By the grace of the Holy Spirit and united by the Eucharist, the community of St. Helen is one of teaching, ministering, and worshiping, bringing all closer to God.
St. Helen Youth Ministries
Youth Ministry & CCE Grades 7-12sthelenyouth@hotmail.com
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Catechesis | Evangelization | Community Life | Prayer & Worship | Justice, Peace and Service | Pastoral Care/Guidance | Leadership Development/Enablement Youth Ministry at St. Helen is dedicated to providing a comprehensive and integrated program to meet the needs of young people from Jr. High and Sr. High school (7th-12th grades). By creating an environment that is both welcoming and appealing to our youth, friendships are developed (teen to teen, adult to teen) which fosters a sense of belonging. Authentic Christian adults and committed, caring young people come together as advocates and enablers to minister to and promote responsible participation in the life of our community. Our program activities assist youth in making the connection between faith and daily life, reinforcing Christian values and gaining confidence in their role as witnesses to Christ's Gospel. St. Helen follows national and diocesan guidelines in offering a comprehensive vision for Youth Ministry. Three goals serve as directions for our ministry. Youth ministry works to empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today, to draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community and to foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person. A vision of total youth ministry being to, with, by, and for youth incorporates eight components. Sponsoring youth toward maturity in Catholic Christian faith as a living reality through the kind of teaching and learning that emphasizes understanding, reflection, and transformation; fostering in youth a communal identity as Catholic Christians within the intergenerational community of faith and helping them to develop their own personal faith identity.
Proclaiming through word and witness the Good News of the Gospel to youth who have not yet heard or seen it and inviting them into a relationship with Jesus Christ and the community of believers.
Creating an environment which nurtures meaningful relationships among youth and between youth and adults, helping young people feel like a valued part of the church community; providing opportunities for social interaction and meaningful participation in the life of the church and civic community.
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Assisting young people in deepening their relationship with Jesus through spiritual development and a personal prayer life; providing a variety of communal prayer and worship experiences with youth; involving young people in the sacramental life of the Church.
Prayer and Worship is lived out at St. Helen through:
- Creative prayer experiences built into Sunday and Wednesday evenings.
- Lectors and youth choir and band.
- Special youth-led liturgies starting in January 2002 on the third Sunday of the month.
- Youth friendly Stations of the Cross on Good Friday.
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Guiding young people in the development of a social consciousness and a commitment to a life of justice and service grounded in their faith in Jesus Christ, in the scriptures and in Catholic social teaching; empowering them to work for justice and infusing the concepts of justice and peace in all youth ministry efforts.
Justice, Peace and Service is lived out at St. Helen through:
- Opportunities for direct service: Thanksgiving baskets, Breakfast with Santa (Sr. and Jr. High), Dinner/dance in February, Bazaar.
- Opportunities are given during Confirmation preparation. Some opportunities within the parish community include involvement in liturgy and catechesis. Opportunities in the wider community include Casa Juan Diego, Food Bank, downtown food kitchens, hospitals, and nursing homes.
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Promoting positive youth and family development; caring for youth and families in crisis; and providing guidance as youth face life decisions and make moral choices.
Pastoral Care/Guidance is lived out at St. Helen through:
- Mother/daughter, Father/son program offered by the diocese.
- Making resources available for families when requested.
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Leadership Development/Enablement
Recruiting, training, supporting and empowering youth and adult leaders for ministry in their schools, church, and civic community.
Leadership Development/Enablement is lived out at St. Helen through:
- Youth Ministry Leadership Team (YMLT) meetings on Sunday evenings 5:00 to 7:00pm. A leadership retreat in December and May and training on an on-going basis.
- Confirmation Retreat team is recruited and trained from junior and senior CCE class.
- Junior Lock-In team is recruited and trained from senior high.
- Ongoing in-house and diocesan formation is offered for catechists and adult leaders.
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Interpreting the needs of youth and their families, especially the social problems facing them; acting with or on their behalf for a change in the systems (policies, procedures, programs) which create or contribute to the social problems; giving young people a voice and empowering them to address the social problems that they face.
Advocacy is lived out at St. Helen through:
- The Coordinator of Youth Ministry and other significant adults in leadership listen to youth and get to know them and their families. They help the parish, diocese, and associations be truly open to the personal, social, and spiritual needs of young people.
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Youth Ministry Staff and Volunteers
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