The “Apostle of Ireland”: A Little About St. Patrick

by

If you were to ask most people what they know about St. Patrick, you would most likely get a wide range of answers. And, inevitably, most would be incorrect. Much like St. Valentine, St. Patrick is more known for his now secularized holiday than for his actual feast day.

Read More

“Hey, What’s Your Snap?”

by

For many teens, Snapchat is their primary form of communication. They often prefer it over texting or other social media platforms. Honestly, I don’t blame them. Snap chat offers everything a typical phone offers. You can chat with some, group chat with multiple people, make phone calls, and make video calls with one or multiple people.

Read More

More Than a Like: Social Media and Mental Health

by

Depending on who you ask, social media is a great way to stay in touch with friends or is the single source of all society’s problems today. So how do we make sense of social media when considering our mental health and the mental health of our families?

Read More

Loving Every Teen You Minister To

by

Love. Kindness. Compassion. Acceptance. These should be foundational attributes in every youth leader. We walk into parish halls, meeting rooms, and youth rooms with an immense responsibility to find love in all of the young people we minister to and empower them to continue to find love in others.

Read More

Putting Up Guardrails: Helping Teens Set Boundaries

by

I love using this analogy of guardrails when discussing boundaries with teenagers. In all aspects of your life, you need boundaries to help you create space and to help prevent injury. But the most important relationship to establish boundaries in is your romantic relationships. It can often be difficult helping teens establish healthy boundaries in their relationships. Here are recommended things to emphasize to teens who are setting boundaries in their relationships.

Read More

Quit the Comparison Game: Lifting Up and Supporting Each Other as Youth Ministers

by

What if, instead of comparing ourselves to other people with the intention to elevate ourselves, we humbly share and support other youth ministers with the intent to allow Christ to transform the hearts of young people?

Read More

Healthy Habits: Rebuilding Relationships This Year

by

With a new year comes new opportunities to build or rebuild relationships with the staff we serve with, our parishioners, parents, and especially our teens. It will be tempting to sink back into old structures, habits, and modes of doing ministry “the way things were.” However, the ways we minister going forward will require vulnerability, and we will need to continue to adapt to new needs, issues and circumstances.

Read More

Little Did He Know…

by

The road was little more than a path of dirt covered with small jagged rocks and pebbles. It was far from a desirable place to lay your head, much less land on. How humbling it must have been for Saul, powerful Saul, to quickly go from being the hunter to the hunted.How ironic that he landed upon the earth when God humbled him, for both ground and humility share the same root word in Latin (a language Saul certainly knew).

Read More

You Got This: Words of Encouragement for Youth Ministers

by

We all have days where nothing has gone our way. Sadly, we don’t always receive the thank you that we need, the pep talk that we need to hear, or the affirmation and support we need in ministry to keep moving forward. So, here’s my thank you to all of you fantastic leaders:

Read More

A Sneak Peek at Your January Life Support Box

by

The first resource you’ll find is a Life Night series called Making Sense. This series helps teens understand how God’s grace is found in the sacraments of the Church so that they will be strengthened in their personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Read More