The Office of Youth Ministry - Big Story

Steubenville St. Louis - Wrap-Up and Pictures

stlyouth — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:27:21 +0000

After two weekends and over 6,000 teens in and out of the 'Q' Arena in Springfield, MO, the two 2010 Steubenville St. Louis Mid-America youth conferences are over. But you can still relive the memories! There are tons of pictures, videos, and audio from the conference:

ALL the photos [Flickr] (or, just Week 1 or Week 2)
The OYM's LIVE Blog (with updates straight from the conference)
Video of the storm that almost delayed the beginning of the 2nd weekend [YouTube]
Franciscan Youth website - for all the conference information, along with music and video downloads!

You can also follow Steubenville and OYM events and ministries on:

Facebook (OYM - St. Louis)
#steubystl (official Twitter hashtag - or follow @stlyouth)

Mark calendars for Project Life and Steubie 2010!

Tom Lancia — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:38:28 +0000

Even though the fun doesn’t start till this summer, Group Registrations Begin in FEBRUARY! Steubenville St. Louis Mid-American Online Registration begins at 9:00am (Central Standard Time) on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010. Project Life Online Registration begins at 9:00am (Central Standard Time) on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010.

The summer of 2010 is going to be an exciting time with Project Life the week of June 13th to June 19th and Steubenville Week #1 the weekend of July 9th to the 11th and Week #2 the weekend of July 16th to the 18th! This year Project Life is traveling down to Perryville, Missouri and staying at St. Vincent de Paul Parish. As for Steubenville, you know we will be in Springfield, Missouri (at Missouri State), but this year we will be at New and Bigger Venue…the JQH ARENA! (check out the Steubenville page for more details and videos)

Steubenville Registration Opens

rosanne twellman — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:42:58 +0000

Steubenville registration will open on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 for the coming summer event. There will be two weeks of conferences. The weekend dates are July 6,7,8 and July 13,14,15.

Tammy Everard is our host week 1 and speakers include Fr. Leo Patalinghug, Bob Lesnefsky and Judy McDonald. Entertainment will be done by Cooper Ray, while the music will be led by Adam Bitter and the Steubenville Band.

Week 2 features Brian Kissiger hosting the weekend with Fr. John Gerth, Matt Smith and Leah Darrow speaking throughout the weekend. Sean Forrest will be our entertainment and music is again Adam Bitter and the Steubenville Band. We are honored to have Bishop Robert Hermann of St. Louis and Bishop James Johnston of the Springfield - Cape Girardeau diocece on hand throughout the weekend. Go to the Steubenville page for m ore information.

National Vocation Awareness Week

stlyouth — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:21:34 +0000

By Reverend Christopher Martin, Vocation Director

Every year the Church offers to the faithful an entire week dedicated to vocation awareness. What does this mean?

Certainly it is an opportunity for us as a people of faith to be grateful to the many men and women who inspire us by the very lives they lead. But, it is also a time for us to reflect on the fact that we all have a vocation.

The Church reminds us that Jesus calls us each by name to follow Him in faith and love by living our lives no longer for ourselves but for Him. This is what is referred to as the universal call to holiness. Beginning at baptism, each of us is destined for heaven. So becoming a saint is not so much an option for a few, but the pre-requisite for all to enter into heaven.

Jesus calls individuals to follow Him in three primary ways; priesthood, marriage, and the dedicated single life (including consecrated life).

Whereas it is very natural for young men and women to consider marriage and family life (though thinking of it as a call from God is not so common anymore), sometimes it isn’t as easy for them to think and pray about the priesthood or religious life. So we hold up these vocations in a special way this week and pray that all young people have a generous and open heart, and that parents lead their children to desire God’s will above all else.

So let us give thanks for and pray for vocations well-lived. For happy, holy marriages, for inspiring priest and religious, and for sanctified singles who generously give of their talents for others.

Maybe this week in addition to praying for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, we can give compliments and gratitude to people who live their vocations so well that they spur us on to holiness in our own.

Contact the Office of Vocations at 314.792.6460 or by Email

A True Story of Hope that can Save Us All

stlyouth — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:30:48 +0000

Gospel Lk 2:1-14

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
"Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Need to Getaway? Come take a Journey of Faith!

rosanne twellman — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:33:15 +0000

Have you ever seen that commerical. . . Life doesn't happen the way you want it to happen and you hear the voice over that says - "Need to getaway"? Well of course, we all need to get away. Sometimes in the midst of ministry we are the last ones to say, Hey, it's time to take care of myself - I myself have had trouble in the past saying that to myself, so I know we all have that same problem.

Well, it is time to get away! Fr. Dave Pivonka is inviting you to come getaway with God and take this Journey of Faith. He is planning a well rested weekend for you to spend time with God.

January 27-29, 2012 is the dates. The location is at Todd Hall in Columbia, Illinois, just 20 minutes from St. Louis.

This weekend is for anyone who ministers to teens, youth ministers, core members, volunteers, teachers, coaches, scout leaders, or campus ministers.

We have lowered the cost to make it as affordable as possible for all and any to attend. But space is limited to 64 retreatants so register now before all spots are gone.

Click here to register today. See you there!

For more information and the weekend schedule Click Here

REGISTRATION OPENS 10-10 at 10

rosanne twellman — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:18:33 +0000

HEY! GUESS WHAT?

Yes, thats right, Monday, October 10th, registration for The Way, The Truth, The Life opens for group leaders.

We will be taking 650 teens and chaperones to our Nations Capitol to protest the Supreme Court decision on January 22nd of 1973. This Archdiocean trip includes programming for the teens, a day of touring in Washington DC, Mass with Archbishop Carlson, and the march itself, where thousands of protesters will silently and prayerfully march to the Supreme Court protesting that decision.

Click here for more information.

Click here to go to the registration page.

Steubenville Live CD is here! ! !

STL Youth — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:26:10 +0000

The new Steubenville Live CD IS HERE! They will be on sale this Saturday, September 24th at Spiritfest or you can click here to order online

'Summer of sex' proves fruitful for Holy Infant teens

Tom Lancia — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 19:20:50 +0000

Check out this article from the St. Louis Review highlighting Holy Infant Youth Ministry:

Created 08/31/2011 - 4:11pm

Submitted on August 31, 2011

Jennifer Brinker | jbrinker@stlouisreview.com

This is the first in an occasional series on Blessed John Paul II's Theology of the Body and how it applies to various vocations. This series is a continuation of the conversation started by the archdiocese's "As for Me and My House" anti-pornography initiative, and seeks to draw light to Theology of the Body as an example for setting a solid foundation for human sexuality and love.

For teens at Holy Infant Parish in Ballwin, the summer of 2011 was known as the "summer of sex."

But what they experienced this summer was far from what one might think in light of current culture. Instead, more than 70 teens embarked on a 10-week journey into Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body, which explores the meaning of human sexuality and how it is integrated into the whole person: body, soul and spirit.

This was the first time the parish formally introduced the topic to teens as part of the youth ministry program, said Mark Pilkenton, director of youth ministry since 2004. The idea was born after Pilkenton was invited to represent the parish in implementing the "As for Me and My House" program, an archdiocesan program to fight the dangers of pornography.

After Holy Infant offered the eight-week program for adults in the spring, Pilkenton decided to talk to teens about sexuality, among other topics, using Theology of the Body as a foundation. The core team used "Theology of the Body for Teens," a video series produced by Catholic author and apologist Jason Evert.

On Sunday nights, teens hunkered down in the youth house to watch the series and have a discussion afterward. At the same time, parents watched the videos in the upper cafeteria, with the goal of continuing the conversation with their teens at home. Teens and parents had their last session Aug. 28.

The hope, said core team members, is that the message will resonate with teens. And it's evident the message is needed, considering what some teens have witnessed in their own high schools.

One Holy Infant teen, who attends a school in west St. Louis County, noted that a group of girls at school made a pact to become pregnant. Another teen said he knows of several teens who have girlfriends who are pregnant.

"They're at a critical point in their lives where they need to know how to make the right choices," said core team member Charlie Manott. "Being Catholic does work in the real world, and this shows you how."

What is Theology of the Body?

Theology of the Body came from 129 lectures that Pope John II delivered during his weekly general audiences from 1979-84. Based in Scripture, his idea was to reveal that the human body has a very specific purpose in life and has the ability to answer questions about our vocational calling, sexuality and why humans were created as male and female.

The lectures were later compiled into a single work called "Theology of the Body According to John Paul II," (now known as "Man and Woman He Created Them") which has since been used in reaching out to Catholics of all backgrounds -- married, single, religious, young and old â€“ in offering a new "language" for the purpose of life and love.

Over the years, numerous programs on Theology of the Body have been developed for adults, young adults, teens and more, from experts including Christopher West, Jason Evert and others.

Reaction from teens

Manott said that when Theology of the Body was introduced more than 30 years ago, "I don't think people took it seriously. (People) were still trying to understand it then."

While it might prove difficult to pinpoint why Theology of the Body has risen in popularity among Catholics, daunting statistics on teens and sexuality show there is a need for the topic.

According to 2011 statistics from the Guttmacher Institute [2]:

• Seven out of 10 teens of both genders have had sexual intercourse by their 19th birthday;

• On average, young people have sex for the first time at about age 17, but do not marry until their mid-20s. Guttmacher indicated that means that young adults are at increased risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) for nearly a decade;

• From 2006 to 2008, the most common reason that sexually inexperienced teens gave for not having had sex was that it was "against religion or morals" (42 percent among females and 35 percent among males).

Andrew Bischof, a senior at DeSmet Jesuit High School, said one of the challenges of living out the Theology of the Body is the message portrayed in the media that sex is acceptable.

"With TV shows, the goal seems to be having sex," he said. "And that's against what we've been learning."

But the message of Theology of the Body has been more than just saying no to sex before marriage, as Theresa Strake, a junior at Marquette Senior High School, pointed out.

By learning more about Theology of the Body, Theresa said, "I'm helping my friends grow closer to God," especially when they come to her with problems. "Before, I was like, 'Oh my God, I don't know how to handle this situation.' But now I can help others."

Core team member Kelly Armstrong said Catholic teens who live out their faith are "courageous" in their efforts to keep their faith alive. And that doesn't just include the courage to wear the retreat T-shirt out in public or listening to Christian music.

"They're putting more effort into learning about their faith," she said. "They're not just choosing to be Catholic — they're finding out why they're Catholic. All we can do is plant the seed and hope they grow from that."

Keeping the message alive at home

Armstrong said she feels examples such as Theology of the Body have moved the conversation between teens and parents from being "less of a one-time sex talk today. This introduces the idea of a lifestyle change. It's nice to see we're breaking out of that."

Karen Zimmerman, who oversaw the parent component of the program, noted that several parents who participated said they wished they knew about Theology of the Body when they were younger.

As parents, "this helps make the message more grounded and the pressures (of talking to teens about sexuality) less."

Debbi St. Louis, a teacher at Holy Infant and parent of three who participated in the sessions, said she's learned through Theology of the Body that "God plants in your heart what (He) wants for you." When it came time for her oldest daughter, Shannon, now a freshman at John F. Kennedy Catholic High School, to choose where she wanted to attend school, the family prayed that "God would line Shannon's will with His."

"Our whole culture constantly pours out the opposite message," she said.

Theology of the Body @ school

Catholic high schools have been embracing Theology of the Body as
part of their curriculum. Their use of the material varies, but
according to one high school theology teacher, the message that students
are receiving is positive.

Brian Gilmore, who teaches sophomore
theology at St. Louis University High School, said his course implements
parts of “Theology of the Body for Teens,” written by Jason and
Crystalina Evert and others. The full faith-formation program includes a
DVD series, student workbook and parent guide.

“I find it is a
very positive approach to chastity that doesn’t use scare tactics … and I
think they appreciate that,” said Gilmore. The material, he added
teaches that “your sexuality is a wonderful thing … and with anything in
life, there is a way that is most appropriate to use it.”

“Theology
of the Body for Teens” is aimed at teens (with a separate program for
middle-school age preteens) in Catholic schools, parish ministries,
religious education, confirmation and homeschool settings. For more
information, visit thetheologyofthebody.com [3].

A Day For Adults Who Work With Youth: Training Day!

Tom Lancia — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 21:00:07 +0000

If you are an adult working in youth ministry, you don’t want to miss the Office of Youth Ministry’s TRAINING DAY! This event is designed to help you and other youth leaders become better equipped to serve Christ’s Church and His Youth.

This compact day, filled with a variety of relevant talks and powerful prayer, is for veterens to newbies in youth ministry!

Here are the topics covered during the training:

The HEART of the Matter: the pursuit of personal holiness
Dealing with Pastoral Issues
The 4 “s” needed in ministry: Sacraments, Spirituality, Service, Social
Evangelization through Media
Breaking open the YouCAT
The Art of Uttering: How to prepare and give a great testimonial
Worlds Apart: Ministering to the Sexes
For Youth Minister’s: Q & A in dealing with pastoral issues
8 Forms of Prayer and how to teach them to teens
Fighting burnout with the Holy Spirit
10 Forces changing the face of Youth Ministry

Here are the speakers you will hear from during the training:

Dr. Ed Hogan (featured in our recent Training Day commercal)

Bio: Ed Hogan has a PhD in Systematic Theology from Boston College. He has taught theology on the high school, college, and graduate school levels, as well as in parishes and adult faith formation programs. Ed served as Director of Deacon Formation, Director of the Center for Ministry, and Director of the Department of Formation for the Diocese of Saginaw, MI. He currently lives in Saint Louis, where he serves as Director of the Pontifical Paul VI Institute of Catechetical and Pastoral Studies for the Archdiocese of Saint Louis, and Associate Professor of Theology at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary. Ed and his wife have six children.

Dr. Sue Harvath

Coordinator of Human Formation Services at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary

Fr. Tom Pastorius

Fr. Tom was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 2003 and his first priesthood assignment was as associate pastor of Sacred Heart in Valley Park. He has also served as associate pastor at St. Norbert parish in Florissant and also assisted at Epiphany Parish in South St. Louis. Currently he is the associate pastor of St. Mark's Parish on Morganford/Union.

He has been very active in summer camp programs: Kenrick Glennon Days (KGD), CHRISTPOWER, & Camp Mater Dei. He is also the current Archdiocesan Chaplain for the Catholic Committee on Girl Scouting. In an effort to answer Pope Benedict's call to evangelize on the internet, Fr. Tom created a website called, May Jesus Christ Be Praised.

Paul Masek

Paul Masek is the coordinator of the REAP Team, a Catholic youth retreat ministry which is a division of the Archdiocesan Office of Youth Ministry. He is married to Lisa, and they have four kids - Jacob, Audrey, Kyle, and Dominic. You can follow Paul on Twitter @clasekmasek, and you can contact Paul at paul@reapteam.org.

Gretchen Pacheco

Gretchen Pacheco is the Chastity Educator for The REAP Team. She is married to her Venezuelan hottie, Carlos and they live in St. Peters with their poodles, Jack and Phoebe. Her and her husband just recently welcomed the newest addition to their family, baby girl Mimi Pacheco. Gretchen goes crazy for baseball, dancing, the zoo and her nephew Dominick and her neice Charlie. She hopes to turn her love of extreme skipping into a professional career.

Ben Govero

Web Developer for the Archdiocese of St. Louis

Music Minister for the Most Sacred Heart Parish in Eureka

Fr. Brian Fischer

Director of the Office of Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of St. Louis

Secretary of the Archbishop of St. Louis

Tom Lancia

Coordinator of Youth Ministry for the Archdiocese of St. Louis

Kathleen McGovern

Coordinator of Youth Ministry for the Archdiocese of St. Louis

Pope tells youth to follow Christ through his Church

Tom Lancia — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 21:03:36 +0000

Submitted by Elizabeth Westhoff on August 23, 2011

Summary
Pope Benedict XVI told over a million young pilgrims to World Youth Day that the best way to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is through the Catholic Church.

At closing Mass, Pope tells youth to follow Christ through his Church - Madrid, Spain, August 21 (CNA/EWTN News) .-

Pope Benedict XVI told over a million young pilgrims to World Youth Day that the best way to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is through the Catholic Church.
"Following Jesus in faith means walking at his side in the communion of the Church. We cannot follow Jesus on our own," he said in his homily at the event's closing Mass at Cuarto Vientos airbase on the outskirts of Madrid.
"Anyone who would be tempted to do so 'on his own,' or to approach the life of faith with the kind of individualism so prevalent today, will risk never truly encountering Jesus, or will end up following a counterfeit Jesus."
The Pope delivered his sermon in the searing heat of the morning, a contrast to the thunderstorm he'd endured during a prayer vigil at the same venue the night before.
"I hope you were able to sleep a bit," said the Pope to the young people just before Mass. He encouraged them to leave Madrid "firm in the faith," in keeping with the event's theme of becoming strongly rooted in Christ.
Remarkably, the young pilgrims seemed unfazed by both extremes of weather, greeting the Pope's arrival with a sea of world flags and cheers of "El Papa! Viva!"
The Pope drew his message from the day's Gospel reading, in which St. Peter responds to Jesus's question "Who do you say that I am?" with the answer, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Christ, in turn, proclaims: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it."
"The Church, then, is not simply a human institution, like any other. Rather, she is closely joined to God," said the Pope.
"Christ himself speaks of her as 'his' Church. Christ cannot be separated from the Church any more than the head can be separated from the body. The Church does not draw her life from herself, but from the Lord."
In the presence of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia of Spain, the Pope said the Catholic Church is the answer to a question that often arises today.
"There are many people today who feel attracted by the figure of Christ and want to know him better," realizing that "he is the answer to so many of our deepest concerns. But who is he really? How can someone who lived on this earth so long ago have anything in common with me today?"
The answer, said the Pope, was Christ's presence continuing through history in the Catholic Church.
The universality of that Church showed throughout the Mass, with readings and prayers delivered in an array of languages including Spanish, Italian, Polish, Arabic, Chinese, and the Church's traditional Latin. In fact, like many World Youth Day events, the Papal liturgy combined traditional and more modern Catholic elements.
The Pope told young people that they, like Peter, "have been given the extraordinary task of being disciples and missionaries of Christ" – in their case, missionaries to their peers who "are looking for something greater and, because their heart tells them that more authentic values do exist, they do not let themselves be seduced by the empty promises of a lifestyle which has no room for God."
"The world needs the witness of your faith, it surely needs God," said the Pope, "I think that the presence here of so many young people, coming from all over the world, is a wonderful proof of the fruitfulness of Christ's command to the Church: 'Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation.'"
The only disappointment for many pilgrims was that most were unable to receive Communion during Mass. This was due to the fact that many of the 17 Eucharistic chapels around the venue had blown down in last night's storm while others had to be dismantled due to safety fears.
Pope Benedict ended by telling the young people that he prayed for them "with heartfelt affection," that they would "grow in holiness of life" and "be effective witnesses to the truth that Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God, the savior of all mankind and the living source of our hope. Amen."

Saint Louis, King of France

Tom Lancia — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 20:39:37 +0000

Man of the Middle Ages

The thirteenth century brought all that was best and all that was worst about the Middle Ages to a culmination. Magnificent cathedrals, monasteries, and universities drew some of God's people to the light of God's Word. But surrounding streets and countryside teemed with folk lost in the shadows of superstition and fear. Cords of a common faith united people from far flung lands. But ambition and greed ran riot in the many political divisions of those lands and in the Church as well. Still, it was that simple faith that dominated most people's lives. Life is brief, and at the end await judgment and eternity. It is how you live that matters, and, thank God, His grace is available to peasant and prince alike.

When Louis IX was born on April 25, 1214, France was only about a third of its present size, and his grandfather, Philip II Augustus, was sitting on the throne. Then, when Louis was eight, Philip died and Louis' father took the throne as Louis VIII. Obviously, that same throne loomed in little Louis' future and his mother, Blanche of Castile, did all she could to prepare him for it.

Instead of sending her baby out to a nurse, as many other royal mothers did, Blanche kept Louis with her and assumed almost total control over his life. Though he learned some principles from watching and listening to his father, tutors of Blanche's choosing taught him most of what a king must know -- Latin, public speaking, writing, military arts, and government. Even more important to Blanche was Louis' religious education. She taught him to love God and honor Poissy, the place of his baptism. She took him to all the services of the Divine Office each day and restricted his companions to men of the Church.

"I love you, my dear son, as much as a mother can love her child," Blanche once informed her little boy. "But I would rather see you dead at my feet than that you should ever commit a mortal sin." Louis never forgot that.

The time for which Blanche was preparing arrived sooner than she had anticipated. Louis was only twelve when his father died on November 7, 1226. At once a group of barons joined forces to seize all they could from the situation. Louis, a mere child, and Blanche, a foreign woman with no friends or family near, would be easy prey, they thought.

But their reckoning had not considered Blanche's keen mind and determination. She promptly scheduled Louis' coronation for the earliest possible date, the first Sunday of Advent, 1226. In line with her husband's wishes, she would serve as regent and rule for Louis until he came of age.

After the coronation, which took place in the Cathedral at Rheims, the barons tried to prevent Louis and Blanche from returning to Paris. But the Parisians themselves marched out and lined the roads, some bearing arms and many praying for Louis' welfare. He never forgot that either.

As time passed, the barons continued their harassment, but Blanche was able to outwit them at every turn. Her only defeat came when Louis was twenty and married Margaret, daughter of the Count of Provence. Though Blanche realized that a king must marry and had even chosen Margaret for Louis, she simply could not control her jealousy. She had been the center of her son's life too long to share him, so she did all she could to keep the young couple apart.

However, Louis and Margaret genuinely loved one another and found their own ways around Blanche's interference. Sometimes they met in a stairway between their two rooms. Servants kept watch and, if Blanche approached, made warning noises, so Louis and Margaret could escape before she saw them. In spite of such obstacles, the marriage proved successful and resulted in six daughters and five sons.

In 1235 Louis came of age and began to rule France, though he still listened carefully to his mother's advice. Even in childhood, his compassion for the poor and suffering people had been obvious to all who knew him and when he became king, it burst into full flower. Over a hundred poor people ate in his house on ordinary days and many more on holidays. Often the king served these guests himself.

Such acts of charity, coupled with Louis' devout religious practices, gave rise to the legend that he joined the Third Order of St. Francis, people who lived simply in their own homes and devoted much time to prayer and service to the poor. Though it is unlikely that Louis did join the order, his life and actions certainly proclaimed him one of them in spirit.

Louis once asked his friend and biographer, John de Joinville, whether John had ever washed the feet of the poor on Maundy Thursday, a custom following the example of Jesus, who washed His disciples' feet. "God forbid, sir!" replied John, always a blunt and honest man. "No, I will not wash the feet of those brutes!"

That, said Louis, was a poor answer, and he urged John not to despise Jesus' lesson, but to begin the practice himself.

Louis also gave generous gifts of money to poor people whether others considered them worthy or not. Monks and nuns, widows and prostitutes, gentlefolk fallen on hard times and minstrels too old or sick to perform, Louis gave happily to them all.

He also built hospitals and homes for those who needed them. One hospital for blind people near Paris included a chapel so the three hundred men who stayed there could attend worship services. A hostel outside Paris became home to a large group of women who had been driven by poverty to prostitution. Louis called it the House of the Daughters of God.

Louis had a special place in his heart for people in religious orders and helped all those who asked for his support. His first great building was an abbey at Royaumont. He carried stones for its construction and later spent hours there, singing and eating with the monks, praying, and seeking God's peace.

Many more convents and monasteries followed Royaumont and sometimes people close to Louis scolded him for giving so much money away. Louis' reply was quick and sharp.

"I would rather my extravagance should be in almsgiving for the love of God than in the pomp and vainglory of this world."

Baldwin II, Latin emperor at Constantinople, felt deep gratitude to Louis for his generosity to Christians in the Middle East -- and, most likely, for settling some of Baldwin's own debts, too. In 1239, the emperor gave Louis the Crown of Thorns, said to be worn by Jesus on the Cross. Louis took his whole court with him to meet the Dominican brothers who brought the Crown to France. Then, to house this treasure, he tore down his chapel of St. Nicholas and built the lovely Sainte Chapelle.

Louis' wisdom and fairness in administering justice became a byword throughout Europe, both during his lifetime and after his death. In the summer, he would often go from church to a nearby park where he sat beneath an oak tree with some of his courtiers.

"Is there anyone here who has a case to settle?" he would ask, and whoever did could come and speak with him freely.

When faced with a problem between a rich person and a poor person, Louis always listened a little more carefully to the poor person. The rich, he said, had plenty of people ready to listen to them.

Once Louis heard about a count who had hanged three children for hunting rabbits in his woods. Louis had the count put in prison and when he demanded that other nobles serve as his judges, Louis refused. So the count stood before ordinary judges who condemned him to death. But Louis wasn't finished. He commuted the death sentence to a fine so large that it took most of the count's possessions. Then he ordered the fine to be used for charity.

In 1242, Louis defeated King Henry III of England in a battle at Taillebourg. He was so fair in his treatment of the king that years later, Henry would return to ask Louis once again to administer justice in his behalf.

In 1244, Louis became extremely ill with dysentery and fever. At one point, a nurse, certain he was dead, prepared to cover his face with a sheet. But another nurse insisted he was still alive and she was right. For a while, Louis could not speak, but the moment his speech returned, he announced that he wished to "take the cross."

When Blanche heard this, her heart fell. She knew that it meant Louis had decided to go on a crusade. The crusades had begun in 1096 with a holy war to take Jerusalem back from the Saracens. Though never successful, they had persisted for about two hundred years, at great personal and financial expense to many people.

But with the highest of motives and hopes, Louis set sail for Egypt in 1248, along with family members, John de Joinville, and others. Years of battle, sickness, and waiting followed until in 1250 Louis himself became a prisoner. His kingly bearing and open devotion to God seemed to offer him some protection and soon he was released.

Next he sailed to Palestine with the poor remnants of his army and visited as many holy places as he could. It was not until 1254 that sad news brought Louis back to France.

Blanche was dead. For two days grief so overwhelmed Louis that he would speak to no one. Then he sent for John and cried, "I have lost my mother!"

John also learned, much to his surprise, that Margaret was grieving too. She and some of the children had accompanied Louis on the crusade and though John thought the king was neglecting them, Margaret had apparently lost none of her love for him.

"The woman you most hated . . . is dead," John pointed out to her, "and yet you are making such a show of grief."

It was not for Blanche that she wept, said Margaret, but for Louis and the sorrow he was feeling.

After more adventures, well described by John in his biography the crusaders reached France, and Louis again assumed the rule of his country. If anything, he lived even more simply then, eating less, mixing water with his wine, and dressing in plain clothes. At the same time his reputation for justice and fairness only grew.

In 1254, again motivated by his love for the poor, Louis issued his Great Ordinance. His officials had to swear to give justice to all. They could accept no bribes and allow no gifts to their wives, children, or other close family members. Finally, they could not buy land in the territories they served.

Around 1257, Robert de Sorbon, a priest and man of great learning, told his friend, King Louis, about his plans to build a college for poor students in Paris. Louis liked the idea, obtained the approval of Pope Clement IV, and gave Robert the money to endow the project. Before long, the institute, known as the Sorbonne, served as the theological division of the University of Paris. Men such as St. Bonaventure, St. Albert the Great, and St. Thomas Aquinas taught there and their work continues to influence Church teachings today.

Meanwhile, in England, Henry III and his barons had been fighting tooth and nail, much to the distress of their country. At last they decided to take their disputes to Louis. He was the fairest man in the world and both sides would abide by whatever he decreed.

So a large party of English nobility traveled to Amiens and all pleaded their cases. Louis listened and thought and then handed down his judgment. In some ways he judged in favor of Henry and in others for the barons. The nobles returned to England as satisfied as they could be.

Hard as Louis worked, he did know how to relax. He had a menagerie, which included some lions and a porcupine. He kept falcons, sparrow hawks, dogs and horses -- everything necessary for a royal hunt, although he may not himself have hunted.

Most of all, Louis seemed to enjoy the company of other people, especially his family and the guests he had to meals.

"Nothing," he said, "beats a free and friendly conversation."

But Louis could not put the plight of Christians in the Middle East out of his mind, and in 1267, he declared that he intended to set out on another crusade. John and others close to him protested strongly. France needed him, they said, and his health was poor. But Louis was determined.

Some of his brothers and his three eldest sons, Philip, John and Peter, accompanied him and summer of 1270 found them in Tunis. There disease swept through the crusaders and Louis' son John died. That same day both Louis and Philip felt ill. Philip recovered, but the king no longer had the strength to fight his way back to health.

On August 24, Louis received the last sacraments. On the 25th, he was unable to speak from nine till noon. Then he raised his eyes and repeated the words of the psalm: "Lord, I will enter into Thine house; I will adore in Thy holy temple, and will give glory to Thy name." At three, he spoke again -- "Into Thy hands I commend my soul" -- and died.

Louis was 56 at the time of his death, worn out with work and hardships. Many of his accomplishments lived after him, serving as beacons of light, revealing the best of the Middle Ages. Even his failures, most notably the two crusades, mark him as a man of his time. Louis wrote out his ideas of government in a set of precepts which he gave to his son, Philip. They say, in essence: "Love God, do justice, and serve the poor."

Save the Date!

Tom Lancia — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:55:56 +0000

Even though the fun of summer is coming to a close for all of us, the Office of Youth Ministry is excited to share with you some of what's to come! We are always striving to find ways to better serve youth ministry in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. You will find we have events for families, teens, youth groups, youth ministers, core members, and anyone who wishes to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ!

We have attached a flyer or you can take out your smart phones or wall calendars and mark down these events below. Please feel free to contact us at the OYM if you have any questions.

September 10, 2011 - Training Day

September 24, 2011 - SPIRITFEST

January 20-24, 2011 - Way, Truth, Life Pilgrimage

January 27-29, 2012 - Adult Retreat w/ Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR

June 10-16, 2012 - Project Life

July 6-8, 2012 - Steubenville St. Louis Mid America Week #1

July 13-15, 2012 - Steubenville St. Louis Mid America Week #2

OYM Contacts:

Tom Lancia 314-792-7618 tomlancia@archstl.org

Kathleen McGovern 314-792-7628 kathleenmcgovern@archstl.org

Rosanne Twellman 314-792-7616 StLYouth@archstl.org

Fr. Brian Fischer 314-792-7607 brianfischer@archstl.org

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Get Your Tickets for "Bye-Bye-Birdie" and support your church family!

Tom Lancia — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:38:41 +0000

Joins us as we close the 31st season of the Fr. Wiliam Scheid Players with a bang! The Catholic Youth Apostolate presents, through special arrangements with Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc., the award-winning musical, Bye-Bye Birdie! Come out and support your friends, family, and community. Proceeds help support the Apostolate's youth programs.

Performance dates are:

Friday, August 19 at 8:00 pm

Saturday, August 20 at 8:00 pm

Sunday, August 21 at 3:00 pm

Tickets are $14 each or $12 for seniors. Reserved seating is available, and seating capacity is limited so we encourage you to order your tickets early. Download the Ticket Order Form, and to purchase an ad in the play program, please dowload the Play Ad Form.

For more information, feel free to contact Allison at (314) 792-7624 or email allisontabeta@archstl.org.

The fabulous cast includes members of many Archdiocesan parishes and other area churches:

St. Dominic Savio - Katie Alonso
Assumption - Madelaine Schmitt
St. Mary Magdalen-City - Msgr. John Borcic
St. John the Baptist - Beth Kuppinger
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque - Msgr. Norb Ernst and Dan Karcher
Mary, Mother of the Church - Msgr. Jim Telhorst
St. Anthony of Padua - Angie Koenig and John Koenig
New Hope Presbyterian - Cadence Bippen and Carlin Bippin
St. Peter-Kirkwood - Michael Schneider, William Schneider, and Cher Smits
St. Cletus - Fr. Terry Borgerding, Carolyn Boschert, Tina Davis, Carrie Wolf, Linda Pierce, and Barb Prideaux
St. Ferdinand - Rachel McIntyre, Douglas Fritz, John Hilmes, Sally Krebs, Jeremy Naumann, Sara Naumann, Mary Naumann, Jimmy Reddy, Katie Reddy, and Marie Reddy
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne - Phillip Nast, Nora Rechtien, Rose Rechtien, Becca Stone, Jessica Stone, Antonio Maldonado, and Thomas Stone
St. Joseph-Manchester - Paula Dean
Our Lady Help of Christians - Fr. Wigand
Holy Spirit - Kathy Czopek, Maggie Decker, and Erin Farrell
Holy Name - Mike Kalist
St. George - Anamary Perks
Immaculate Conception-Dardenne - Ali Pinkerton
St. Stephen Protomartyr - Gary and Greg Stoff
All Saints - Amelia Martin
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton - Diane Judge and Mimi Judge

Steubenville Letter to Parents (from Youth Minister and Counselor)

Tom Lancia — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 21:25:57 +0000

Check out this letter from a St. Louis Youth Minister:

In the eight years I spent bringing teens to Steubenville conferences as a Youth Minister or Core Member, upon returning, I bet I was asked by parents at least 100 times; “Mary…what did you do to my kid??” The obvious answer is that I did nothing…but God, on the other hand, may have moved mountains.

When your son or daughter returns from this conference, you may notice a drastic difference – or you may notice no difference at all. Either way, rest assured that God was (and is!) alive in your teenager (amazing, huh!?!?). Please don’t be offended or irritated if they don’t want to share every detail, since the experience people have here can be deeply person. That being said, sharing with parents can really help young people to process the experience. I would encourage you to try asking open-ended and discussion-provoking questions. Give them time and space to answer. Here are a few possibilities:

· What was your favorite part of the weekend? Music? Talks? Mass?

· What did you learn from your favorite talk?

· What did you connect with most in a talk or homily?

· Can you play me your favorite song from the conference on iTunes?

· Give me a one-sentence summary of the message of the weekend.

· What was it like for you to be with so many other teenagers that care about faith?

· What can I do to help you in your journey with God?

Even if they won’t talk, know that God is moving in their hearts and minds. Above all, they need your prayers and your example of what it means to follow Jesus. Pray for them this weekend! They are in good hands – they are in God’s hands.

God Bless,

Mary

P.S. Follow the Steubenville Mid-America Conference at live.stlyouth.org

Msgr. Meyer Remembered with Gratitude and Love

Tom Lancia — Wed, 18 May 2011 18:19:09 +0000

Msgr. Louis F. Meyer
(1919-2011)

We remember, with graditude and love, Msgr. Meyer’s service to the CYC, the Catholic Youth Apostolate, and the Archdiocese of St. Louis. A Funeral Mass for Msgr. Meyer will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on May 20 at St. Mary Magdalen Church, 4924 Bancroft Avenue in St. Louis.

Following are links to articles about the life of Msgr. Meyer:

"The Soccer Priest", Msgr. Louis Meyer, dies at 92 (Fox 2 News)

Msgr. Meyer left longstanding legacy (St. Louis Review)

Msgr. Louis F. Meyer, longtime director of Catholic Youth Council, dies at 92 (St. Louis Review)

Photo slideshow of Msgr. Louis Meyer (St. Louis Review)

A History of the CYC (CYC Sports website)

Before the Cross | Campus ministry connects college students to Christ

Tom Lancia — Fri, 13 May 2011 14:06:39 +0000

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson - submitted May 11, 2011 22ssuu

"Catching fire" and "connecting students to Christ" are frequent expressions of Father Bill Kempf. Working with students, forming and shaping them as people and as committed Catholics, is what Father Bill enjoys most about his ministry to students at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He believes that campus ministry has the potential to help students come to know, love and serve Christ. He says watching that happen and sharing in a student's experience of spiritual awakening and conversion is a source of hope and real joy.

Father Bill wears two very large hats. His time is divided between his duties as pastor of a parish with a school, St. Ann in Normandy, and overseeing the Newman Center at UMSL.

I'm fortunate to have two full-time jobs that I love," Father Bill said. "But some days it feels like no one is being well-served."

As he struggles to balance all the responsibilities that come with being a full-time pastor and a full-time campus minister, Father Bill recalls an admonition of St. Vincent de Paul to his co-workers: Do the doable, not the impossible.

What is doable for those who minister to the young Church on college and university campuses today? "Awakenings" which come from students' intellectual curiosity about the Church and about its often countercultural messages are doable, Father Bill says. Even if students don't understand, or agree with, the Church's teaching on a particular issue, students who are awake intellectually want to know more

Encouraging students to be active in their practice of the faith is not only doable, it is essential. Participation in the liturgy and the devotional life of the Church provides students with growth experiences.

Retreats are doable, Father Bill says, and so are leadership opportunities and lay ecclesial ministries (lector, extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, choir, etc.) that the Newman Center offers young people -- often for the first time in their lives.

"Give students a structure in which they can succeed (and sometimes fail) and where they can learn from those successes and failures, and you quickly discover that these are today's Church leaders as well as tomorrow's leaders."

The goal of campus ministry is to develop student leaders and ministers who can go home to their parish communities -- and out into the marketplace and the civic community -- and really make a difference. "Catching fire," the enthusiasm that comes from a genuine spiritual experience, is something you can't force.

But if you provide the right opportunities, for example "Social Justice Month," retreats for beginners and for those who want to grow in their faith, vocations dinners ("Soup with Sister"), service trips and, above all Mass and the sacraments, then the Holy Spirit is given room to work.

"Just having a house, a place where kids can drop by and hang out in a safe, caring environment is HUGE," Father Bill says.

Campus ministry is a ministry of presence that affirms students in their Catholic identity as women and men made in God's image and likeness and called to follow Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life. What's doable for campus ministers who work with college and university students?

"What don't we do?" Father Bill responds. "We're here to connect students to Christ, to provide them with opportunities to discover their vocation as disciples of Jesus Christ, and to help them discern God's call -- to marriage or the dedicated single life, to ordained ministry as a priest or deacon, or to the consecrated life of religious women and men."

What's doable? Evangelization -- the sharing of Christ's good news of salvation. Spiritual growth and conversion. Growth in wisdom and understanding. Active engagement in the mission and ministries of the Church.

None of these are impossible despite the many obstacles students and campus ministers face every day. Catching fire and connecting students to Christ are fundamental goals of ministry to the young Church -- in parishes, in Catholic schools and on university campuses (both Catholic and non-Catholic).

This is a great work that deserves our prayer, our commitment of time and talent, and our generous sharing of financial resources.

As Father Bill Kempf reminds us, these are today's leaders as well as tomorrow's. Let's help connect them to Christ. Let's encourage them to catch fire in the Holy Spirit and to grow in their understanding and practice of the Catholic faith.

We can't afford to neglect the fundamental responsibility to hand on our faith to the next generation. We must engage the young Church as partners with us in the evangelizing mission entrusted by the Risen Lord to His disciples as He ascended to heaven.

Eucharistic Congress 2011

Tom Lancia — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:57:20 +0000

Join Catholics from the Archdiocese of St. Louis and surrounding dioceses to celebrate the Eucharist as the center and heart of our faith! This will be an awesome weekend for all ages with live music, various presentations, activities, adoration, and Mass at St. Louis University High School. The fun begins Friday, June 24th, and concludes Sunday, June 26th.

To find more information check out all these links:

Eucharistic Congress Fan Page

Eucharistic Congress Event Page

Archdiocese Website

Before the Cross | Parish youth ministers share Christ with young Church

Tom Lancia — Fri, 06 May 2011 21:00:22 +0000

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson Column

Dan Huss has been a youth minister at Incarnate Word Parish in Chesterfield for 13 years. He gave up his job as an accountant — and took a significant cut in pay — to share Christ with young people. He says he wouldn't go back on that life-changing decision for anything. He thanks God every day for the gift of his vocation as a husband and father of three children and as a minister to the young Church.

Growing up, Dan says that he learned about his Catholic faith and practiced it as best he could without really understanding it "from the heart." As a result, something was missing in his life. He credits two priests who reached out to him as a young adult for his conversion to active engagement in the life of the Church. He believes that he is called to hand on the Christian faith to teens who are like he was — on the margins of Catholicism without a personal relationship to Jesus Christ.

Dan believes that we are losing far too many of our young Church. "Too often," he says, "kids are confirmed and then don't come back." He argues passionately that this is a group that can, and should, be instrumental now. "They're not just the Church of the future; they're an important part of our present, and we can't afford to let them slip away from the faith. If we lose them, we may never get them back."

Decisions that young people make today make a real difference — in their individual lives, in their family circumstances and in the the world. We can't afford to let our young people drift away in the hopes that they'll come back someday when they're older and have families of their own. Too much is at stake. Someone has to be Christ for them. Someone has to speak His words of invitation to discipleship and to a personal relationship with Him.

The responsibility for youth ministry begins in the family, but it is shared by the entire parish. Pastors have a serious obligation to make sure that youth are being introduced to the person of Christ through their participation in the sacraments, through their religious instruction, through fellowship and through engagement in outreach to the wider community. Parish youth ministers assist parents and pastors in carrying out this serious responsibility.

What is the greatest challenge youth ministers face today? Dan says it is "the world and what it offers — promoting the desire for selfish things." What Christ has to offer is freedom from selfishness and sin over the course of a whole lifetime. What the world offers is immediate gratification, pleasure that soon fades away, leaving us feeling empty and alone. Only by developing a personal relationship with Christ, and living as He lived, can we be really free to reach our full potential as human persons.

How can we help our youth ministers share Christ with the young Church? Dan says, "Pray. Genuinely pray. Believe that by praying for the young Church we can help them discover Christ." Dan also recommends that we be strong advocates for youth ministry — especially when financial pressures force parishes to cut their budgets. Make sure that everyone knows what a difference youth ministry makes in the faith lives of our teens and in the vibrancy of our parish communities.

Youth ministry is essential to the evangelizing mission of the Church. By building strong relationships with young parishioners, by letting them know that they are welcome and needed, and by encouraging them to develop a personal relationship with Christ, parishes carry out the work of evangelization. Mass and the sacraments come first, Dan says. "Retreats, eucharistic adoration and participation in the sacraments are not old-fashioned. They are fundamental and ever-new. I always say to the kids: 'Come to Mass!' It's important. That's where we meet Christ face-to-face in the Eucharist. Everything else we do starts here."

Sharing Christ with the young Church is also where we most effectively promote vocations — to the priesthood and diaconate, to the consecrated life, to marriage and to the dedicated single life. Parish youth ministers help members of the young Church better understand God's call, and they help teens begin to discern their personal vocations in a safe environment. By inviting members of the young Church to grow in their relationships to Christ and His Church, parish youth ministers share their faith and help hand on the Gospel to those who will be our leaders and our faithful parishioners — both in the years to come and right now!

Ordained to Transitional Deaconate Today!

Tom Lancia — Fri, 06 May 2011 20:38:52 +0000

Article By Barbara Watkins | bwatkins@archstl.org

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson will ordain five seminarians to the transitional diaconate for the Archdiocese of St. Louis at 10 a.m. Friday, May 6 at Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. Four of the men to be ordained at Kenrick-Glennon seminarians. The fifth, Donald Anstoetter, attends Pontifical North American College in Rome.

Transitional deacons are seminarians in their last year of preparation for ordination to the priesthood. A transitional deacon may baptize, distribute Holy Communion, witness marriages and lead rites for Christian burial.

The Kenrick-Glennon seminarians are expected to complete their master of divinity degree by spring 2012 from Kenrick School of Theology at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary. Each is also working toward completion of a master or arts intheology. Anstoetter is completing a bachelor's degree in sacred theology from Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and in the fall is expected to begin working toward a licentiate in sacred theology with a focus in sacramental theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum Sant Anselmo in Rome.

For more information and profiles check out the St. Louis Review

Behold the Pierced One: A Meditation on the Cross

Tom Lancia — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 20:53:42 +0000

(from Archbishop Carlson's Pastoral Letter on Penance, Jesus Christ, the Divine Physician)

The human heart is converted by looking upon him whom our sins have pierced.

(CCC, 1432; see Jn 19:37, Zech 12:10)

By contemplating the cross we can come to a greater understanding of the wonder of God’s love for us, especially of His ardent desire to heal us. The cross reveals to us both God’s character and the human situation.

To understand how the cross is a revelation of God’s character, we can ask: who must God the Father be “who so loved the word that he gave his only Son…that the world might be saved through him”? (Jn 3:16-17) And we can ask: who is the God revealed to us in Jesus, who willingly endured suffering for the sake of our salvation? The face of God revealed on the cross is a face of mercy, “the most stupendous attribute of the Creator and Redeemer.” (Pope John Paul II, Dives in misericordia, #13.)

To understand how the cross reveals the human situation, we can ask: who must we be such that this—the cross—was necessary for our salvation? The situation must be dire if something as drastic as the cross was needed for our rescue. We can also think about situations in which we sacrificed one thing for the sake of something that was even more valuable to us and, from that experience, ask: who must we be such that God deemed us worth the price of the cross? God must value us greatly to be willing to sacrifice so much for our sake.

The cross reveals the merciful face of God, the gravity of the human situation, and the glory of the human creature’s worth.

In quiet reflection ask: How do I sense my worth in God’s sight? When I look upon the cross of Jesus, what do I notice?

“[I]f self-knowledge and the thought of sin are not seasoned with remembrance of the blood and hope for mercy, the result is bound to be confusion.” (St. Catherine of Siena)

(from Archbishop Carlson's Pastoral Letter on Penance, Jesus Christ, the Divine Physican)

Steubenville Goes LIVE Again!

Tom Lancia — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 18:06:29 +0000

Every year tension is high for group leaders as they register for Steubenville St. Louis Mid America. Spots are limited and registration is full in no time (which is why we continue to work on improving this process and finding more space…that’s what brought us to the Q Arena). We all know there are lots of reasons why this conference is so awesome and powerful, but the #1 Reason is Jesus Christ!

I remember the first time I took my youth group to “Set Free” in Steubenville 2002, because Jesus stirred something in each of us that we didn’t want to lose. We also wanted it to grow in our lives and in the lives of those we cared about. After that year, I not only saw a change in the teens that went, but I also saw them invite others to be a part of that change and sharing Christ with them. So as Steubenville started to sell out and add another conference, I also experienced a great desire for my teens to participate more and more in our youth group events and meetings, along with Steubenville. When I think of why that happened, it was because those teens kept Jesus Christ in their sights throughout the year and not just once a year at a conference. I think Steubenville is one of those events that motivates you to make Jesus a bigger part of your life, but it must be a stepping stone to more prayer individually and with others.

Good News, I have an exciting way you can do this with the Steubenville 2010 or 2011 Mid America LIVE CD! When you listen to these CDs you not only hear some great music, but you can be reminded of that moment you had with Christ and pray along with these powerful words of worship! Another thing about music, you can turn it up and share it with your friends (maybe it's that first step in sharing Jesus with those you care about…it may, along with your repeated invitations, help them decide to go to youth group, Mass, or that next retreat).

Plus, if you Pre-Order the Steubenville Mid America Live 2011 CD NOW you can get it 20% OFF and the first 150 orders will get a FREE download of last years LIVE 2010 CD!

Finally, I wanted to invite all of you who love or like Steubenille St. Louis Mid America to become a Fan of us on Facebook and Like us! If your new to the Steubenville world or have no clue about us, join us anyway and see what the excitement is all about!

P.S. I have attached a flyer of the new CD, feel free to share it with your youth group, family, and friends!

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Bieber Fever

Tom Lancia — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:59:08 +0000

Enjoy this movie review of Never Say Never

By Christopher Stefanick

Okay, I admit it. I have Bieber Fever. I caught it from my preteen daughter after I took her to see Never Say Never. It’s a low grade fever, though I’m thinking of starting a men’s support group. It’s not his music (which is decent), it’s his potential as an accidental evangelistof millions of pre-teens that has me excited about him. Did I say millions? I meant tens-of-millions.

I’ve been in youth ministry for 13 years and I’ve never seen a craze sweep through teen culture like the one this kid has started. I simply mentioned his name during a talk at a recent junior high rally. I’ll never do that again. The 60/40 split of ecstatic cheers verses infuriated “off with his head” screams was literally deafening. It took some time to regain control of the room.

No one is neutral in the world of pre-teens. They love or hate him with a strange obsession. Perhaps the obsession is because pre-teens feel that he alone represents them in the realm of the famous. And perhaps their feelings run so high because this generation seems to think that realm is all that matters—though that’s a cultural tragedy for another article. But whatever the reason, pre-teens are obsessed. His video for “Baby” is the most viewed youtube clip of all time, with 471,280,334 hits as of today. It’s steadily climbing toward a billion.

Given the potential impact this kid can have on countless young souls, I breathed a sigh of relief after seeing Never Say Never. Thank God, he’s on “our side” for now. Bieber isn’t trying to evangelize. He’s just a good Christian kid who is trying to be himself, and his movie sends some messages that teens need to hear.

Unlike “faith-based” movies that sometimes ungracefully insert Christianity into the picture, Never Say Never presents faith as a very natural part of daily life, and it does so without trying. The teen icon and his mom pray multiple times throughout the movie. He even leads his friends in grace in a public restaurant. It’s clear that faith is a part of who he is and that he’s not ashamed of it.

The movie highlights the preeminent importance of family life. Justin’s family isn’t a perfectly intact one, but mom is ever backing him on the road and his grandparents love him to death. The movie also accurately depicted how the proud tears of his dad meant more than the screams of a million fans.

In an era where kids make gods of their pop stars, Never Say Never portrayed Justin Bieber as a human being. Once he steps off the stage, he’s just a kid. It showed him playing with friends, trying hard to stay normal, and studying with a tutor on his tour bus.

This movie sends a clear message that success isn’t free—a much needed lesson for a generation that tends to think that the world owes them something. Sure, Bieber displayed an unusual amount of God-given talent from age two and was “discovered” on youtube, but he works like a dog, and the pop-umentary makes it clear that if he didn’t, his talent would take him nowhere. It depicts his painful desire for a normal life. It shows him sick as a dog for days on crowded tour bus. There’s even a scene where his vocal coach offers him an out if he wants to stop sacrificing so much. He chooses to press on, knowing that ongoing success and ongoing sacrifice will continue to go hand in hand.

The most powerful message from the movie comes from Justin’s mom, Pattie Mallette: "I want Justin to be able to find his identity and worth, not from what he can do, but from who he is.” Pre-teens are often so desperate to be someone that they tend to forget they are someone.

I’m not holding Justin Bieber up as a preeminent theologian. I’m not canonizing him either. Nor am I saying he’s beyond falling. But if Christians just let him be a good, God-loving kid without trying too hard to make him their poster-child, if the record industry doesn’t force him into the confines of a cookie-cutter liberal agenda, and if the family who loves him is able to keep him out of temptation’s way on the road, Justin will be an accidental evangelist for years to come.

Those are some big “ifs”. I’m praying for you little brother.

Speaker and author Christopher Stefanick is director of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry for the Denver Archdiocese. Visit chris-stefanick.com.

SUMMER INTERNS

rosanne twellman — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 19:02:29 +0000

You may have seen them running around at our summer events and programs. If you came by the OYM during the summer you might have seen them busy doing tasks and running errands. Yes, they are our summer interns!! Every year we hire a couple of interns to assist us with the many projects we have.

People tell us this is the world's best kept secret - that we hire two summer interns to work at the Office of Youth Ministry. Well, now we are sharing the secret and breaking out the news to all of our readers!

If you, are or someone you know, may be interested in working for the OYM during the summer, please apply or have them apply for the position. The requirements are:

1. The summer intern must be 18 by May 16, 2011.

2. The summer intern must have an interest in pursuing a ministry vocation.

3. The summer intern must be available for work beginning the week of May 16, 2011 and work through the end of July.

If you, or someone you know, meets these requirements and anxious to work in the Office of Youth Ministry click here to download the intern application, prayerfully fill it out and send it in to:

Fr. Brian Fischer

Office of Youth MInistry

20 Archbishop May Drive

St. Louis, MO 63119.

We look forward to hearing from you! The deadline this year for applications is March 8, 2011

Dysfunctional Love Songs

Tom Lancia — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:22:08 +0000

Recently Chris Stefanick, speaker from last year's Steubenville Conference, shared an article with me that he wrote. I love Chris's straight forward and honest words, so if you like people who bet around the bush, don't read any further:

Dysfunctional Love Songs

By Christopher Stefanick

The lessons packed in the love songs that are getting the most radio play today all seem to have a similar theme: if it isn’t dysfunctional, it isn’t love.

Take the song Grenade for instance, wherein Bruno Mars sings a litany of pains he’d endure for his beloved, ranging from catching a grenade, to throwing his hand on a blade, to taking a bullet through his brain. His beloved is evil, it seems. According to the song she’d “smile in (his) face then rip the brakes out of (his) car.”

Her response to his “loving” rant is total indifference. He goes so far as to lament that if his body was on fire she’d watch him burn in flames. Yet, despite all this, at the end of the song he still sings, “I would die for you baby, but you won’t do the same.”

It seems that Bruno has so effectively broken the stereotype of the emotionless, standoffish male that he has become the psychotically needy girlfriend. Good boy, Bruno. Contemporary, feminized society has trained you well in the ways of “manhood.” The lesson of this song is clear: if it isn’t codependence it isn’t real love.

In a recent drive to work I turned the radio dial in a vain attempt to avoid Grenade only to find it on three other stations. Moving on…

In one of the most popular songs of 2010, Breakeven, singer Danny O'Donoghue laments after a hard breakup, “I’m still alive but I’m barely breathin’.” Everyone who has had their heart broken can relate with those words. But he goes on to sing, “What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you?” Romantic words? Yes. Emotionally healthy words? No.

No offense Danny, but if the best part of you was her I can see why she dumped you. While a couple is called to unity, individuals still need to maintain autonomy for a relationship to be stable and lasting. If people lose themselves in one another, soon there is no self to give to the other. The lesson of Breakeven: if it isn’t enmeshment it isn’t love.

In the song Animal by Neon Trees, vocalist Tyler Glenn sings, “We’re sick like animals…I won’t be denied by…the animal inside of you…Take a bite of my heart tonight.” Tyler, you and anyone who looks like you won’t be dating my daughter. The lesson of this song is echoed in countless others: if it isn’t promiscuous it isn’t passion.

And Miranda Cosgrove, a Nickelodeon (i.e. children’s TV channel) actress, in Kissing You sings to her boyfriend before an audience of millions of pre-teen girls, “When I’m kissing you it all starts making sense!” And answers to questions like, “Are you the one I should trust?” become “crystal clear…when I’m kissin’ you.”

The lesson of this song is that physical intimacy is the way to discern if a given relationship is the right one. I hate to break the news to you, Miranda, but that feeling you’re getting while kissing him is oxytocin. It’s a neuro-peptide released during physical intimacy that decreases your ability to reason and increases your ability to bond. It produces the polar opposite of clear thinking. Furthermore, when you’re engaging in heavy kissing with your boyfriend, Miranda, I can almost guarantee that he’s not thinking, “You’re the one I should trust.” It’s more likely that he’s thinking, “You’re the one I should do more with than kiss.”

I’m not even going to attempt to tackle what most rap songs say about relationships because their content, packed with sexual deviance and hedonism that border on violence is more fitting for a hard core porn magazine or a Law and Order SVU episode than the radio.

I don’t mean to sound like an emotionless Spock of a man. The songs I mentioned, with the exception of Animal, do have some redeeming themes, and they all have great melodies. But they dismantle the prerequisite for love in the minds of the desperate pre-teens who are listening: self possession. If a person is stable enough to stand on his own two feet without falling into enmeshment and codependence, then, and only then, can he give himself in love to another.

And if love is contained by modesty, chivalry and purity during dating and engagement, then, and only then, can it become an internal fire that nothing can put out. In the words of John Paul II, the “fire of pleasure … burns quickly like a pile of withered grass.” But the flame of purity creates a fire that doesn’t consume its host.

Thanks in large part to misguided love songs, teens tend to mistake things like codependence, enmeshment, and promiscuity for love. It’s funny how the things they come to look for in dating relationships are precisely the things that set them up for failed marriages.

Parents: Pay attention to what your teens are listening to and turn those songs on your car radio into teaching moments. You might get eyes rolled back at you in reply, but what that really means is: “Thanks for looking out for me, Mom and Dad.”

Speaker and author Christopher Stefanick is director of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry for the Denver Archdiocese.Visit www.chris-stefanick.com.

Letter from Fr. Brian to Youth Leaders

Tom Lancia — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:31:00 +0000

Dear friends,

All of us in the Office of Youth Ministry, Catholic Youth Apostolate, are ever striving to be of better service to all of you. We are here to support you, to give you opportunities to allow Jesus to feed and nourish you, so you may be the minister he is calling you to be.

We know that the annual youth ministry retreat is one of the best ways we can fulfill our mission for you. In preparation for the retreat we have realized that it is difficult to “get away” for an entire weekend. And yet, we also know that the retreat is when we are ministering to you in the best way possible!

So we have decided to alter the upcoming retreat, to hopefully make it more accessible to you. Instead of needing to take a whole weekend – we are asking that you consider spending “24 hours with Jesus” – Friday evening through Saturday evening (February 25-26). You deserve it – but more importantly, the teens deserve for you to be fed as well.

Our theme for this year is “Wounded by Love.”

Jesus desires that each and every one of us grow in our relationship with him, to allow his life and love to touch the very core of who we are, daily! We need to get away, sometimes, to be reminded of this truth. We need to retreat from the world, to be embraced by him.

So this is your invitation – your invitation to spend 24 hours with Jesus – to realize and live his Love for you!

With the shortened retreat the altered cost is: $100.00. Our goal is to serve you, do not let finances be an issue. If you let us know, we will make it work.

God Bless,

Fr. Brian Fischer

Archbishop Carlson warns us not to be complacent

Tom Lancia — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 21:59:50 +0000

As we prepare for the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ, I thought I would share with you some insightful words from Archbishop Robert Carlson latest blog:

Complacency is an obstacle to the genuine happiness Jesus teaches

It's easy to confuse happiness with comfort. Our sinful human nature — encouraged by advertising and the entertainment media — urges us to seek comfort for its own sake. Happiness as the world defines it is self-centered. It focuses our attention, first and foremost, on taking care of our own individual needs and desires.

Happiness, we're told, is doing as we please. It means living a certain lifestyle, being liberated sexually and being indifferent in our views about moral issues. We're told we'll be happy if we buy the latest fashions or a new car or the latest electronic gadget. Happiness can be gained, we're told, if only we acquire enough of the material things the world offers as distractions from the pain and difficulty of daily living.

Our culture tells us that happiness is the result of freedom from obligation or responsibility. It is disengagement from the burdens and challenges of life. Happiness, according to the world's values, comes from being in a kind of bubble — isolated and insulated from the suffering and sorrow that surround us every day.

This is not the happiness Jesus preached in the Sermon on the Mount. It is not the happiness He gave witness to in His daily life or in His passion, death and resurrection. For our Lord, happiness (a blessed life or beatitude) comes not by pursuing a life of comfort, pleasure or prestige. It comes by living for others, by giving away all the material things we cling to for comfort and security and by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Complacency, the pursuit of comfort and security and an inordinate satisfaction with the status quo are all obstacles to real happiness. Instead, our Lord tells us: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied (Matthew 5:6). "Hunger" and "thirst" are images for a restlessness of spirit, a profound dissatisfaction that Jesus tells us leads to true happiness. We must long for righteousness, or right-living, and we must not be content with things that may satisfy us temporarily but then quickly fade away.

In his book "Jesus of Nazareth," Pope Benedict XVI writes, "This Beatitude is concerned with those who are on the lookout, who are in search of something great, of true justice, of the true good." These are not people who are satisfied with what the world has to offer. "The people this Beatitude describes," the Holy Father says, "are those who are not content with the way things are and refuse to stifle the restlessness of heart that points man toward something greater and so sets him on the inward journey to reach it .... The people meant here are those whose interior sensitivity enables them to see and hear the subtle signs that God sends into the world to break the dictatorship of convention."

The "dictatorship of convention" that Pope Benedict writes about is the same complacency that allows us to tolerate injustice, poverty, homelessness, domestic violence, pornography and many other social evils that we take for granted here in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and in so many other places in our state and our nation. How can we be comfortable or satisfied when innocent lives are lost every day through the unspeakable evils of abortion and euthanasia? How can we be complacent when our country is at war or when children are abused or when the Father of Lies distorts what is reported in the news media — exaggerating trivia and ignoring issues of real substance?

The fourth beatitude doesn't say we should be depressed or discouraged by the way things are. On the contrary, our Lord challenges us to face our problems squarely and to hunger and thirst for what is right. Jesus tells us that to be genuinely happy we must be tireless advocates for a righteous world. We must be true witnesses in our words and actions to the kingdom of God which is in our midst here and now and yet is still to come.

St. Augustine said it best. "Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O God." May we never confuse true happiness for complacency. May we always hunger and thirst for what is right, for a better way to live and for the way, the truth and the life that is Jesus Christ.

Sustainable Youth Ministry

Tom Lancia — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 20:49:17 +0000

During some prayer time with a group of youth ministers, Tim McMillin shared with us a book that he found really helpful called Sustainable Youth Ministry. Everyone was attentive as he shared good and practical information about this book. Eventually I asked him to write a review on it, so enjoy:

Mark DeVries wrote this book a couple of years ago, however I was just able to lay my hands on it after Eddie Volts, the youth minister at Sacred Heart in Troy, strongly encouraged me to read it. Honestly, it’s been about a month since I sat down and read the book, and it has already changed youth ministry at St. Joe’s drastically.

This book is not about making sure you have a good prayer life in order to be a good youth minister. For that I recommend the sacraments, a bible, and a good spiritual director. This book is about building a structure for sustained growth of ministry. It is not about the treasure its about the clay pots that hold it. This book is great for the over spiritual youth minister that has his head in a cloud of theology (me) because it grabs him by the throat begging the question, what are you doing about the bodies walking in and out of the doors every week?

Yes, we give great talks, have small groups, and the goal is to build Christ centered relationships, which is of utmost importance. This book emphasizes that is the treasure of ministry. DeVries asks, what is holding the treasure? For me it is a cardboard box that will last 3 to 5 years if I am lucky. Then, after a couple of years the box has a little more wear, and by year five the bottom all-together falls out, the treasure is gone, left to be picked up and used, guided in the right direction… hopefully, by someone else who has a cardboard box to hold the treasure.

We have a church culture that doesn’t know how to do youth ministry. A lot of times churches don’t even know what good youth ministry looks like. Then we are shocked when yet another youth minister resigns.Sustainable Youth Ministry brings to the table a responsible picture of youth ministry. DeVries makes clear that effective youth ministry is not a guessing game, and in fact there are similar steps every church or youth minister should follow in doing responsible youth ministry. DeVries goes over a wide range of issues, some highlights are; importance of proper investment, systems approach to ministry, necessity of playing church politics, sustainable leadership, and a lot more. What… you don’t expect me to re-write the whole book or something… If you are new to youth ministry, have been doing ministry for a while and need a boost, on a hiring committee, or even a priest thinking about hiring a youth minister this book is a must read. Seriously take the time read it… This book will change the way you see youth ministry.

Peace in Christ,

Tim McMillin

St. Joseph Cottleville Catholic Church

Director of Youth Ministry

AMDG

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Steubenville Mid America LIVE CD!

rosanne twellman — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:42:28 +0000

It is here!

We have the CD in and if you haven't gotten your's yet, then now is the time! You can get your CD a couple of ways:

You can order it online from Catholic Youth Apostolate

or get it on iTunes

The tracks include:

With Everything Hold Us Together

From the Inside Out Fire Fall Down

Hold My Hand Light the Fire

Alive Again Overwhelm Me

Hosanna O Praise Him

Your Name on High How He Loves Us

Read a review of it here.

REAP Benefit Concert

Tom Lancia — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:25:44 +0000

The 6th Annual REAP Benefit Concert will be held on Saturday night, October 2, 2010 at 7 p.m. at Incarnate Word Parish in Chesterfield, MO (13416 Olive Blvd, Chesterfield, MO). Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Our featured artist will be Adam Bitter. He will be joined by Danielle Rose. Danielle has played in the past at Crossroads Music Festival at Eaglehurst Ranch in Steelville, MO.

We are excited to announce the opportunity for a pre-concert meet and greet with the artists, including Adam Bitter and Danielle Rose. The first 25 people who make a donation of $50 or more will be able to hang out and eat pizza with the crew AND the REAP Team staff. (NOTE: "meet & greet" tickets MUST be purchased in advance)

Print out a poster and help spread the word!

Advance purchase tickets will be available for $5 and tickets will be available the night of the concert at the door for $7.

Tickets may be purchased in advance online or via mail.

To purchase tickets online:

1. Go to the REAP Donation page on the Archdiocesan website click here

2. Make a donation for the amount of your ticket purchase (ie. 4 tickets for $5 = a donation of $20)

3. Email a copy of your receipt, number of tickets purchased and mailing address to gretchen@reapteam.org

To purchase tickets by mail:

1. Print out this form

2. Fill it out and mail it to the address on the form with your payment.

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