Young adult ministry planned

The meeting, sponsored by the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis (OEC), pulled together members of the 18-35 age group from a host of parishes for community-building, discussion of the Church's attitude toward young people and taking steps to create deanery-wide core groups of young adults.

Lauren Heckman, a parishioner of Immaculate Conception in Glenville and student at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., led the meeting. A summer intern at the OEC, she has spent the past two months trying to organize young adult ministry for the Diocese.

Carol Pickel, associate faith formation director at the OEC, noted that this wasn't the first time the Diocese reached out to young adults. However, in the past, turnover was high as young adult volunteers moved on, and many singles volunteered in the hope of finding a mate instead of staying a part of young adult ministry. In addition, there were misconceptions in the Church that young adults weren't interested in the same things as other age groups.

Many participants took notes as Ms. Heckman talked about who young adults are: men and women 18-35, single or married, living in a variety of situations. Young adults also tend to be least involved in their churches.

The group split up to discuss questions about activities they had seen young adults involved in, what being Catholic meant to them and how it affected their Church participation. In one small group, Theresa Lawlor of St. Mary's parish, Oneonta, noted that she once started a young adult prayer group whose members became fast friends.

"It helps if there's an event involved," observed Cynthia Stepenuck of Corpus Christi parish, Round Lake. "I know young adults who go to church and there's no other young adults there. You've got to create a sense of community."

The small group agreed that their peers will go wherever there are activities to attract them. The catch, they said, is that many parishes don't make a point to invite young adults.

"That's the way I participate," said Sean Maguire of St. James parish, Albany. If he is invited to an event, he'll go because "to get a personal invitation [means] now you know you've got at least one friendly face."

The young adults also agreed that parish activities can include them without necessarily being limited to them. Participants said they enjoy intergenerational events but noted that it can be uncomfortable to be the only young adult in a group of older Catholics.

The larger group then brainstormed about what young adults need in their faith communities and what activities would attract them (see list). One participant observed that after college, where many students are involved in campus ministry activities, "it's a letdown when you have to integrate back into the real world."

Ms. Pickel told the group that diocesan staff will be able only to help young adults plan "the big stuff": for example, a trip to World Youth Day in Toronto in July 2002 or the parish convening this fall, which will be focused on young adults.

On the parish level, she said, participants can get young adult ministry started themselves by making a list of all their peers and then approaching parish staff, asking the parish to host an activity for them.

Rev. Bob Longobucco, associate pastor of St. Mary's in Oneonta, remarked that priests are thrilled when they see a young person offering to do something in the Church and would support young adult activities.

The meeting participants requested that the Diocese host another meeting so that they could form core groups of young adults in their deaneries. Ms. Heckman noted that it only takes five people to make an event meaningful, so young adult ministry has a good chance of succeeding.

Afterward, Ms. Lawlor told The Evangelist that the meeting was a first step. "There need to be more concrete ideas," she added. "Once the smaller groups get together, I think that will help."

Don Hunt of St. Vincent de Paul parish in Albany encouraged everyone at the meeting not to lose hope for young adult ministry.

"You're going to run into obstacles," he said. "The thing that's really important is to persist, keep an upbeat attitude and do what works."

(A picnic for young adults sponsored by St. Henry's parish in Averill Park will be held August 5, 12:30 p.m., at 17 Crystal Rd., Averill Park. For information, call Kevin Bryant at 785-3524 or email [email protected]. For more information on young adult ministry in the Diocese, call the OEC at 453-6630.)

(07-26-01) [[In-content Ad]]