The training season continues to roll along.  Last night, I finished up session six of our Seminars in Youth Ministry class.  Here is the power-point.  Much of the stuff is connected to our Emmaus walk that is part of our second postings in the Caffeine series.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, we re-visited doing slide-shares.  It was the start of a series of developing a “culture of formation” that our ArchBalt offices are attempting to address.

The author and voice-over is Margaret Brogden, our coordinator for youth ministry formation and lead driver on this “culture of formation” stuff.

It’s only 3 minutes long, and I think I have fallen in love with short form presentations like this.

I’m up in Albany,  New York tonight, visiting St. Pius X, Loudonville where I did a presentation for  parent and young people, primarily freshman and sophomores.

I’m talking to school teachers tomorrow morning.

In both cases, we are talking technology.

Here’s this evening’s power-point.

More from the road trip to New York.

This is from a faculty meeting with the great staff at St. Pius X School (Go, Bulldogs, I’ve got a shirt.)

Here a link to the videos as well-

Did You Know 3.0

Kaplan Professor

Facebook Manners

Youth Ministry students from Franciscan University of Steubenville came to the ArchBalt for the weekend.  They met the many faces of the church, toured our historical basilica and lovely harbor, met with parish youth ministers, volunteered with some Sunday evening programming, and met with the division staff. They are pictured here with their professor, Bob Rice (Back row, second from  right, wearing an ArchBalt Division Of Youth and Young Adult Ministry sweatshirt)

Here’s what you need to know: They love Jesus.  They love the Church.  They love young people.

I know, I know, that might not seem enough… But you should also know – -  They are concerned about discerning the right parish fit, finding professional mentors, and developing collaborative relationships with their dioceses.  They are anxious about making mistakes over those first years.  They want to be able to develop strong adult core team.

If one of these faces shows up at your door with a resume, they deserve an opportunity.  We were honored to host such a good group.  God bless them all throughout their future studies and their future ministries.

Signed, Dashing Debonair David

It was not another day on the hamster wheel.  It was a cool way to roll with the folks at the Methodology class in Bradshaw.

A perfect day for a fall Saturday of training – - – cold and rainy!  Enjoyed the day with the fine folks of Harford County.

Powerpoints from yesterday: Session One and Session Two. 

Videos from yesterday included: Kaplan Professor, Kia Soul, Where’s the Beef, and Woman at the Well.

Throughout this week, we will be “airing” segments of our Youth Contact meetings, conducted over the previous two weekends. The full ArchBalt resources is now live here.

Our theme for the training was Salt and Light. How do we help young people to preserve the faith?  How do we fully reflect the prism of Christ’s light?

Kristin Witte addresses the issue of Spiritual Bipartisianship. 

The concept that there are Catholics that are horizontal in their ecclesial tendencies or vertical in their ecclesial tendencies of spirituality, theology, ecclesialology, or  prayer in regards to their ministry must be abolished.

The cross has both horizontal and vertical beams.  Christ himself declared that every kingdom divided against itself will be laid to waste; and that no town and not house divided against itself will stand. Jesus Christ never promoted division, bias, or any type of ecclesial bigotry.

Whether serving at Eucharistic Adoration or at a women and children’s shelter or at , to divide the Catholic Church through bias denies us the most complete image of the Body of Christ.

Kristin suggests that building unity across the aisle will take more than an symbolic gesture.  It requires support and structure to institutionalize ecclesial bipartisanship.

She suggests:

> acknowledging each other’s presence and dignity

> recognizing the authenticity of another’s passion

> seek consensus and common ground

> celebrate diversity

> be fluent in a language other than your own

Throughout this week, we will be “airing” segments of our Youth Contact meetings, conducted over the previous two weekends. The full ArchBalt resources is now live here.

Our theme for the training was Salt and Light. How do we help young people to preserve the faith?  How do we fully reflect the prism of Christ’s light?

Margaret Brogden discusses “Diversity” in her portion of presentation on light.

Here she suggests that “universal does not always mean uniformity” We all belong to the universal church; the Catholic Church has lived and continues to live in a diversity of cultures and languages because she is lead by the Spirit of God to bring the Gospel to all peoples. She known how to accept what is truly good in all cultures.  The Church does not negate or ignore culture; the Church celebrates it.

Margaret Brogden and Kristin Witte return to the “They” skit once again… with a different perspective.

“They should be more Catholic.”

Throughout this week, we will be “airing” segments of our Youth Contact meetings, conducted over the previous two weekends. The full ArchBalt resources is now live here.

Our theme for the training was Salt and Light. How do we help young people to preserve the faith?  How do we fully reflect the prism of Christ’s light?

Georgina and I wrap up the Salt portion of  the day by pointing towards the vision set by the National Initiative on Adolescent Catechesis which “calls for nothing less than re-imagining current faith formation and pastoral ministry efforts with young people and their families.”

Never allow yourself, don’t allow each other to fool ourselves to believing that our ministry is “unstoppable” in that way that it presently is. We are being asked to grow and change. How will ‘this salt” change the flavor of our ministry?

Margaret Brogden and Kristin Witte pair up to introduce the second half of the Youth Contact addressing Light.  Also included here is the first half of their “They” skit.

Throughout this week, we will be “airing” segments of our Youth Contact meetings, conducted over the previous two weekends. The full ArchBalt resources is now live here.

Our theme for the training was Salt and Light. How do we help young people to preserve the faith?  How do we fully reflect the prism of Christ’s light? 

Georgina Vaca presents on the value of involving the whole faith community in the lives of young people – -  not just when they experience church stuff, but as they are experiencing “their” stuff.

Quote to note:

Youth ministers have the responsibility to guide the community to become present in the moments youth consider important in their lives. Our role as ministers needs expansion! It is our role to equip other adults and the entire community to give that salt or flavor to young people. Not so that the ride, while it lasts at the parish, is a good and flavorful one, but so that that faith is maintained or “preserved” and goes beyond their youthful years into their adulthood. We want that saltiness to go a long way!

D. Scott Miller presents that Catholic Youth Ministry must move beyond working with young people.

Quote to note:

It has been said that “Youth ministry can’t be “ordinary or mediocre. It requires the ongoing conversion of the heart and the ongoing pursuit of ever-new ways to announce Christ. And it requires a veritable pastoral passion for young people.”

Our ministry must be extraordinary.

If our passion is authentically for young people, it must propel us in doing ministry beyond young people.

Throughout this week, we will be “airing” segments of our Youth Contact meetings, conducted over the previous two weekends. We be updating this posting as the ArchBalt resources page goes live (there was IT maintenance on the site over the weekend) and a Moodle training page (dependant upon the ArchBalt page) also goes live/  The Moodle page will allow you to virtually participate in the training as well!

Our theme for the training was Salt and Light. How do we help young people to preserve the faith?  How do we fully reflect the prism of Christ’s light? 

In our opening prayer, we read of Jesus’ analogy of Salt and Light from Matthew 5:13-16. Archbishop O’Brien graciously agreed to tape a short reflection on the readings.

Quote to note:

“You are the salt of the earth.  You are the light of the world.” Not, you should be. He’s given them that gift already. Pope John Paul II used to say, “Become who you are.” You are the light of the world.” The more you express yourself in the faith, the more you will give flavor and light to those around you.

The day broke into two sections -  Salt and Light.  Clever, huh?

Here, Georgina Vaca and I introduce our call for how youth ministers need to help preserve the faith

Quote to note:

Youth ministry is often about moments. Moments – whether it is a conference, whether it is confirmation, a service project, or sacraments.

Youth Ministry, our work with young people, our service in the name of Jesus Christ must, must be something more than a collection of moments.