In order to invite our youth into parish life, there must be clear signs of that very life. I see Youth Ministry as a catalyst for growing a vital parish.

There will always be a temptation to commoditize programs and events. When we do, there will be those who consume them, outsource to them and at times scapegoat them for not forming their children in the Faith.

But removing programs, events and even “youth ministry” for the purpose of not enabling parental apathy and laziness, is like taking Twinkies out of Wal Mart because diabetics might buy them.

As noble as it might be to mainstream kids in an attempt to desegregate Church, I think its potentially harmful. Sure, we need to move in that direction. But let’s not be naïve thinking there’ll be cake and balloons in the vestibule welcoming the active participation of messy, tattooed, pierced and un-sanitized kids. Are we ready for that? Or are we setting our kids up for a showdown at High Noon Mass ending for them in a colossal disappointment.

I know many young people who have the resources necessary to “find their place” in the Church, I know many more for whom that would be like walking blindfolded through a verdant mine field.

We should continue to advocate for kids to the boards, pastors and committees that ultimately decide where there place will be. In the meantime we should continue to direct energy toward providing a safe place for them, in and out of Church. A place where they can hear the gospel in a language that makes sense to them. A place where they feel safe to question, to stretch and be supported as they grow in freedom.

I think there’s two pieces: programing that is effective and youth-culture savvy that addresses the spiritual needs and concerns of youth AND helping them to find places where they fit within in the Faith Community. My hope has to be that a 7th grader will get to know one of the Men’s Club guys and will have a positive interaction and realize that it may not look like a “Youth” project but that he still feels a connection – communion between them.

This post was mentioned on Twitter by CatholicYMBlog: Hate to ask it. . . but have we been doing Catholic Youth Ministry all wrong??? http://bit.ly/b1qvSX...

But those servants and discipleship to the Almighty should be finding “their place” within the contect of the whole Catholic Christian community and not just within age segregated programs… So, I really have been wondering, how well dowe live up to the vision of drawing young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community.

I’ve been thinking that this towards what Mark Oestricher, in part, was alluding in his Youth Ministry 3.0 http://www.dscottmiller.com/2009/10/21/youth-ministry-3-0/ He was thinking small community, I believe, but it could/ should be applied within the whole church as well.