Commentary
The following are not broad enough to be considered models of adolescent catechesis; however, they may be effectively utilized in tandem with the models described above to reinforce and further develop catechetical themes.
Family-friendly, Intergenerational, Resources, Programs & Activities
It’s a common complaint among catechists and youth ministers that their efforts seem too often to go unsupported by parents and families. Moreover, catechetical leaders readily acknowledge the powerful influence that parents and families have on the faith development of their youth, for good or ill. Yet they often feel helpless in this regard.
Resources are available to assist catechetical leaders in having an impact on the faith of parents and families – and thus on young people in those families. Perhaps the most significant resource in this regard is Family Works, published by the Center for Ministry Development. This 3-inch binder is packed with everything from intergenerational learning sessions to family prayer and service activities.
Catechists and youth ministers can use resources such as these to augment their sessions with young people. With sufficient forethought and planning, parents and families can be invited into exploring the same faith themes as their teenagers. Topics pass from catechetical sessions to the dinner table, and learning at church is shared and reinforced at home. In this way, the faith formation of a teenager becomes a shared project of parents, families, catechists and youth ministers – as it should be.
Rites of Passage
Rites of Passages which include catechesis can uniquely address the needs and culture of youth and may assist them in successfully moving from childhood towards whole, healthy, responsible Catholic Christian adulthood
Pilgrimages, Encuentros, Conferences, & Rallies
Even with solid catechetical programming in place, parishes recognize the value of augmenting their efforts by participating in diocesan, regional and national faith-enriching activities and programs:
- Parishes looking to expose their youth to the universal Church will send them on World Youth Day pilgrimages or sponsor trips to the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC).
- A model that is new to the English-speaking world is that of the Encuentro, a special gathering that is like yet unlike a conference: with greater emphasis on community involvement and celebration, Encuentro will likely be a familiar model for Hispanic youth.
- On the Diocesan level, look for rallies for high school age youth and junior high school age youth that offer opportunities for young people from all over the Diocese to come together for faith sharing.
- Retreat or retreat-like experiences can help youth articulate and develop their own spiritualities and empower them to leadership in prayer and worship.
Parishes that take advantage of these opportunities and incorporate the learning in follow-up sessions, find these supplemental resources and programs very helpful in supporting their catechetical efforts. Parishes who use these programs as their sole means of catechesis or faith development will discover that their youth will not (a) develop a connection to the local parish, (b) be exposed to (and, therefore, treasure) the richness and diversity of the Catholic tradition, (c) be challenged to grow from searching to owned faith.
Programs of Leadership Development and Ministry Formation
Young people who are moving into positions of service and leadership in their faith communities are often provided specialized training. Whether liturgical, a peer ministry or general leadership skill, this sort of training provides an invaluable opportunity to deepen the faith and spirituality of young people. If those conducting the training understand their role as catechetical, they will include components in their training that go well beyond simply conveying the “how to’s” of ministry and service – they will include prayer, reflection, faith sharing, and sharing our faith tradition.
Youth leadership programs such as YouthLeader, conducted by the Office for Catholic Youth Ministry) offer extended, in-depth opportunities to develop not only ministry skills, but also a deepened understanding of our faith in the context of our baptismal call to ministry.
Religious Recognition Programs
Many of our young people are involved in Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts or American Heritage Girls. These programs offer wonderful faith-building opportunities in their religious recognition programs. Each year, hundreds of young women and men in the Diocese receive the Marian Medal, the Ad Altare Dei, Parvuli Dei and others. These programs taken alone do not comprise a comprehensive catechetical model; however, they can serve as effective supplements. Further information and complete program instructions and manuals are available through the Office for Catholic Youth Ministry. (See Section Six, “Scouting as Youth Ministry)