Adolescent Spirituality

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1 Adolescent Spirituality DEFINING ADOLESCENT SPIRITUALITY Adolescent spirituality is a slice of Christian spirituality that directly caters to the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs of young people. Catholic Archbishop of Cincinnati, Ohio, Daniel E. Pilarczyk (1986), in his book, Living in the Lord: The Building Blocks of Spirituality, defines adolescent spirituality in three ways: (1) spirituality is not a matter of acquiring something new, youth already have spirituality in them by virtue of faith and baptism, it is simply a matter of being consistent with God; (2) spirituality is the gift of holiness, a gift that God bestows on all people, but youth need to be willing and open to respond to the gift of holiness; and (3) spirituality is living in the Lord, which is a direct response and acceptance to the call of holiness, and brings Christ out of shadows of our lives to the forefront of our existence (pp. 2-3). Recognizing these three dimensions will assist youth ministers in helping to make adolescent s lives more meaningful and relevant. CULTIVATING ADOLESCENT SPIRITUALITY Psychologist and Jesuit priest Charles M. Shelton (1983), in his watershed book, Adolescent Spirituality: Pastoral Ministry for High School and College Youth, notes that there are four key characteristics of adolescent spirituality. For Shelton, adolescent Christian spirituality emerges from and consists of four realities: (1) Christ-centeredness, (2) relational, (3) future-oriented, and (4) developmental perspective (pp. 9-10). Each of these characteristics helps to solidify spirituality for a young person. These four key characteristics of adolescent spirituality undergird the maturing adolescent Christian to become more spiritually attuned to walk the journey of conversion, faith, and Christian commitment (Shelton, p. 338). Taken together these insights help to define adolescent spirituality and provide a pivotal backdrop for the connectedness between adolescents, the church, and youth ministry. Although fostering adolescent spirituality may seem like a foregone conclusion on the part of parish youth ministers, some of the approaches or methods for trying to attain a more mature spirituality may not be appropriate for young people, not because they are dangerous, but because either the teenager is not developmentally ready or the youth minister is not properly trained to facilitate the experience. Catholic educator Jane C. Lindle (2005) observes, in her book, Affirming Faith, Dispelling Old Myths: Ministry with Young Adolescents, [Adolescent] spirituality is multidimensional and includes an individual relationship with God, as well as a communal relationship with God and other people (p. 11). Conversely, adolescent spirituality requires personal awareness and connection with the community. For Lindle (2005) another component of adolescent spirituality is service, The development of a young person s spirituality requires opportunities for service.... and making service-learning a constant part of catechesis and youth activities (pp. 9, 33). Service can be a rewarding ministry for all young people and will definitely enhance personal and communal spirituality. Catholic theologian Sharon Reed (1991), in her book, Spirituality: Access Guides to Youth Ministry, suggests that a vision for developing youth spirituality is twofold: (1) there must be an awareness of who and what I am called to be and (2) an awareness that demands response one nourishes the other (p. 4). These are the classical existential questions of life: Who am I? Why am I here? Where do I fit in? What will I do with my life? Therefore, adolescence appears to be a ripe time for spiritual growth and formation. 1 For more information on this topic see Arthur D. Canales forthcoming essay entitled Addressing Adolescent Spirituality and Assessing Spiritual Practices for Adolescents in the Catholic Church, Journal of Youth Ministry, Fall 2008.

2 Youth Ministry Mission The Office of Youth Ministry upholds and promotes the Mission of the Diocese of Austin and the Roman Catholic Church. We, the Diocese of Austin, the Catholic Church of Central Texas through the Word and Eucharist, prayer, formation and education, social ministries and advocacy, embrace diverse cultures throughout the diocese so that together, as the Catholic Church, we may continue the mission of Christ in the world today (Diocesan Mission Statement). Beyond the mission of the diocese, the Office of Youth Ministry aims at ministering to, with, by, and for young people and empowering the young Church of today toward personal and communal transformation. In addition, the Office of Youth Ministry provides continual religious education, catechesis, and faith-formation for parish coordinators of youth ministry, Catholic high school campus ministers, and adult youth ministry leaders through various spiritual, pastoral, and theological endeavors. Definition The term ministry is restricted to adults who carry forward the mission of the Church and the ministry of Jesus Christ to adolescents. Therefore, youth ministry falls under the umbrella of ministry, and it has its own style, context, and qualities that make it applicable and appealing to young people. The first U.S. Catholic youth ministry document, A Vision of Youth Ministry (1976), offers a simple, but realistic definition of Catholic youth ministry: Youth ministry is the response of the Christian community to the needs of young people and the sharing of the unique gifts of youth with the larger community (p. 6). Comprehensive Youth Ministry The buzz-word in Catholic youth ministry circles over the past ten years is comprehensive, which describes a systematic and integrated approach to youth ministry that is outlined in U.S. Catholic Bishops document Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry (1997). RTV and is the preferred approach to doing ministry with adolescents. The U.S. Bishops offer a set of generic guidelines and working definition for coordinators of youth ministry (CYM) and adult youth leaders (volunteers) to follow while doing comprehensive youth ministry. The comprehensive framework for ministry with adolescents is designed to utilize each of the Church s ministries advocacy, catechesis, community life, evangelization, justice and service, leadership development, pastoral care, prayer and worship in an integrated approach to achieving the three goals for ministry with adolescents; 2. provide developmentally appropriate programs and activities that promote personal and spiritual growth for young and older adolescents; 3. enrich family life and promote the faith growth of families of adolescents; 4. incorporate young people fully into all aspects of church life and engage them in ministry and leadership in the faith community; 5. create partnerships among families, schools, churches, and community organizations in a common effort to promote positive youth development (RTV, 20).

3 The guidelines for comprehensive youth ministry are an important dimension for Catholic youth ministry. Consequently, then, comprehensive youth ministry is Catholic youth ministry! Goals The U.S. Catholic Bishops give clear and rich goals for comprehensive youth ministry in the document, Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry (1997), which is seen as the gold-standard and blueprint for Catholic parishes and schools (p. ii). The goals for young people are as follows: 1. Goal 1: To empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today (p. 9). 2. Goal 2: To draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community (p. 11). 3. Goal 3: To foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person (p. 15). The three goals are an excellent resource and reminder for youth ministers to learn, to integrate, and to implement into Catholic adolescent ministry. Sean Reynolds (2005), Archdiocesan Director of Youth Ministry (Cincinnati, OH) maintains that the three goals within RTV are archetypal for youth ministry praxis and the three cornerstones of any youth ministry building project (218). The first goal emphasizes the need for young Catholics to become Christian disciples and answer with authenticity Jesus invitation to Come, follow me (Mark 10:21). The second goal stresses the importance of Christian responsibly and participation in the life of a parish-community and local church (diocese). RTV states, The ministry of community life is not only what we do (actively), but who we are (identity) and how we interact (relationships) (34). The third goal accentuates the holistic nature of the young person and addresses teenage spiritual needs. Catholic religious educator Michael Carotta (2002) discusses adolescent spiritual growth through three dimensions: the way one relates to God through prayer, worship, and religious practices (vertical); (b) the way one relates to God through moral interactions with others (horizontal); and (c) the way one experiences God s ability to help deal with internal pain, stress, loneliness, fear, sadness, anger, and other emotions (internal) (43). Themes There are seven themes that are to be integrated into comprehensive youth ministry in Catholic parishes and schools. The seven comprehensive themes that merit attention and should be part of Catholic youth ministry are: (1) developmentally appropriate, (2) family friendly, (3) intergenerational, (4) multicultural, (5) community-wide collaboration, (6) inclusive of leadership development, and (7) flexible and adaptive programming (RTV, 22-25). Developmentally Appropriate Human development and growth in faith is a lifelong journey. Effective ministry with adolescents provides developmentally appropriate experiences, programs, activities, strategies, resources, content, and processes to address the unique developmental and social needs younger and older adolescents (RTV, 20). Youth programs, events, and strategies should meet the maturity level and faith and moral developmental stage of the adolescent. This is the reason that RTV separates faith formation and ministry initiatives into two categories: younger adolescents (11-14 years old) and older adolescents (15-18 years old). Thus, pastoral activities with youth are to be age-appropriate. Family Friendly The domestic church or Christian home is the first and most important influence on a young person and on society. Ministry with adolescents recognizes that the family has the primary responsibility for the faith

4 formation of young people and that parish youth ministry and Catholic schools only share in that vital formation (RTV, 21). Hence, ministry with adolescents ought not take teenagers away from their family, but rather help to foster family dynamics and life. Intergenerational Ministry with adolescents recognizes the importance of the intergenerational faith community in sharing faith and promoting healthy growth in adolescents. Ministry with adolescents can incorporate teenagers into intergenerational opportunities already available in the parish community, identify and develop leadership opportunities in the parish for young people (RTV, 22). Intergenerational ministry with young people helps in facilitating experiences that share programs that include children, youth, young adults, adults, and elderly adults. Multicultural Ministry with adolescents is multicultural only when it focuses on a specialized ministry to youth of particular racial and ethic cultures and promotes multicultural awareness among youth (RTV, 22). Youth ministry must recognize, value, and respond to ethnic diversity. Youth ministry needs to incorporate ethic traditions, values, and rituals into ministerial programming. Being a multicultural church-community means that all adolescents belong equally to the universal church and should relate to one another as sisters and brothers from the same family of God. Community-wide Collaboration Ministry with adolescents involves creating healthier civic communities for all young people. Community-wide collaboration means building partnerships among families, schools, churches, and organizations that mobilize the community in a common effort to build healthier community life and to promote positive adolescent development (RTV, 24). Therefore, the parish-community is not alone in its efforts in working with adolescents; community collaboration involves sharing resources and information, supporting and sponsoring events, and developing youth advocacy support-systems and efforts. Inclusive of Leadership Development Parish coordinators of youth ministry (CYM s) are in leadership positions based purely on their status within the parish, school, and local Church. Youth ministers are coordinators and have a central role in facilitating young people, programming and outreach, and resources of the faith community on behalf of a comprehensive ministry effort with adolescents (RTV, 24). Quality leadership for youth ministry animates, orchestrates, and mobilizes the entire parish or school community to get behind youth ministry, which draws forth the community s gifts and resources. Flexible and Adaptable Programming There are many types of programs and initiatives within youth ministry; therefore, a comprehensive approach must be flexible and adaptable offering: a diversity of program settings, age-appropriate programming, a balanced mix of programs, activities, and strategies that address the eight components of comprehensive youth ministry, small-group processes, home-based initiatives with parent involvement, social justice and service projects, and one-on-one mentoring and discipleship (RTV, 25). There is no single program, approach, strategy, or model for youth ministry; conversely, parishes and families will need to be dynamic and changing in their ministry efforts with young people. Components The RTV lists eight comprehensive ministry components that empower and equip youth ministers with the various areas in which they can program and assimilate the subtleties and nuances that help to create a

5 comprehensive youth ministry. The majority of RTV is taken up by this critically important section that describes these eight components of youth ministry. RTV notes, These components provide a framework for the Catholic community to respond to the needs of young people and to involve young people in sharing their unique gifts with the larger community. They provide a structure for the Church s ministry with adolescents, while encouraging local creativity in developing programs, activities, and strategies for each component. Each ministry component supports and enhances the others. A comprehensive ministry with adolescents provides balance among all eight components. This balance can be achieved throughout a year or a season of programming. Even a single program or strategy can incorporate several of the ministry components, as in the case of a retreat program (p. 26). The eight components for a Catholic comprehensive youth ministry are important and merit deeper introspection. A Catholic youth ministry must strive to offer a balanced approach which integrates the following ministry components: (1) advocacy, (2) catechesis, (3) community life, (4) evangelization, (5) justice and service, (6) leadership development, (7) pastoral care, and (8) the prayer and worship. RTV suggests that each component be implemented over a season or year of youth ministry (p. 26). Below is a description of each of the eight comprehensive ministry components listed in alphabetical order, not by importance because all eight components are important and are interdependent and connect with each other (RTV, pp ). Advocacy Young people have rights and responsibilities just like adults in society and around the world. Because adolescents have rights, the ministry of advocacy to adolescents implies that youth ministers speak up for them and give them a voice to speak in their name. RTV states, The ministry of advocacy engages the Church to examine its priorities and practices to determine how well; young people are integrated into the life, mission, and work of the Catholic community. [Advocacy] places adolescents and families first by analyzing every policy and program domestic, parish-based, diocesan, and international for its impact on adolescents and families (p. 27). Consequently, the majority of advocacy takes place behind the scenes as youth ministers and youth workers build relationships with teenagers, families, parish-leaders, and community organizations. The youth minister is a natural advocate for adolescents because the parish youth minister and/or high school campus minister is the adult person appointed by either pastor or school principal to empower, guide, and advise adolescents. Maggie McCarty (2005) maintains that youth ministers advocate for young people in a variety of ways: respecting and valuing the opinions of teenagers, appreciating the energy and insights of young people, working with youth not for them, share leadership, responsibilities, and power with young people, disregarding personally held stereotypes, prejudices, biases, and preconceptions pertaining to adolescents, providing teenagers with information, formation, training, and support that will empower them to succeed and be transformed, stop blaming all young people for the actions of one person or a few youth people, talking to and listening with youth about personal issues, concerns, and challenges, advocating for adolescents by ensuring they are represented at the table when groups of adults meet to discuss the needs of the parish, diocese, and national church (p. 75). (See Youth Ministry: The Component of Advocacy, in Robert J. McCarty edits, The Vision of Catholic Youth Ministry: Fundamentals, Theory, and Practice; Winona, MN: Saint Mary s Press, 2005, pp ). Catechesis Adolescent catechesis is a major pastoral endeavor in the Catholic Church because adolescent catechesis deepens a young person s faith life by leading them to recognize and reverence the sacred among them, and

6 respond to that universal call to holiness and Christian discipleship. RTV stipulates, The ministry of catechesis helps adolescents develop a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and the Christian community, and increase their knowledge of the core content of the Catholic faith. The ministry of Catechesis also helps young people enrich and expand their understanding of the Scriptures and the sacred tradition and their application to life today, and live more faithfully as disciples of Jesus Christ in their daily lives, especially through a life or prayer, justice, and loving service. Genuine faith is a total response of the whole person mind, heart, and will. The ministry of Catechesis fosters growth in Catholic faith in all three dimensions trusting (heart, knowing and believing (mind), and doing (will). The goal should be to have all Catholic youth involved in some program of catechesis (p. 29). Adolescent catechesis undergirds the entire youth ministry because it is rooted in Jesus Christ. In a real sense, if there is no catechesis, there is no youth ministry. Adolescent catechesis is primarily concerned with developing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and fostering Christian discipleship in young people. The Young Church of today is a vibrant community that is foundational to the Catholic Church s mission and identity. The National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (1986) published the document, The Challenge of Adolescent Catechesis: Maturing in Faith, and it maintains that there are six foundations of adolescent catechesis which are rooted in: (1) Jesus Christ, (2) Christian discipleship, (3) Church s mission and ministries, (4) Christian faith, (5) developing human person, and (6) Christian community (pp ). These six foundational points assist to foster in Catholic teenagers a communal identity and help them develop their own personal faith identity. For example, the themes that should be covered in a youth ministry curriculum or in catechetical sessions for early adolescence (ages 10-14) are as follows: The Profession of Faith: Catholic Beliefs, Holy Trinity, Jesus the Christ, Church; The Sacraments of Faith: the Church as Sacrament, the Seven Sacraments, the liturgical year, Sunday Eucharist; The Life of Faith: Life in the Holy Spirit, the Dignity of the Human Person, Morality and Living a Virtuous Life, Personal Growth, Relationships, Sexuality, Social Justice and Service, Grace as Gift, Lifestyles and Vocation; Prayer in the Life of Faith: Jesus and Prayer, Christian Prayer, Liturgical Prayer, Private Prayer (see RTV, pp ). Adolescent catechesis deserves much attention within youth ministry and helps empower young people toward a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and a more meaningful understanding of the Catholic Church. Community Life The Catholic Church is a large faith-community and is comprised of children, adolescents, young adults, adults, and the elderly, and of various ethnicities and diverse cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. Entrance into the community is the Sacrament of Baptism. The aim of community life within the Catholic Church is to nurture faith in a way that is particular to the specific community (e.g., youth, or Asians, or the economically poor) while concentrating to the truth of the Catholic Church. RTV notes, The ministry of community life builds an environment of love, support, appreciation for diversity, and judicious acceptance that models Catholic principles; develops meaningful relationships; and nurtures Catholic faith. The content of our message will be heard only when it is lived in our relationships and community life. To teach compassion, generosity, tolerance, peace, forgiveness, acceptance, and love as Gospel values and to ourselves as Christians require us to live these values in our interactions with young people and in our community life. God s reign was proclaimed through the relationships Jesus initiated, and it continues to be heralded every time we witness our belief in him through the relationships in our community. The community life of the first Christians was a sign to everyone that Christ was in their midst (see Acts 2:42-47). The ministry of community life is not only what we do (activity), but who we are (identity), and how we interact (relationships) (RTV, p. 34). Community life is one of the core elements of youth ministry because it is the youth community and parish community that adolescents first encounter church as a people of faith. Community life is also the litmus test for

7 whether or not good environment and fruitful relationships take place within youth ministry. It is in community that catechesis and discipleship take place and get handed down from one generation to another. Evangelization It has been expressed that evangelization is the heartbeat of Catholic youth ministry and the mission of the Catholic Church. The Church exists in order to evangelize (Evangelii Nuntiandi, n. 14). Evangelization is the energizing interior of the Church calling people, societies, and social systems to conversion and change of heart. The USCCB document, Go and Make Disciples (2002) proclaims, Evangelization means bringing the Good News of Jesus into every human situation and seeking to convert individuals and society by the divine power of the Gospel itself. Its essence is the proclamation of salvation in Jesus Christ and the response of a person in faith, both being the work of the Spirit of God (p. 2). Therefore, the need for evangelization is great in youth ministry on two fronts: (1) evangelization needs to be directed towards adolescents who are faithseekers and (2) evangelization needs to be the work of adolescents who have heard the Good News and desire to share the faith. Hence, young people are the recipients and messengers of evangelization. RTV states, The ministry of evangelization shares the Good News of the reign of God and invites young people to hear about the Word Made Flesh (John 1: 14). Drawing from Jesus example, evangelization involves the community s pronouncements and living witness that the reign of God has become realized in and through Jesus (p. 36). It stands to reason that evangelization or the story of Jesus of Nazareth is an excellent starting point for comprehensive youth ministry. The NFCYM document, Challenge of Catholic Youth Evangelization: Called to Be Witnesses and Storytellers (1983) states, [Evangelization] is our recognition of the presence of God already in young people, their experiences, their families, and their culture.... Through the Incarnation of God in Jesus, Christians are convinced that God is present within and through all of creation, and, in a special way, within humanity. Evangelization, therefore, enables young people to uncover and [to] name the experience of a God already active and present in their lives. This provides openness to the gift of the Good News of Jesus Christ (pp. 7-8). Finally, Catholic evangelization in general and Catholic evangelization for youth ministry in particular includes four distinctive elements. First, evangelization is always invitational; we need to be invited to share our faith with another person. Second, evangelization is always operative in the life of a Catholic; God is constantly working in the life of a person, there is no exact moment of evangelization. Third, evangelization is communal in nature; the response to God is always communal because Christians live their lives in a faith community. Fourth, evangelization cannot be contained in a single program or strategy; there are many models and methodologies for evangelization and no one church or denomination has claims to the process of evangelization. Justice & Service The ministry justice and service are closely connected with Goal 1 of RTV ( to empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today ) and Goal 2 of RTV ( to draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community ) because justice and service are Gospel values and Jesus himself publicly proclaimed his ministerial focus was to bring good news to the poor (Luke 4: 18). RTV declares, The ministry of justice and service nurtures in young people a social consciousness and a commitment to a life of justice and service rooted in their faith in Jesus Christ, in the Scriptures, and in Catholic social teaching; empowers young people to work for justice by concrete efforts to address the causes of human suffering; and infuses the concepts of justice, peace, and human dignity into all ministry efforts (p. 38). Our Catholic faith calls us to work for justice, to pursue peace, serve those in need, and to defend life, these are the hallmarks of Catholic social teaching. The USCCB document, Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions (1998), offers seven guiding principles that are rooted in sacred Scripture and are witnessed in ministry of the Catholic Church (see pp. 4-6). These principles provide a tangible framework for adolescents to reflect upon and to put into practice: 1. The life and dignity of the human person,

8 2. The call to family, community, and participation, 3. The rights and responsibilities of all people, 4. The fundamental option for the poor and vulnerable, 5. The dignity of work and the rights of workers, 6. Solidarity, 7. Care for God s creation. It is evident that quality youth ministry cannot afford to overlook the component of justice and service because it is part and parcel of authentic Christian discipleship. As RTV reminds us, We are also called to help change the policies, structures, and systems that perpetuate injustice through legislative advocacy, community organizing, and work with social change organizations (p. 38). Leadership Development One of the important undercurrents of comprehensive youth ministry is Christian leadership development with an emphasis on empowering young people for Christian leadership. There are many types of leadership and Christian leadership is one particular branch within the field of leadership studies, but it also has several flavors, such as transformational leadership, servant-leadership, moral leadership, and spiritual leadership and these deserve to be explored (Canales, 2007; New Theology Review, p. 65). RTV surprisingly does not mention any of those types, but does address those areas that constitute leadership development: mentoring, training, formation, and catechesis. RTV advocates, The ministry of leadership development calls forth, affirms, and empowers the diverse gifts, talents, and abilities of adults and young people in our faith communities for comprehensive ministry with adolescents. Leadership roles in adolescent ministry are key. Leaders must be trained and encouraged. This approach involves a wide diversity of adult and youth leaders in a variety of roles. Many will be involved in direct ministry with adolescents; others will provide support services, and yet others will link the ministry effort to the resources of the broader community (p. 40). Leadership development is concerned with forming and transforming young people so they in turn can form and transform their parish, schools, neighborhoods, and society. Leadership development in youth ministry is directed primarily toward adolescents and secondarily toward adults. Greg Dobie Moser (2005), Diocesan Director of Youth Ministry (Cleveland, Ohio), maintains that there are five principles of youth leadership: (1) rooted in ministerial relationships, (2) integrate faith and prayer, (3) respect, support, and encourage other activities, (4) build meaningful roles, and (5) build on existing strengths and assets (pp ). Forming, training, mentoring, and empowering Catholic teenagers in leadership development today means that the Church will have enthusiastic and energetic Christian leaders tomorrow. (See Youth ministry: The Component of Leadership Development, in Robert J. McCarty edits, The Vision of Catholic Youth Ministry: Fundamentals, Theory, and Practice; Winona, MN: Saint Mary s Press, 2005, pp ). Pastoral Care The ministry of pastoral care is rooted in the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus always took time to meet people in their crisis and to listen to their concerns. Pastoral care is rooted in relationships; youth ministry involves first and foremost, not programs, but relationships (Vision of Youth Ministry, p. 9). Jesus public ministry is a prime example of pastoral care. RTV states that the ministry of pastoral care, Involves promoting positive adolescent and family development through a variety of positive (preventive) strategies; caring for adolescents and families in crisis through support, counseling, and referral to appropriate community agencies; providing guidance as young people face life decisions and make moral choices; and challenging systems that are obstacles to positive development (advocacy) (p. 42). Adolescent pastoral care is demonstrated through empathetic listening, compassion, and understanding, and takes place within the various youth ministry settings: family, school, parish, neighborhood, larger community, and youth ministry. Robert J. McCarty (2005) notes, that there are five principles of pastoral care, which help to shape

9 comprehensive youth ministry. The five are: (1) pastoral care is not counseling, (2) pastoral care is not limited to crisis situations, (3) pastoral care is community responsibility, (4) pastoral care provides young people with life skills, and (5) pastoral care addresses the needs of families (pp ). These principles help to undergird the pastoral care process, which aids in strategies that provide assistance in advocacy for teenagers who come from typical Catholic families as well as youth at risk. Besides these principles there are two important points that deserve consideration: (1) confidentiality and (2) referrals. The pastoral conversations between youth minister and the adolescent are private, confidential, and sacred. However, there are some guidelines that youth ministers and adult youth leaders should be made aware. McCarty notes, Confidentiality never applies when there is a possibility of a young person hurting herself or himself, hurting another person, or being hurt by someone else. In addition, young people must never be told that they cannot disclose any portion of a conversation (including behaviors) between themselves and an adult. Youth ministers and [adult] ministry volunteers are obligated by law to report to the authorities any suspicion that a child or young person is being maltreated (p. 158). Confidentiality is a critical part of the pastoral care process, but it cannot supersede the safety and well-being of an adolescent. There are times when a youth minister can feel overwhelmed by the issues that a young person is facing. Therefore, referring adolescents to a professional who can help them with specific psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs is a crucial part of pastoral care. When to refer? [When] emotional security is threatened, when an issue strikes a personal cord in the responder (adolescent)... Regardless of the reason, when an issue elicits a strong emotional response, the responder needs to be referred (p. 158). Keep in mind that referring to a licensed professional is not ministry failure, but rather holistic Catholic youth ministry. Youth ministers would be wise to have referrals readily accessible and have in place the name, telephone number, and address of licensed professionals such as a therapist, psychologist, spiritual director, or social worker. An excellent resource regarding pastoral care and counseling with adolescents is the book by Les Parrott III (2000), Helping the Struggling Adolescent, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; ISBN: (See Robert J. McCarty, Youth Ministry: The Component of Pastoral Care, in Robert J. McCarty edits, The Vision of Catholic Youth Ministry: Fundamentals, Theory, and Practice; Winona, MN: Saint Mary s Press, 2005, pp ). Prayer & Worship This final component is the most important of all the eight components because it takes into context and exercises the official rites, rubrics, and rituals of the Catholic Church. RTV states, The ministry of prayer and worship celebrates and deepens young people s relationship with Jesus Christ through the bestowal of grace, communal prayer and liturgical experiences; it awakens their awareness of the spirit at work in their lives; it incorporates young people more fully into the sacramental life of the Church, especially Eucharist; it nurtures the personal prayer life of young people; and it fosters family rituals and prayer (p. 44). Prayer and worship encompass a larger area of spiritual development in the lives of young people, and it involves the whole being: mind, body, and soul. Prayer and worship incorporates both non-liturgical prayer and liturgical prayer, both private prayer and public prayer, and both rote prayer and spontaneous prayer. Pray always and in all ways is a slogan that has gained much notoriety in the past ten years within Christian circles and it speaks to the significance of prayer. Frankly, Christians pray because Jesus was a person of prayer and thus modeled prayer for the Christian community. As Catholic liturgical scholar John H. Wright (1987) points out, Prayer was not peripheral or incidental to [Jesus'] life; it expressed rather his essential relationship to God, and provided the abiding context and inspiration of his mission (p. 17). Moreover, the Apostle Paul gives the Church a mandate to pray, Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and with all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18). The main ingredient that helps teenage spirituality flourish is prayer. Using a baking analogy, prayer is

10 the yeast that makes the bread rise and the flour that gives the bread substance and thickness. There is absolutely no substitute for prayer! Prayer in its simplest form is human beings communicating and interacting with God and God communicating and interacting with human beings (Canales, 2004; p. 39). Prayer is the foundation upon which a relationship with the risen Christ is built; without prayer spirituality becomes stale, empty, and without meaning. Prayer is about approaching God with the innermost secrets of our hearts. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1997) defines prayer in the following manner, Prayer is the raising of one s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God (n. 2590). Prayer with young people and demonstrating various types of prayer forms (blessings and adoration, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, praise, and fasting [see CCC, no ]) empowers and encourages adolescents to seek God in prayer. The National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry (1997) document, From Age to Age: The Challenge of Worship with Adolescents, discusses the importance of fostering prayer within youth ministry programs which strengthens their personal prayer and relationship with God (p. 46). In addition, From Age to Age offers these words of advice to youth ministers, Pastoral leaders should avoid praying at youth rather than praying with youth. Too often group prayer becomes a matter of reading from printed sheets and paying little attention to current events and issues in young people s lives. Teens need opportunities and encouragement to voice spontaneous prayers, sing in groups, and bring their ideas and issues to community prayer. (p. 47) Youth ministers may find it helpful to provide an array of opportunities for adolescents to pray and in order that they encounter a spiritual smorgasbord of meaningful and intentional prayerful activities. (See Arthur David Canales, Integrating Christian Discipleship IS Franciscanism. Journal of the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities, 2004, 1 (1): 34-53, and John H. Wright, A Theology of Christian Prayer, New York, NY: Pueblo Publishing Company, 1987.) A great synopsis of these eight components is written by Greg Dobie Moser (2005), Diocesan Director of Youth Ministry (Cleveland, Ohio), offers brief, but solid descriptions of the eight comprehensive components: Advocacy challenges the faith and social community to consider how well the needs of young people are being met and how well young people are integrated into the community. Catechesis fosters youth s relationship with Jesus while deepening their understanding, practice, and knowledge of the Catholic faith. Community life nurtures the faith of young people by creating meaningful relationships with their peers and with caring adults, and by fully integrating young people into the community. Evangelization proclaims and witnesses to the reign of God made flesh in Jesus and invites young people to enter into relationship with Jesus and lives as his disciples. Justice and Service encourages young people to live fully Jesus command to love one another, responding to the human needs of the local and global community while working to transform the social structures that perpetuate injustice. Leadership development affirms the gifts of adults and youth for ministry and creates opportunities for those gifts to be realized and utilized. Pastoral care promotes healthy adolescent development, supports the family, and responds to young people in need. Prayer and Worship celebrates the faith of young people through personal and communal prayer and liturgical experiences, and incorporates young people in the sacramental and worship life of the faith community. (See A Vision of Catholic Youth Ministry, in Robert J. McCarty edits, The Vision of Catholic Youth Ministry: Fundamentals, Theory, and Practice; Winona, MN: Saint Mary s Press, 2005, pp ).

11 These eight ministry components are the backbone of RTV and provide the proper guidance, accumulated wisdom, and effective practices to direct youth ministers on a path of doing resourceful adolescent ministry. Taken together the eight components present youth ministers with the essential framework of comprehensive ministry to adolescents and establish the critical areas that must be pastorally executed within youth ministry if it is going to be truly successful and authentically Catholic. Links Austin Diocesan Catholic Youth Conference Catholic Committee on Scouting National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry Region 10 Catholic Yoth Ministry National Center for Catholic Youth Sports Association of Youth Ministry Educators/Journal of Youth Ministry

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