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Tag Archives: Faith

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3 Books That Can Help You Keep Your Heart Open

By | September 19, 2010

People are often asking me to recommend books to read. As a Catholic leader we need to be reading on a regular basis. I have made a commitment over the past several years to read books. I read all types of books and often people recommend books for me to read. I have grown to really love reading and learning from what I read. Here are 3 books that I believe have the ability to make you stronger in your Catholic faith by helping keep your heart open.

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If You Have Faith – The Peace Will be There

By | September 15, 2010

The homily had just finished with a reflection of how peaceful Mary was in the face of some pretty disturbing things in her life. Just then the man sitting next to me at Mass leans over and says – ” If you have faith – the peace will be there”. I sat for a minute after Mass thinking about how right he was. The people I know who are most peaceful are the people I know who have the most faith in God.

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If the Shepherd is on Fire – the Sheep Will Feel the Heat!

By | September 13, 2010

A priest once told me that the parishioners at his inner city parish are always encouraging him to be fired up! They often say to him – “If the shepherd is on fire – the sheep will feel the heat!” Being in a leadership role with the responsibility of shepherding several flocks, I know how important it is for me to be fired up about things. If you are in a position of leadership, are you on fire enough for your mission to have the people who you are leading feel the heat

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It Goes with the Territory

By | July 20, 2010

When I was growing up almost every time I would whine and complain about something, my dad would simply say – “It goes with the territory” – meaning that more than likely what I was complaining about was something that went along with either the choices I had made or that it was part of being the age I was and wishing I was more grown up. The reality for us in Catholic youth ministry is that there are a lot of potentially unpleasant things we face simply because it goes with the territory. The key is not focusing on all the negatives we face but in realizing the positives that go with the territory.

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The “Come To Us” Model and Why it is Not Cutting it in Catholic Youth Ministry!

By | June 3, 2010

Is youth ministry at your parish completely dependent on teens just showing up – the “Come to Us” Model? Are you operating out of the pseudo “Field of Dreams Model” of build it and they will come? Sad news is that these models aren’t as effective any more. If you and your team aren’t meeting teens where they are – at school, sports, drama, places where teens work, shopping malls and anywhere else teens are hanging out in your area – chances are you are reaching less and less teens.

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If You Want to Learn Current Teen Culture – You Will Love These Sites!

By | May 25, 2010

How familiar are you with teen sexting, girl bullying, club drugs or that teens are back into bowling? How up to date are you with today’s teen culture? Check out these 5 websites to make sure that Catholic youth ministry at your parish stays connected to the world of teens you are seeking to journey with.

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Stuff – In the Best (Catholic) Sense of the Word!

By | May 3, 2010

Let’s face it – teens like stuff! Teens lives are filled with “Stuff” – but is it the best stuff or stuff that merely clutters an already busy life? Teens want the fullness of our faith and one of the treasures the Catholic faith offers are rich traditions and symbols. Make sure that you fill your youth rooms and retreat centers with Catholic items. Items like rosaries, prayer cards and Saint Medals all reinforce the faith for young people. If you can, try to incorporate giving teens religious items when you can. It’s graduation and Confirmation time for many of us so here are some keys to gifts that can transform!

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If You Expect A Lot – You Will Get A Lot!

By | April 30, 2010

In my years of Catholic Youth Ministry I have embraced the concept of having high expectations of the young people we are trying to lead closer to Christ! As leaders we can’t sell young people short and expect less. Yesterday at a Catechetical Symposium I helped lead in the Archdiocese of Boston there was a fishbowl sharing experience that included some college students. At the end we asked them to give the youth leaders, DRE’s and Catholic school teachers present a word of advice. One young man simply said “If you expect a lot – you will get a lot!”

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The Theology of Randomness: how useless knowledge can be useful in ministry

By | April 29, 2010

I love useless knowledge. I could read random bits of trivia all day. One of the reasons that I love Sacred Scripture so much is because there are so many random, seemingly unimportant details found in its pages. They fascinate me. Nothing is unnecessary, however. Every iota of Scripture was inspired and breathed by the Holy Spirit. Everything is important and everything, everything is useful if we pray about it long enough. Over the past several years I’ve spent a lot more time sharing the “random”

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Glimpses

By | April 22, 2010

- seeing the teen, who didn’t want to “get into it” because he was forced by his parents to go on retreat, standing in a large group of teens praying with his hands raised!

- hearing your DRE walking by your office humming the tune from the closing song at Teen Mass last night!