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Urban Youth Ministry

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• To empower the youth ministry of each urban parish
• To create a core group of young leaders and offer leadership training
• To reach the youth who are not normally reached by the Church, especially the at-risk youth of the streets
• To create a strong network of support and fellowship for the urban youth To close the gap between the urban and suburban youth by means of collaboration goals of Urban Youth Ministry...

Areas of Service

The Urban Youth Ministry is divided in seven areas of service:

• Formation
• Evangelization
• Apostolate
• Integration
• Network
• Spirituality
• Parish Assistance

Programs & Opportunities

Formation

• Youth on a Mission: Youth on a MISSION is a core group of young African American, European American, and English-speaking Hispanic Urban Youth Leaders that meets once a month to plan and lead the Urban Youth Development Series for other urban youth and young adults. The Youth on a MISSION group also involves leadership and pastoral formation for the young leaders. The young urban youth leaders are mainly recruited from the Urban Youth Development Series. Members of the City of God Committee are also welcomed to participate as consultants.
• Timothy: Youth Leadership Weekend: An intense weekend retreat for young urban Catholics that trains them in youth ministry leadership and discipleship formation so that they can be ready to assist their parish youth ministries or begin a youth ministry program. Timothy is part of the Youth on a MISSION program; however, any young person can participate in the retreat without committing to be part of the Youth on a MISSION group. Any young Catholic ages 15-35 is welcomed to attend.
• School of Formation:  Three-year bilingual program of weekly spiritual, theological, and discipleship formation for young Catholics who want to effectively minister, from a Catholic perspective, within the diversity of the urban settings and needs of the current youth and young adult community. Any young Catholic ages 15-35 will be welcomed to apply to the School of Formation.
• Hispanic Formation Topics: A intense youth ministry training program for young Hispanics that gives a comprehensive preparation and formation for doing Pastoral Juvenil (Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry) in their parishes. There is a basic manual that can be imparted on a weekend retreat or five-day session format. The more advanced topics are usually imparted at the Pastoral Juvenil Committee meetings. This program is in Spanish. Any young Spanish-speaking Catholic ages 15-35 is welcomed.

Evangelization

• Urban Youth Development Series: Major formation event workshops for all Urban Youth and Young Adults that foster their catechetical, spiritual, and pastoral growth in a specific topic of the Catholic faith. These series serve as an opportunity to put leadership skills into practice for the Youth on a MISSION core group as well as a leadership recruitment opportunity for urban youth ministry among the young people. The workshop topics are selected by the Youth on a MISSION group.
• Encuentro/Encounter: Pilot Process: A bilingual process of outreach and evangelization to Churched and non-Churched urban youth based at the parish level that empowers the creation of new youth ministry programs and youth leadership identification in each urban parish. Here, the young Catholics have an encounter with the living Christ, give input to the local Church about their needs and desires, and become missionaries among other teens in order to bring all young people to a fuller participation in the life of the Church.
• Musical Theater Company: A multicultural youth and young adult musical theater company team that prepares a major yearly Catholic production for evangelization through the media and arts as well as minor presentations in different parochial or archdiocesan youth and young adult events. The company has a Catholic spirituality and a theology of the arts formation component for the young Catholics. A weeklong musical theater training camp and play auditions take place during the summer. The company is open to any young person ages 15 to 35.

Apostolate

• Saint Cecilia Festival of the Musical Arts: An annual multicultural youth and young adult festival of the musical arts where young soloists and groups present an ensemble, dance, song, or any music related performance in honor of Saint Cecilia, young martyr patroness of musicians. The festival takes place on the Saturday evening closest to November 22, St. Cecilia's feast day.
• Young People Dealing With Addictions Group: A Catholic open support group program for teens and young adults who feel their lives have been affected by drugs or alcohol: by personal addiction, by a relationship with a person with an addiction or by the uncertainty of a personal addiction. It is based on the meditation and sharing of the Word of God and integrates the 12 Steps of Narcotics Anonymous. This program is movable and its meetings and times are based on parish or group demand.

Integration

• Father, Make Us One: Concert: An ecumenical, bilingual concert for young people done in collaboration with various Christian communities of greater Detroit in order to: witness and proclaim Jesus' lordship, evangelize youth, affirm the call of discipleship, intercede for the Christian communities of greater Detroit, and learn and pray with other Christian denominations. The concert features diverse prominent Catholic and non-Catholic youth figures, like Fr. Stan Fortuna, from the Friars of the Renewal. Urban youth leaders participate in its organization and coordination.

• Hispanic Track of Connections Conference: A two-day Spanish conference on Pastoral Juvenil (Hispanic Youth & Young Adult Ministry) for pastors and ministers in parishes who do, are interested in doing, or are willing to do ministry to young Hispanics.  Its goal is to enlighten the understanding and praxis of ministry to and with young Latinos, provide a reliable network of experienced Pastoral Juvenil leaders, and give outstanding ministry resources.  This event took place in 2006 during the Annual Connections Conference.

Network

• City Of God Committee: City of God Committee is a network of Urban Youth Ministry representatives that meets every two months to advocate for, consult, and give input about the Urban Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of Detroit. The City of God Committee also involves a brief time for youth ministry formation with issues that directly address the needs of urban youth and urban youth ministers. Any minister to urban youth is welcomed to attend this meeting.
• Pastoral Juvenil Committee: The Pastoral Juvenil Committee is a network of Hispanic Youth and Young Adult Ministry representatives that meets once a month to advocate for, consult, and give input about the Pastoral Juvenil of the Archdiocese of Detroit. The Pastoral Juvenil Committee also involves a brief time for youth ministry formation with issues that directly address the needs of Hispanic youth and Pastoral Juvenil ministers. Any Pastoral Juvenil minister is welcomed to attend this meeting.

Spirituality

• Maranatha!: Bilingual annual multicultural advent celebration for urban youth in preparation for the Nativity of our Lord. This event enables the young person to receive spiritual and discipleship formation on the importance of Advent and Christmas, experience and share multicultural ways of celebration, dine diverse Advent/Christmas ethnic foods, and perform an Advent missionary outreach to youth and adults. Any young Catholic ages 15- 35 is welcomed to attend.
• Buscando Tu Tesoro: Treasure Hunt: An annual one-day conference for young Hispanics (ages 14-35) on discernment, listening to God's voice, different vocations within the Church, celebration of Corpus Christi Mass, and fellowship in the Treasure Hunt Rally. It is a collaborative effort with the offices of: Vocations, Young Adult & Campus Ministry, and Hispanic Ministry.

• National Conference on Religious Life: An annual weekend conference for religious throughout the nation that has a vocations fair and discernment day for young people (ages 16-35). All young people have the opportunity to befriend, socialize, and share in fellowship with many religious throughout the nation, learn about many religious orders and discern their vocation in an optimal atmosphere.  It is held at Mundelein Seminary, IL.