Funds awarded in the midst of tough economic environment; will support education programs that cultivate future leaders from among diocese¹s 42 parishes
Chicago, Ill. Catholic Extension announced today it will award $20,000 to support a dynamic Youth Ministry Outreach initiative designed to better prepare young people of all cultures in parishes throughout the California diocese to become leaders in their church communities.
A large number of the diocese¹s rural parishes have few existing leaders from within their communities. In response to an expressed desire among the parishes to develop youth leadership despite hard times, Catholic Extension is providing funding for initiatives that build the faith of local youth, inspire them to lead, and equip them with the practical tools to reach out to their peers and foster participation in the Church.
³Youth ministry leaders are critically important to building strong faith communities and the future of our Church,² said Joseph Boland, Senior Director of Grants Management for Catholic Extension. ³We know these leaders are out there. We believe in their capacity to accept responsibility for the spiritual growth of their communities, and are committed to nurturing that capacity with effective educational programs.²
This fall, the Diocesan Office of Youth Ministry will welcome between 300 and 400 adolescents (grades 6-12) selected by individual parishes to participate in the following diocesan-sponsored workshops:
· Five regional and two diocesan Catholic Youth Leadership Days
· Two five-day youth leadership summer camps
· Four regional youth Ministry Formation workshops
· Bilingual youth leadership training days specifically for Hispanic adolescents
These leadership retreats will increase the participants¹ capacity for ministerial leadership, improving critical skills such as literacy in Scripture, pastoral care of peers, public speaking, large group presentation and facilitation, and interpersonal behavioral and communication abilities.
A portion of the funds will also support the ministerial formation and training of young adults in the Youth Office¹s Pastoral Juvenil Hispana program, which educates and prepares Hispanic youth ministers to work with the diocese¹s expanding Hispanic population. In total, approximately 550 Catholics in Santa Rosa will participate in the diocese¹s various youth ministry programs this year.
The grant also will help finance development of an online resource center for diocesan youth leaders. Moving to web-based resources will help the Office more efficiently and effectively disperse tools and
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