empower young people for their
mission in the world.
This focus area introduces students
to the dynamic foundations of youth
ministry—with an emphasis on the
developmental needs of adolescents, the
lived experience of contemporary youth
ministers, and ministry models and practices that promote healthy Christian
development in youth during these
challenging times. It also gives students
an opportunity to explore in depth the
phenomenon of adolescent spiritual
development, the ministry methods and
strategies that promote it, and the impact
that an effective youth ministry can have
on the mission of local churches, the
whole church, and the wider community
in which youth and their family members
live and work.
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Foundations of Youth Ministry
The course examines the broad foundations of youth ministry with young and older adolescents. It then investigates a model for comprehensive youth ministry that incorporates developmentally sound youth programs, strengthens the family’s role in the lives of young people, involves adolescents as integral members of the local church, and reaches out to key individuals and organizations in the wider community in a dynamic effort to promote healthy youth formation.
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Adolescent Spirituality and Methods of Faith Development
With this course, students first examine in depth the phenomenon and characteristics of adolescent spirituality today. They then examine typical stages of religious development during the adolescent years. Finally, students direct their attention to a study of a variety of methodologies to enhance and encourage the faith development of youth, and appropriate to helping youth grow in religious knowledge and religious expression.