Catholic Youth Ministry
The Catholic bishops of the United States defined Catholic youth ministry in the 1997 document Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry (RTV). This document provides a structure for the ministry as well as a language, theology, and pastoral approach for responding to the personal and spiritual needs of today's adolescents.
Three interdependent and equally important goals guide the Church's ministry with adolescents. These goals state what it means for the Catholic community to respond to the needs of young people and to involve young people in sharing their unique gifts with the larger community. They express the Church's focus for ministry with adolescents, while encouraging local creativity in developing the programs, activities, and strategies to reach these goals.
Goal 1: To empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today.
Goal 2: To draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community.
Goal 3: To foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person.
Ministry with adolescents utilizes each of the Church's ministries—advocacy, catechesis, community life, evangelization, justice and service, leadership development, pastoral care, prayer and worship—in an integrated approach to achieve the three goals for ministry. They provide a structure for the Church's ministry with adolescents, while encouraging local creativity in developing programs, activities, and strategies for each component. Each ministry component supports and enhances the others. A comprehensive ministry with adolescents provides balance among all eight components.
Advocacy
Catechesis
Community Life
Evangelization
Justice and Service
Leadership Development
Pastoral Care
Prayer and Worship
For the complete text of Renewing the Vision, please visit the following link: Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry
Three interdependent and equally important goals guide the Church's ministry with adolescents. These goals state what it means for the Catholic community to respond to the needs of young people and to involve young people in sharing their unique gifts with the larger community. They express the Church's focus for ministry with adolescents, while encouraging local creativity in developing the programs, activities, and strategies to reach these goals.
Goal 1: To empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today.
Goal 2: To draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community.
Goal 3: To foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person.
Ministry with adolescents utilizes each of the Church's ministries—advocacy, catechesis, community life, evangelization, justice and service, leadership development, pastoral care, prayer and worship—in an integrated approach to achieve the three goals for ministry. They provide a structure for the Church's ministry with adolescents, while encouraging local creativity in developing programs, activities, and strategies for each component. Each ministry component supports and enhances the others. A comprehensive ministry with adolescents provides balance among all eight components.
Advocacy
Catechesis
Community Life
Evangelization
Justice and Service
Leadership Development
Pastoral Care
Prayer and Worship
For the complete text of Renewing the Vision, please visit the following link: Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry