YOUNGSTOWN, OH — The office of youth and young adult ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown has announced 23 recipients of the 2009 Eagle of the Cross Award. The Eagle of the Cross, created by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry and introduced to the diocese in 1999 by Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, is given each year to a group of high school juniors and seniors who model the dedication, integrity, values and promise for church and society.  Read more here.

WICHITA FALLS, TX — Teens from Sacred Heart, Holy Family in Vernon, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sacred Heart in Seymour, and Our Lady Queen of Peace are among those taking part in this year’s Food Fast. The event falls during Lent and raises money for Catholic Relief Services. The teens are taking a day out of their own lives to understand what life is like every day for people far away — and even close to home — when poverty, violence and other conditions create a way of life far from the one they know. They are taking part in Food Fast ’09 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Food Fast is a 24-hour retreat that began Friday evening, and during this time, the teens — who come from several parishes across the area — are going without food; juice is all that’s available. Read more here.

Still working on the issue of a collective hobby for thise of us involved in Catholic Youth Ministry.

As suggested Sunday and yesterday, I don’t think it is basketball.

I went asking the guys from Popple for some suggestions.  Kyle says that sand sledding is absolutely to the way to go.  I’m not so sure, not really having much access to the deserts in New Mexico…  (and where the heck is the ski lift??)

Dan was too busy twittering to get back to me with a suggestion…  Oh, well.

Is there another hobby that we collectively should pursue?

I’m considering hobbies seriously right now… Please come back tomorrow for a major announcement regarding this blog.

There are some moments when it is great to have a blog…  This is one of them!

May I please call your attention to a recent entry on Bob Rice’s page?  Please read this on the days that you just don’t think you are getting things right!

““Keep praying, I’m sure one day you’ll get it right.”

Thanks to Mike Patin for calling my attention to this!

I was at a great going-away celebration for a college campus minister last night and it reminded me that it is job searching time. It surely is even more complicated than usual due to the economy.  Nonetheless, help is on the way…

Youth Specialties established the YouthMinistryPro site and offers two articles, one on The Job Search Process and the other on Getting Hired.  They also suggest Youth Ministry Resume Guidelines.

Always take a look at CatholicJobs.com and know that the NFCYM also has a job board and so does Life Teen.  Also, check local diocesan YM offices and Catholic newspapers as well as the job boards at Catholic colleges.

As I shared yesterday, I’m still very concerned regarding basketball as the chosen hobby of those who serve in Catholic Youth Ministry.

Canada’s Clay Imoo recently shared this story of an awful tumble he took while ref-ing a game.  Now, Clay is doing his best to raise his children to be hockey fans (excuse me, did I say CANADA-ian!), but clearly, from this photographic evidence, he might not be as successful as he hopes.

We can only pray that Clay and his wife Gail are doing a better job of passing on the faith

But, I’ve been thinking….  Is basketball still where we are at???   Is there another hobby that we collectively should pursue?

I’m considering hobbies seriously right now… Please come back Wednesday morning for a major announcement regarding this blog.

So, I am reading Jesus Goes to Disney World, the blog of the Catholic YM Blog’s Chaplain, and I read about how his site has become required reading for a group of students taking a class at Paramus Catholic High School in New Jersey. . . and I’m thinking, “Wow, that’s sorta cool.” and “Gees, wish that I was a part of that.”

And, then, while doing my homework of gathering news to better serve you, I discover that the Catholic YM blog is actually required reading for the same Faith and Media class.  Thanks, Mr. Wilson!

Go, Paladins!

Back in the day, basketball was the sport of choice for youth ministers.  To this day, when diocesan directors gather for the NFCYM’s annual membership meeting, there is a time-honored tradition of Morning Madness, a 6am pick-up game to start the day.

Even on the road, our friends Shannon and Orin of Oddwalk Ministries, have been attempting to keep up “their game” with some practice around the hoop.

But, I’ve been thinking….  Is basketball still where we are at???   Is there another hobby that we collectively should pursue?

I’m considering hobbies seriously right now… Please come back Wednesday morning for a major announcement regarding this blog.

Spring break time and we are all swamped with the end of Lent, the triduum weekend, and the insanity of spring.

Let’s take a moment away, lighten up, and travel to the beach ….

Enjoy.

Speaking of the beach,  if you are in the market for some beach related jewelry, you should check out this site.

Sean Reynolds is on a roll. Not only was he recently profiled here as he took his message to Boston, but now he appears here for an interview in US Catholic.

A quote for us to note: “It’s too bad that so often pastoral ministers are angry with parents. Parents are who we’ve made them to be when we set up a system of programs that implicitly say to them, “Leave this to the professionals; don’t try this at home.” Parents are doing the best that they can and are under incredible pressures. When I share this information with parents, I don’t want to leave them feeling bad, but informed and hopefully empowered to make some changes.”   Read the whole thing here.

Josh Griffin over at More than Dodgeball recently posted some suggestions for how to stretch your youth ministry budget here.  Suggestions included planning break-even events, cutting programs that might be  ineffective and taking dollars away from what is working, and “double dipping” when purchasing.  It is important during these times to show that “we get it” (ask the AIG executives who recently got bonuses!)