Youth minister boosts teen involvement

As the days inch closer to retirement for Mary Harrison, associate director for youth ministry in the Albany diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis (OEC), she has quite a few loose ends to tie up.

But nothing was more important recently than watching a teenager as she helped an elderly woman paint her nails a blazing shade of pink at the Alterra Wynwood Commons assisted-living complex in Niskayuna.

"How are you doing?" she asked them both, crouching down to admire the literal handiwork, which occurred during a recent SALT session.

SALT's spice

Establishing SALT (Service Action Learning Teams), now in its third year, was one of the proudest moments of her 12-year career with the OEC, Ms. Harrison said. SALT provides teens with an immersion experience that allows them to "commit in solidarity" with the poor and needy in the Diocese, she said.

During her tenure, she has also directed 24 Christian Leadership Institutes to train youth leaders; led thousands of youth on pilgrimages to national youth ministry conferences and World Youth Days; initiated diocesan-wide youth congresses on faith matters; and inspired young people to get involved in public policy issues, their parishes and the liturgy.

All of that captures her belief that youth need more than just socials and dances; they need to be "invited into the broad spectrum of Church life," she said.

Getting the young

To keep young people involved in the Church, Ms. Harrison said, parishes must learn to live the Gospel -- and invite young people to join in alongside adults as equals: as prayer leaders, retreat team coordinators, Eucharistic ministers and committee members.

"Young people need to experience faith, good liturgy and prayer," she said. "It's in those experiences that they learn. They don't want to be played with. They need meat and potatoes. They want meaning in their life."

Young people crave service and discipleship, she continued, calling the younger generation "wired for justice" and saying that when given the opportunity to make a difference, they step up to the plate.

Expanding program

Looking back over her years in youth ministry, Ms. Harrison is proud of the increasing youth participation on the Diocesan Pastoral Council, on many diocesan subcommittees -- including public policy, and prayer and worship -- and on parish councils (see July 15 issue).

"It's very hopeful for me," she noted. "From what I've seen, they want to demand that the Church be who the Church says it is. They will challenge the Church. They're bright, articulate, with such contagious enthusiasm -- which is what we need today."

Once a parish "takes youth ministry seriously," she added, "the fruits are magnificent."

Keeping busy

In retirement, Ms. Harrison will still be busy. She has been invited to run ministry reflection sessions for St. Bernard's School of Theology in Albany, and some parishes have tapped her to run workshops on comprehensive youth ministry.

"I certainly do not see myself sitting at home," she laughed. "I've never seen ministry as work. To know that what you do has meaning -- that has been a tremendous gift.

"My everlasting hope is that every parish have a youth ministry team and a professional youth minister. It's my dream of dreams."

(Rev. Steven Moore, who was ordained to the priesthood in June, presided at the final Mass during Mary Harrison's last Christian Leadership Institute, held a few weeks ago. She first met him as part of the kitchen crew at a 1992 CLI, helping to cook and serve meals to participants.)

(7/22/04)