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Category Archives: Featured

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FAIL! Sometimes I Am Really Bad at My Job.

By | January 27, 2010

Last month, I had a great moment with one of my favorite teens! (Yes, I do play favorites. You can ask any of my teens and they will proudly tell you why they are my favorite.) After a night of trying to pray with teens (a night that I had spent countless hours developing, praying [...]

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How to Navigate the Waters of Catholic Youth Ministry Acronyms

By | January 25, 2010

Have you ever been with someone who kept talking using confusing acronyms? The reality is that the language of Catholic youth ministry in the United States is filled with acronyms. Here are 11 acronyms that anyone working in Catholic Youth Ministry needs to know.

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Finding a Spiritual Solution to the Problem of Negativity

By | January 25, 2010

I have heard it said on many occasions from several reliable sources: “It takes thirteen positive comments to make up for one negative comment.” Now, I want to be honest. I have been unable to find the scientific research to back this up, so if anyone out there has access to that empirical data, please hook me up. However, something about the statement speaks to my heart. I highly suspect that it does take thirteen positive comments to make up for one negative comment. What do you think?

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Turning on the Light: Pro-Life & Youth Ministry

By | January 20, 2010

Sure, I always said that I was Pro-Life but what was I actually doing to help promote the Pro-Life movement, especially when it comes to the unborn? Bottom line is that I was doing nothing. I was letting everyone else do the work for me. I would tell my teens that protecting life is important but I was never passionate myself. How could I expect my teens to be passionate if I was not setting the example? I realized we absolutely cannot expect our teens to be passionate about the Pro-Life movement unless we are.

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Checklist for a Great Retreat

By | January 20, 2010

Sometimes we in youth ministry struggle with organization. I learned this the hard way on my first fall retreat as a youth minister. Forgetting to bring something as small as an s-video wire can disrupt that amazing retreat experience that you have been praying about, planning for, and convincing your pastor to attend for months. So I recommend assembling a quality retreat kit as far in advance as possible (a few weeks or more).

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Unshakeable Faith: Haiti Earthquake Response Life Night

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In the past few days, we have all been affected by the images and stories coming from Haiti. Undoubtedly, your teens have also been affected. Some ask why. Some are filled with compassion. Some are angry with a God who would let this happen. All wonder what they can do to help.

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Collaboration in Ministry: No Ministry is an Island!

By | January 14, 2010

“Collaboration” is such an overused buzzword that it has virtually lost all meaning. But now, when ministries are being cut at worst and restructured at best, it would really help us all to reach out and find ways to help each other. Collaboration among leadership teams, priests, parish staff, other parish ministries, pastoral councils and diocesan offices can go far beyond telling each other what we’re doing. Our survival as youth ministries hinges on developing a model of successful leadership in which we can all participate.

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Kids Walk When They Want To

By | January 12, 2010

If you are in ministry it can be pretty frustrating when you are trying to convey the Gospel to others and they just don’t seem to want to latch on to it. You try everything.

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A Prescription for Good Core Team Health: Vitamin (Cycle) C

By | January 11, 2010

Recently during Mass my eldest daughter noticed something during the gospel proclamation – specifically, that St. Luke was not one of the original twelve apostles. I later tried to explain that St. Luke was a traveling companion of St. Paul and a convert to the faith, but not one of the original twelve men that [...]

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A New Year, a New Website

By | January 7, 2010

Some of you might’ve read last year on ym.lifeteen.com that we’re upgrading the website to become CatholicYouthMinistry.com. Well 2010 is here and you can now see what we’ve been working on. Here are some highlights to our new CatholicYouthMinistry.com