Parishes get a boost in their youth & young adult ministry training!

On the weekend of September 21/22, 391 youth ministers, core (volunteer) leaders and young adult ministry leaders converged on Dante Alighieri Academy in Toronto to hear speakers and attend workshops to help leaders prepare for the youth ministry season for 2024 and 2025.

Fifty-four parishes from across the Archdiocese were represented over the weekend. Some attendees were there for the first time as they begin their time of service to their parishes, while others were attending for their 10th time. Every December and June, youth ministers from across the Archdiocese meet with the OCY's Associate Director of parish youth ministry—John MacMullen—to relay what they see are trends and needs that require support and help to address at the parish level. From there, the OCY gets to work to ensure the parishes are getting the resources they need.

This year's theme "Set Apart" from Jeremiah 1:5, featured speakers Andrew Starbuck, Director of Faith Formation for St. Thomas Parish in Phoenix, Arizona, with over 20 years of youth ministry experience, and Sr. Rose Patrick from the Sisters of Life presently serving in Toronto. All of the 22 workshops offered over the weekend were well attended and led by experts in various fields as well as seasoned and experienced youth ministers able to help provide guidance to new contributors to parish youth ministry.

This year also featured three consecutive workshops for young adult ministry leaders from across the archdiocese, gearing up to prepare for the new ministry year. These workshops were focused on starting up young adult ministry at their parishes and included a panel of experts addressing and answering questions from the community regarding young adult ministry.

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