Twenty-six youth leaders took part in a youth ministry training day on February 9 that was aimed at preparing them for leadership roles in their parishes, communities and movements in 2013.
At the conclusion of the day a larger group of youth leaders was commissioned to undertake their ministry within the diocese by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB at St Mary’s Cathedral.
Catholic Youth Ministry director, Anita Parker said the day was a great success.
“From teenagers to young adults, they are a great group of leaders who have answered the call to work with young people,” she said.
During the day the youth leaders examined a new Australian resource, Empowering Young People: Implementing a Vision for Catholic Youth Ministry, written by Fr Christian Fini OMI.
Archbishop Costelloe also spoke to the group on the ‘Spirituality of leadership and what it means to be a Christian leader’.
Ms Parker said the day was a good opportunity for the leaders to set foundations for their ministry, to build strong networks, and to make prayer a focus of their work.
“Young people who are able to take active roles and work with our clergy and the community to continue to build the faith life of the parish are a wonderful gift to our Church,” she said.
“It is important to recognise that they are part of the current active Church, not the common misconception that they are part of only the future of the Church.”
The leaders will be involved in a variety of ministry roles during the year, according to Ms Parker.
“Some people will take on a main leadership role, others will be part of leadership teams or youth councils in their parishes,” she said.
“They will be running a variety of programs from Bible studies and prayer groups, to faith formation, service groups and everything else in between.”
The group included youth from a variety of parishes around the Perth archdiocese, as well as leaders from non-parish-based communities and movements.
CYM will continue to offer monthly training to youth leaders throughout 2013.