Contact information: Visit the parish office or email the office of youth ministry: youthministry@stanthonycg.org
For announcements and updates for the St Anthony of Padua Youth Ministry, and updates for all Arcoiris events and youth ministry events from the Diocese of Tucson and surrounding areas:
“Youth Ministry … it takes an entire Church.”
“This is what is needed: a Church for young people, which will know how to speak to their heart and enkindle, comfort, and inspire enthusiasm in it with the joy of the Gospel and the strength of the Eucharist; a Church which will know how to invite and welcome the person who seeks a purpose for which to commit his whole existence; a Church which is not afraid to require much, after having given much; which does not fear asking from young people the effort of a noble and authentic adventure, such as that of the following of the Gospel.”– St. John Paul II. 1995 World Day of Prayer for Vocations.
Youth Ministry is about engaging our young people with three different goals: Believing, Belonging and Becoming. This is accomplished through the entire parish community, not a single person or a team of people, rather the living catholic community helps engage their youth and leads them to Jesus discovered, lived, and celebrated in the parish community.
Believing: “to foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person.”- Renewing the Vision p15. Adolescence is an important time for mental, spiritual, social, and physical growth. Their experiences and relationships greatly influence their healthy and positive development. The Church strives to surround young people with the best possible external scaffolds— networks of caring relationships of family, school, peers, and other adults— while young people are developing their internal psychological and spiritual backbone— their values, life skills, commitments, and moral compass. The church (you and I) fulfill this goal of youth ministry by…
- Enabling young people to develop a personal relationship with Jesus.
- Actively supporting positive youth development and fostering healthy values and life skills.
- Supporting families of young people by providing resources, programs, and services.
- Providing opportunities to experience and express caring, service, and compassion for others.
Belonging: “to draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community.”- (RTV 11). Young people have a hunger for connection, to be in relationship, and to belong. Family, peers, school, youth serving organizations, and church are primary connections for young people. Some of the ways we can fulfil this goal of youth ministry by …
- Being a ‘youth friendly’ community that welcomes young people, values their participation, and calls forth their gifts.
- Integrating young people into the liturgical, pastoral, and ministerial life of the parish community.
- Creating opportunities for young people to enter into healthy relationships of trust and respect with their peers and with adults.
- Promoting Catholic identity and religious literacy through programs of adolescent catechesis.
- Help youth take on leadership role within the parish community
Becoming “to empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today.” (RTV 9). Young people are “searching for a noble adventure”, a compelling and challenging vision of life, and a cause worth their commitment. They hunger to hear the Good News that finds response in discipleship. As their companions on this spiritual journey, some of the ways we fulfill this goal of youth ministry by …
- Proclaiming the Good News of Jesus through witness and word to young people.
- Enabling young people to live as disciples through their involvement in service, ministry, and leadership opportunities.
- Providing young people the faith skills for discipleship.
Please come into the Parish Office to fill out a registration form and check out our parish calendar to see exact dates and times of all our gatherings this year, or download the calendar onto your phone so you always know what happening!
We gather on Wednesday nights in the community center @ 6:30pm for Youth Ministry. There is a variety of different things youth are invited to do and explore. We look at key components between our lives and the bridge of faith that is experienced in our church: Justice, and service, evangelization (internal and external), leadership development, catechesis (sharing or echoing the faith), pastoral care, community building, advocacy, prayer and worship, and outreach (that initial engagement) to other youth in and outside our parish community.