I’ve worked in youth ministry for more than a decade now. I’ve come to know countless teenage hearts, but their depth still amazes me. Their burdens are overwhelming. Teen problems are real and painful. But teens are often too afraid … Continue reading
Two Fridays ago, I crept out of a still silent apartment at 6:45am while everyone else inside continued to sleep. I loaded up my suitcase, backpack, and pillow in my car, and then drove over to the local parish where … Continue reading
Eleven years ago, I got on an airplane for the first time that I can remember and flew to Atlanta, Georgia. I was accompanied by three of my classmates from high school and a nun, and we were headed to … Continue reading
This past week, I had the opportunity to spend a day at a retreat center in northern Maryland, where I was able to do a little resting and recharging, as well as a lot of reflecting (and about an hour … Continue reading
Before I became a youth minister myself, I had been warned of some of the most prevailing challenges of the position. Preventing burn-out. Establishing and maintaining the proper order of things. Overworking yourself. Letting your pastor or a parish counsel … Continue reading
Last month, I went to my first Office of Youth Ministry meeting at our archdiocesan center. I would have started attending meetings earlier, but I didn’t start getting the invitations until about six months ago. There’s been quite a bit of … Continue reading
When I was in high school, I stumbled across my chemistry teacher at the supermarket in town. It was completely unexpected, and I could barely process his presence before the moment was over and we returned to our respective shopping missions. I … Continue reading
This past weekend, I had the honor of bringing ten incredible teens to one of this summer’s Steubenville Youth Conferences. We had been planning and preparing for months as we prayed and took part in countless fundraisers at the parish. … Continue reading
My Youth Group has been talking about the March for Life for months. When we first started our little group, only a handful of students had ever attended the March before, and even for them, it had been quite a … Continue reading
With the holidays quickly approaching, so are quite a few deadlines. I have more than my fair share of Christmas parties to plan and implement at work. My days in the office has been comprised of painting dozens of cardboard … Continue reading
