Catholic Youth Ministry Office
A ministry for junior high and high school students
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Catholic Youth Ministry responds to needs of young people and encourages the sharing of their unique gifts with the larger community. Efforts are directed at fostering the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person and drawing young people to responsible participation in the life, mission and work of the faith community.
"What is needed today is a Church which knows how to respond to the expectation of young people. Jesus wants to enter into dialogue with them and, through his body which is the Church, to propose the possibility of a choice which will require a commitment of their lives.
As Jesus with the disciples of Emmaus, so the Church must become today the traveling companion of young people ... ” (Pope John Paul II; "Youth: Sent to Proclaim True Liberation," World Youth Day 1995, Philippines).
The bishops of the United States accepted the challenge of the holy Father and stated their response in the form of a written document titled "Renewing the Vision" (1997, United States Catholic Conference).
This publication by our bishops offers three essential goals regarding the Church’s ministry with adolescents: (1) empowering young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today, (2) drawing young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the faith community and (3) fostering the personal and spiritual growth of each young person.
"Renewing the Vision" offers a practical framework for utilizing the resources of the entire faith community and integrating ministry with adolescents and their families into the total life and mission of the Church. (RTV, p.2). For more than 50 years, the Diocese of Little Rock has been responding to the needs of the young people of the Catholic Church in Arkansas through the efforts of a diocesan youth ministry office.
Today, the office continues to respond to the needs of our Catholic youth and parish youth ministry directors through a variety of services.
Just as Jesus sent out the disciples to carry out his mission, today he sends out young people to proclaim the Good News and to build a world that is more just, more peaceful and more respectful of human life and creation.
The entire Church must empower young people for their mission and ensure that they are well equipped to promote an active Christian discipleship and growth in Catholic identity (RTV, pgs. 49-50). For more information, see the following: