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We seek to take a comprehensive approach to ministry to, with, and for youth which utilizes the following eight components:
Advocacy, Catechesis, Community Life, Evangelization, Justice and Service, Leadership Development, Pastoral Care and Prayer and Worship.
The Emmaus Experience is the Faith Formation name given to our high school ministry. It integrates classes, prayer, service and communal activities.
How does Confirmation fit in? As directed by the diocese, Confirmation preparation is to be a part of High School Ministry, not the only component. Confirmation is the third sacrament of initiation and it completes one’s Baptism.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states “A candidate for Confirmation who has attained the age of reason must profess the faith, be in the state of grace, have intention of receiving the sacrament and be prepared to assume the role of disciple and witness to Christ, both within the ecclescial community and in temporal affairs.” In keeping with the guidelines of the dioceses, after fulfilling a complete year of the Emmaus Experience, Immediate Preparation for Confirmation integrates 5 classes with prayer, faith discussions with one’s sponsor, service and communal activities, as well as a retreat and brief interviews with parish leaders and clergy.
2013 Confirmation Retreat at St. Methodios Retreat Center
The Second Annual Retreat at St. Methodios is one of the final steps in the journey towards Confirmation in Saints Mary and Joseph Parish. The Core Youth Group Team works tirelessly to prepare the two day retreat in hopes that the young people will enjoy the experience as much as we enjoy the preparation of witnesses and activities. The basic format of the Retreat revolves around the concept of ‘Accepting Your Faith.’ The team, which consists of a handful of high school and college students, share their own faith journeys in various ways through witnesses to teach different lessons which include accepting yourself, accepting others, forgiveness, accepting Jesus and accepting the Eucharist. Beyond the witnesses, there are also activities within the small groups, each accompanied by a mentor from the Core Team. Usually, the small groups meet up after each witness to reflect and do an activity but a few of the more popular activities included roasting marshmallows by the fire and quiet reflective time to write letters to yourself regarding your faith life. To end the weekend, Father John came up to the Retreat center to share Mass with us. Each student then received a cross to carry with them beyond the retreat. The hopes of the Youth Ministry team every year is that the young people take a deeper love of both God and their purpose in their own faith lives with them after the Retreat is over and even after their Confirmation journey has ended. The team asks every student to fill out a questionnaire at the end of the retreat so we can get feedback on what we should do better for the next year. Some of the comments, from participants, that truly blew me away were
- I feel this Retreat got me closer to God in many ways
- The experience was unbelievable. The ability to embrace my faith with my peers was life changing
- I got closer to God and I learned how to forgive / accept my self
- My Retreat experience was really life changing in my eyes. It made me reflect on everything and I had a lot of fun.
The overwhelmingly positive attitude of this group made the experience extremely enjoyable for both the Core Team and the young people.
Any questions regarding the Retreat or for further information about Core Team and Youth Ministry, please email youthminister@stjosephsalemnh.org.