Who are Catholic young adults? Are they within our walls or outside of them? The young adult church includes people ages 18 to 35. They can be single, married, single again, or even married again. Some are in college, others are working. Some are parents, and some are caring for aging parents. The young adult church is as diverse and complex as the larger society. Here are some ideas of how we can effectively minister with young adults:
1. Make young adults your priority
2. Foster the Catholic Identity of Young Adults
3. Build Community with Young Adults
4. Encourage Young Adults in Spirituality
1. Make young adults your priority. Effective young adult ministry can be a specific ministry as well as a ministry integrated into the rest of the parish activities. It is important for parish leaders to build relationships with the young adults within your community and include them in the parish dynamic as parish council members, catechists, Eucharistic ministers, music ministry, and the leadership of any specific ministry that caters to the needs of young adults.
2. Weddings, funerals and baptisms have great potential as avenues for outreach to young adults. Perhaps the parish could occasionally offer a blessing after Sunday Mass for expectant mothers or parents at the baptismal font. (One may be found in the Book of Blessings.)
3. Is our parish building community with young adults? Skills that allow community members to welcome the stranger could include a smile, a simple saying of welcome and sitting in the middle of the pew first? Such joint service projects as Habitat for Humanity quickly break down barriers in order to build homes for the poor.
4. Encourage young adults to challenge themselves spiritually through prayer and meditation. Many young adults lead very hectic and busy lives. They may welcome opportunities for quiet reflection and prayer as a way of keeping their lives in balance. Does our parish have prayer groups or small faith communities that continually welcome new members? Is our parish offering short term experiences of retreat or “user – friendly” resources for prayer and spiritual growth?
St. Francis of Assisi Parish in the City of Tonawanda recently created an avenue specifically targeting young adults in its community called “101.” 101 has been an easy fit for the parish to create “space” to host single and married young adults on the first Sunday of each month from 8 – 9:30 pm. There is a designated space for 101 in the parish’s Religious Education Center. Young adults gather and have the space to just “be.” Scripture and issues that matter to this peer group are shared in small groups of 4 or 5. Young adults are also called to lead the group. Texting, Facebook and more importantly personal invitation are the primary ways of communication with the parish’s young adults. The entire parish has felt the rewards with new interest in Mass, Eucharistic ministry and the knitting ministry. For more specifics regarding how this program was created and implemented, contact Sueann or Michael Salterelli at St. Francis of Assisi Parish (716) 693-1150.
The Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministry has recently reorganized to include a full-time resource person for young adult ministry. Some of their objectives include:
- Develop and make available resources for young adults, parish and college campus ministers
- Provide and support young adult ministry training to pastors, parish staff, pastoral councils and other diocesan organizations
- Provide and support young adult programming
by Greg Coogan
If you or your parish community would like to learn more about Young Adult Ministry or how to communicate with young adults, please contact Greg Coogan or call 716-847-8789. We are here to help!