Written by the Bishops of the United States and published in 1997, Renewing the Vision defines youth ministry as "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." (Page 6)
The goals of youth ministry include:
- To empower young people to lives as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today.
- To draw young people to responsible participation into the life, mission and work of the Catholic faith community.
- To foster the total person and spiritual growth of each young person.
Comprehensive youth ministry efforts include the following components: Advocacy, Catechesis, Community Life, Evangelization, Justice and Service, Leadership Development, Pastoral Care, and Prayer and Worship.
In an effort to encourage parishes, schools and organizations LIVE the vision of youth ministry a variety of services, events, and publications are offered to younger adolescents (11-14) and older adolescents (14-18) as well as the adults that minister to and with youth.
For more information about the goals and components of youth ministry, See Celebrate Youth Ministry, a publication available from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. |
