St. Francis of Assisi Born: 1181 or 1182 Died: October 3, 1226 Feast Day: October 4 Patron of animals, merchants, and ecology Background Few saints enjoy the kind of “rock star” status that St. Francis of Assisi has. Since his death in 1226, many souls have been challenged by his […]
Springtime brings a rush of promposals among juniors and seniors in high school, and the excitement mounts as the day of the dance approaches. While not every student chooses to attend prom, its enduring popularity makes it a beloved pop culture staple for teenagers, including Catholics. So, we turned to […]
“We must not attempt to control God’s actions. We must not count the stages in the journey he would have us make. We must not desire a clear perception of our advance along the road, nor know precisely where we are on the way of holiness.” Step 1: Turn […]
I keep an ever-growing list of jokes on my phone. It is a holdover from when I was a youth minister. Whenever I hear a good one, I write it down and keep it for later. You never know when you’ll need a good joke! My current favorite is: Most […]
The “Sharing the Faith” Life Teen Blog series features testimonies of core members who find creative ways to live out the Gospel in their unique vocational fields. “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18) Hi! My name is Joe. […]
I had so many fears about becoming a priest. What if I get lonely… What if I don’t fit the “mold” (whatever that means) of being a priest… What if I am not holy enough… What if I am not effective… You get the idea. What I have discovered […]
As a youth minister, what is the one thing you hope your teens think of when they look at the crucifix? What is it about the cross of Christ that you hope they see, feel, or realize? During Holy Week, Catholics everywhere reflect upon the image of Christ crucified and […]
Radiant Hope In a world that feels dimmed by uncertainty, teens are desperate for a glimpse of something steady, something true. They scroll past headlines of war, division, and despair. They sit in classrooms where silence masks anxiety. They show up to youth nights with hearts full of questions they’re […]
We take for granted the gap between curiosity about these unique practices and understanding them, let alone incorporating them into our spirituality. For teenagers - especially this year - Lent is an important season.
