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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2008 /  Living our future: Our tradition of youth ministry

Published May 30, 2008

My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord:

This month of June, as I continue my reflections on the history of our archdiocese, I would like to begin by thanking all those who participated in our joyous anniversary celebration at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament on May 18th. With a wide spectrum of music from our many cultural traditions, and the beauty of flowing robes and costumes from different ethnic groups, we celebrated the 175-year history of our unity in faith that has created the mosaic of our local Church of Detroit.

We were blessed by the presence of Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka, who played a major role in the history of our Church of Detroit throughout the 1980s. Many priests and deacons and members of religious orders serving here also participated. The liturgy itself was truly beautiful in every way and the celebration on the plaza afterward gave concrete expression to one of the themes of my homily – namely how our ethnic and racial diversity has been one of the strengths of the Church. It was especially touching to see many families and young people, for as the late Pope John Paul II so often said, they are not only the future of the Church, they are the Church already now!

A couple of months ago, I reflected with you on the heritage of our commitment to faith formation from infancy through mature adulthood. This month, as students go forth on summer recess, I would like to reflect on a related matter, our tradition of youth ministry. You may have noticed that I have titled this month's column, "Living Our Future: Our Tradition of Youth Ministry."

We usually think of history as studying the data of the past, but in a very real sense, history is an ongoing, unfolding reality. We are "making history" each day by the choices and commitments we make. We could think of history as how we shape the future; there is a forward thrust to all history. As we celebrate our anniversary year, therefore, I would like to briefly acknowledge aspects of our past, underscore what we are doing now and outline some thoughts for a vision for the future.

Renewing the vision

About the same time that I came to the archdiocese in 1990, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was engaged in a process of dialogue and study on a national level regarding youth ministry. We ended up producing a very beautiful document entitled, "Renewing the Vision." I quote from one of the opening lines of that document which defines Catholic youth ministry: "Youth ministry is the responsibility of the Christian community to the needs of young people and the sharing of the unique gifts of youth with the larger community."

First of all, note that youth ministry is the response of the whole Church. Many of us of a certain age might feel we are "out of touch" with young people; we fear we do not speak their language or know how to relate to them. Every single one of us — no matter what our age — has something to give and to receive. We, the elders, need to be energized by the questions and challenges of our youth, even as they need the voice of our experience and wisdom. We truly complement one another. Consider the way Pope John Paul II, even with his physical frailty in his mid-80s, was still able to connect with young people from all around the world: they not only respected him, they loved him and wanted to be with him. I saw the same contagious energy and enthusiasm present as Pope Benedict XVI met with young people at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y., this past April.

In "Renewing the Vision," we, the bishops of the United States, set forth three goals for Catholic youth ministry — empowerment (helping the young to understand and appreciate the Good News through study of Scripture and catechesis), participation (sharing in the life of the local Church and faith communities), and personal growth (through healthy relationships). Here in our archdiocese over the decades, we have been blessed with many resources and organizations that have partnered with families and parishes in trying to affirm and respond to the gifts and needs of youth.

A glance to the past

A review of the earliest years of our local Church makes abundantly clear that parish schools were a primary vehicle for the formation and education of Catholic youth. This was especially the case given the immigrant populations and their desire to preserve the Catholic faith as well as their ethnic cultures and traditions. With the industrial growth and expansion of Detroit throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, new challenges and opportunities began to emerge; something beyond the parish was needed as a setting for youth ministry.

In the 1920s, the St. Vincent de Paul Society established camps especially designed for young people from economically challenged families. St. Francis Home for Boys, Vista Maria for Girls, and the Boysville Homes were also established to respond to the special needs of some youth. Msgr. Harold Markey founded the Catholic Men's Association which, in 1933, changed its name to CYO, or Catholic Youth Organization. (I reflected on the contribution of CYO a couple of months ago in my column on Faith Formation; we congratulate them as they celebrate their 75th anniversary this year.)

Throughout the 1940s, CYO continued to expand its services, developing a strong athletic program, which included football, swimming and basketball. All of these programs not only provided youth with recreational outlets, but also strengthened their link to their parish communities. Teen clubs and young adult networks soon followed. Already in the 1940s, scouting — for boys and girls — became a very important part of the work of CYO. And, after World War II, CYO opened camps for boys and girls.

Youth-to-youth ministry

After Vatican II and Synod 69, a new chapter in youth ministry began to emerge locally and nationally, emphasizing the training of lay leaders for youth ministry and peer ministry to address the social issues of our day. In a related way, Catholic high schools developed a campus ministry model to encourage their students to be actively involved with their respective parishes.

A special blessing here in the archdiocese has been the 27-year tradition of CYO Rainbow Conferences for high school age youth, and other conferences for youth ministry leaders. The youth themselves plan Rainbow, which brings more than 2,000 young people downtown for a weekend experience that includes catechesis, liturgical prayer and opportunities for formal and informal faith sharing.

The archdiocese was quick to respond to the invitation and inspiration of Pope John Paul II when he established World Youth Days. Official archdiocesan delegations have participated in these celebrations in Denver, Manila, Paris, Rome, Toronto, Cologne, and will participate in Sydney this summer. Whenever possible, I myself have been a part of many of these youth gatherings, here in the archdiocese and also internationally; I have always found them to be a source of new energy and inspiration.

New initiatives

In more recent years, we have tried to emphasize groups of youth that have been overlooked in the past – such as (1) ministry with Hispanic youth through Enceuntro process; (2) ministry with urban youth through networking and sharing resources; and (3) outreach toward youth in detention through mentoring programs. Archdiocesan resources from your CSA dollars help fund these efforts. The Office for Youth Ministry has also developed curricula for youth ministry leadership training. Furthermore, I am always impressed by the special commitment our ethnic parishes make to youth and young adult ministry.

During the Together in Faith process, parishes and vicariates throughout the archdiocese indicated youth ministry as their top priority. The Office for Youth Ministry has expanded to support and advocate for comprehensive youth ministry in our Archdiocese. It provides support, direction, and leadership in ministry to younger and older adolescents — building on the successes we have achieved, and meeting the challenges of the future.

From discussions I have had locally and nationally, I have become more and more aware of the fact that today's young people are eager to give of their time and talent through direct service. I wish to acknowledge and commend the many projects and programs of service of which they are active participants as full-time or part-time, volunteer or paid – for example, Young Neighbors in Action, Habitat for Humanity, Focus: HOPE, and other mission experiences.

Pope Benedict XVI and youth

I would again like to draw my thoughts together by reference to insights from Pope Benedict XVI when he spoke to young people from all across America gathered at St. Joseph's Seminary. He singled out six "ordinary" men and women who truly led "extraordinary" lives – St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, St. John Neumann, Blessed Kateri Tekawitha, Venerable Pierre Toussaint, and Padre Felix Varela. He pointed out that each of these six people had lived in or around New York City and came from extremely diverse backgrounds – poor and rich, men and women, priests and religious, immigrants, a Native American, a Haitian slave and a Cuban intellectual. What they had in common was their recognition that God is the origin of our lives and our ultimate destination; they were willing to trust Him as they lived through the "challenges" of their life-circumstances and used their gifts and talents for the good of others.

I was particularly touched as Pope Benedict reflected on the painful challenges of his own teenage years, growing up under the Nazi regime in Germany. He pointed out that in today's American culture, Christians can often be tempted to wander from their faith and to "close in on ourselves, to doubt the strength of Christ's radiance, to limit the horizon of hope." He encouraged young people to let their imaginations soar and to gaze upon the saints, not allowing the darkness of this world to overcome them. I especially appreciated the way he emphasized the importance of personal and communal prayer and being attentive to the voice of God whispering within our hearts.

We have much reason for pride and joy and the many ways we have responded to and affirm the gifts and deeds of our youth. Let us continue to pray and work for the strengthening of youth ministry in our local Church of Detroit. May we remember the prayers at the foot of the altar in the Tridentine form of the Latin Mass: "Let us go up to the altar of God… the God who gives joy to my youth!" Before God, we are all young! As brothers and sisters in the Lord, may we always remain young at heart.

Sincerely yours in the Lord,

†Adam Cardinal Maida
Archbishop of Detroit