Being an educator (youth minister) means having joy in one’s heart and communicating it to everyone so as to make life good and beautiful; it means providing reasons and goals for life’s journey, presenting the beauty of the person of Jesus and making people love Him, His lifestyle, His freedom. … Above all it means holding up the goal of … that ‘extra’ that comes to us from God. This requires personal knowledge of Jesus, a personal, daily and loving contact with Him in prayer, meditation on the Word of God, faithfulness to the Sacraments, the Eucharist, Confession; it means communicating the joy of being part of the Church, of having friends with whom to share, not only the difficulties but also the beauties and surprises of a life of faith.

“You will be good educators if you are able to involve everyone in the good of the young. You cannot be self-sufficient but must make the vital importance of educating the young generations felt at all levels. Without the presence of the family, for example, you risk building on sand; without a collaboration with schools it is not possible to create a profound knowledge of the faith; without the involvement of the those who work in the sector of leisure and communication your patient efforts risk being unproductive and ineffective in daily life.”

– Pope Benedict XVI
October 30th meeting in St. Peter’s Square with 100,000 children and young people from Italian Catholic Action

Mail and banks won’t operate today; some folks have the day off.  Others, like our offices, had to redirect their traffic patterns to make space for the annual parade.  But… why?

Today, we salute those who have sacrificed for our freedoms. Please pray for our Veterans today and all days.

Any while you are at that, please offer a prayer for my son, Clark, who along with the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division is presently serving in Iraq.

The hymn for World Youth Day 2011, titled “Firm in the Faith,” has been released. Based on the words of St. Paul, its lyrics declare “we walk in Christ.” The release date of Nov. 19 coincides with the eve of the Feast of the Virgin of Almudena, the patron saint of Madrid.

The hymn has liturgical, popular and instrumental versions. The instrumental version is intended for large choirs, while the popular version may be accompanied by a guitar. All three versions are available for download free at here. A multilingual music video of the hymn will be distributed in the future.

Read more from Catholic News Agency.

On Wednesdays, we usually try to offer a little something-something media-wise, most often a video clip ripped off of YouTube.

YouTube has added more short-films to their vast library and I, for one, am thankful.

Hopefully, two weeks ago, you took the 20 minutes to appreciate the Evangelist at Work.  If not, do make this appointment internet blog viewing for yourself…. You will thank me.

And, now, comes (h/t Joyce) this more than fifteen minute mini-masterpiece validating the effect we can have on one another.  And, I think it is so important that the validating (or lack thereof) occurs within the workplace.

Sure, we can work at this stuff at home or with our friends and loved ones, but it most certainly makes the day go by faster when you bring this attitude to your co-workers in the vineyard.

Validate a co-worker and maybe even your boss today.

Sorry for the later than usual posting, Just got back from Albany. Here’s a follow-up story on Saturday’s posting!

WATERLOO, IOWA — Mike Patin walked onto the stage looking like a high school trigonometry teacher. He had the tie, the glasses, the mustache and bald spot in back to enhance the point. But when he walked back down the stairs an hour later, Patin was a rock star.

Patin was the featured speaker at a Roman Catholic youth rally Sunday at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center that brought together about 1,200 teens from across the Archdiocese of Dubuque. It’s the type of gathering churches are using to fire up youths who have a myriad of other options vying for their attention.

A veteran speaker at youth ministry events, Patin used self-deprecating humor to get the crowd warmed up. "Let me tell you, last time I checked, Jesus was a freak. Jesus hung out with freaks," Patin said."Today we celebrate that for 2,000-plus years, since Jesus came, he still wants to hang out with us and celebrate our freakiness," Patin said as he wrapped up his presentation.  Read more from the Waterloo Courier.

There was recently a marketing conference entitled What Teens Want in Los Angeles. A report came out reminding that today’s youth are sophisticated consumers who rebel against marketing that is too direct and aggressive.  This generation has extremely diverse interests, but they really do know what they want. And they want it NOW! Here are some key takeaways from the conference:

> Make it matter. They want a message that is authentic and real. They seek value for their investment of time, attention, etc.
> Hang in the hood. Marketers are empathizing the importance of user-generated content (UGC) and not dictating a message "at" teens but rather embracing the properties they hang out in. 

(more…)

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.

It has been a good and full life over the past few days – I’ve been wrapping up the apartment move with the aid of my eldest daughter; Mike Carotta was in for a few days talking curriculum framework with our high school folk and unchaining confirmation with our youth ministers.  Michele Maher was in from Colorado Springs and we grabbed a dinner, some wine, and good conversation.  Off to Wilmington this morning to offer a workshop at their youth event and hurry back to hang out with our young adult planning group.  AND THEN hit a plane for Albany tomorrow for a speaking gig.  WHEW, It is full, rich and challenging. A walk in the park, as it were.

Through it all, I am detecting God’s grace, my heart is encouraged and strengthen. The readings of the day are speaking to my life. May the Lord direct my heart, your hearts, us all to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.

A few weeks back, I was invited to an event occurring tonight in Waterloo, Iowa (Yea, I know, I get all the cool invitations!)  This one, however, is actually kinda cool.

Tonight, in anticipation of their Annual Youth Rally to be held tomorrow, there will be a the 
25th Anniversary Celebration of Youth Ministry in the Archdiocese of Dubuque.  I spent many of my early years in ministry there serving  in 1979-82 at Saint Jude in Cedar Rapids and 1986-89 at St. Matthew.

So many wonderful memories of the Archdiocese and the annual youth rally.  Congratulations and Blessings to all! (and, no, I did not decline the invitation because Mike Patin was a featured guest!)

I will speak to a youth which can accomplish everything,
precisely because it accepts no past,
obeys no present,
and fears no future.

~ Rudyard Kipling

OK, I’m still not great at this and probably not even rated as “good,” either, but I do want to improve… A “how to delegate” article over at lifehacker (h/t to Monday Morning Insight) suggests that we need to know what you can delegate, then how to delegate, and then finally (always the hardest step), actually delegate.

All the pieces of the puzzle can not belong to just you… otherwise, the vision is just way too small

There is the classic youth ministry adage that “True ministry duplicates itself.”  Make a point of sharing “your” ministry with others this weekend!