KANSAS CITY, MO — Twenty thousand teenagers, on fire with faith, could use hundreds more adults to share the 2009 National Catholic Youth Conference. Ernie Boehner, a member of Holy Trinity Parish in Lenexa, Kan., who is handling adult volunteer recruitment and training for the Nov. 19-21 national conference, said that about 1,000 adult volunteers are needed and about 600 have signed up. But he is absolutely unconcerned that the volunteers will be there in the numbers needed. “I tend to believe that the Holy Spirit will provide us with exactly what we need,” he said. Read the full Catholic Key article

JEFFERSON CITY, MO — For the Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City, getting youth interested in religious vocations is becoming increasingly important. Joe Corel, director of Youth Ministry and the Office of Vocations for the diocese, said they emphasize a three-prong system that includes prayer, education and invitations.

When youth are baptized in the diocese, they are encouraged to pray and attend each week’s Mass. The diocese tries to educate youth through multiple avenues: discoverthepriesthood.org, a Web site for young men interested in becoming priests; running radio ads during MU football and basketball games and St. Louis Cardinals games; and placing ads in the diocesan newspaper, Catholic Missourian. “The educating part — all people in the Catholic faith need it,” Corel said. “It’s everybody’s business.”

Read the full Catholic Missourian article.