Youth Ministry

Youth ministry is a response of the Christian community to the needs of young people and sharing their unique gifts with the larger community.
The overall goal is to promote the holistic formation of young people by challenging them to become responsible members of society by living a fulfilled life in Christ.
The youth motto is "Our Faith, Our Life. And their patron saint is St Francis Xavier

Objectives of the Youth Ministry

EMPOWERMENT: To empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ today
PARTICIPATION: To enhance responsible participation in the life, mission and works of the Catholic Church
PERSONAL GROWTH: To foster personal growth for every young person.
SELF-RELIANCE: To promote the spirit of self-reliance among the youth

Pillars of formation in the Youth Ministry

The youth activities are designed to meet the four basic needs of young people: To Learn, Live, Love, and to Leave a Legacy. They categorised into four pillars:

SPIRITUAL FORMATION: Learning to be spiritual.
INTELLECTUAL FORMATION: Learning to know.
PHYSICAL FORMATION: Learning to do.
SOCIAL FORMATION: Learning to live together.

The youth are organised into the following three sub groups:

Missionary Youth Movement (mym)

Missionary Youth Movement which comprises young people mostly in the adolescent stage. The age range is between 13-18 years. In this stage, the adolescents explore their independence and develop a sense of self. The stage is characterized by asking, "Who am I?" and learning more about your own goals, values, and beliefs. The MYM aims to guide and serve young people in general so that they can fulfil their calling. It helps any young person to live and exercise their leadership among young people. This movement is called "missionary" because its primary goal is missionary upbringing and collaboration. It helps to develop a missionary spirit among young people and assists young people in fulfilling their calling.

Goals of MYM

Strengthening the Christian life and missionary teachings
Increasing and encouraging other young people to have a missionary spirit
Encouraging the care for the missionary vocation
Promoting spiritual and material collaboration with the aim of spreading the gospel to non-Christians
Promoting a missionary spirit for everyone and nurturing it within families and among young people
Beginning to proclaim the gospel beyond our borders according to each person's calling

Membership

All young people between the ages of 13-18 years
All young people who would like to follow and serve Jesus as missionaries in their communities and in the universal church.

A Senior Youth

This category comprises young people between the ages of 19 – 25 years majority have finished high school and are in colleges and universities. It is at this stage that they choose their career and vocation. They are seeking to find out their role in the world and are more driven towards building networks and partnerships. This is the stage where the young people start to develop close, committed relationships with other people. At this stage, they also begin dating and developing intimate relationships with the opposite sex that is characterized by closeness, honesty, and love.

Apart from having romantic partners, it also encompasses forming close, enduring friendships with people outside of the family such as building a circle of friends, and others. This stage plays an important role in creating supportive social networks that are important for both physical and mental health throughout life of a young person. People who navigate this period of life successfully are able to forge fulfilling relationships with other people, it is critical therefore, that the church journeys with the young person at this stage.

Goals of Senior Youth

To increase one’s participation in the sacramental life of the church and prayer-life, both communal and personal life.
To know, understand and appreciate the Catholic faith through deeper study of scriptures and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
To place one’s talent and energies at the disposal of the church and the society
To understand and accept one’s vocation

Membership

Anyone between the ages of 19-25 and is not married and/or has no child.
Chaplain and animators to determine membership of a member based on their level of maturity even if they may not have attained the age of 19 years.

Young Christian Workers(YCW)

YCW is a worker’s movement that comprise young people between the ages of 26-35 years. The young people in this category are presumed to have completed university or college and are in employment. The patron saint for YCW is St. Joseph the Worker.

The young adults in this stage strive to create or nurture things that will outlast them, the drive at this point in life is "making your mark" on the world by caring for others, as well as through creating and accomplishing things that make the world a better place. This is often achieved by parenting children or fostering positive changes that benefit others. The driving question at this stage in life is "How can I contribute to the world?" Major events that contribute to this stage, such as marriage, work, and child-rearing, can occur at any point during the this stage

Goals of YCW

To increase one’s participation in the sacramental life of the church and prayer-life, both communal and personal life.
To know, understand and appreciate the Catholic faith through deeper study of scriptures and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
To place one’s talent and energies at the disposal of the church and the society
To be mentors and guides for PMC, MYM, and Senior Youth.

Membership

Anyone between the ages of 26 – 35 years
Anyone between 18 years and 26 years and is married or with child
Chaplain and animators to determine membership of a member based on their level of maturity even if they may not have attained the age of 26 years.

Youth Animators

These are teachers or facilitators of youth activities who with their knowledge, example, physical presence, and closeness, assist the youth in their daily conversion to Christ. They should be people who love active Youth Ministry and being with the youth. Youth animators may also be referred to as Matrons/Patrons.

The animators are called to respect the mystery that all persons carry in themselves and trust the Lord who is already at work in them. They are invited to realize they are a model that can influence others through what they are, rather than for what they do or suggest; the deep affective interaction that is created in the space of spiritual accompaniment.

Qualities of a Youth Animator

A youth animator must be a person who has the following qualities:

Strong understanding and adherence to Catholic teachings and values.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively engage with young people.
At least some knowledge of youth development and educational theories.
Experience in organizing and leading youth activities, events, and retreats.
Ability to mentor and guide young people in their spiritual and personal growth.
Understanding of pastoral care and counselling for youth.

Appointment

The youth animators shall be appointed by the parish priest. Their roles will be to implement the four pillars of formation for the young people and above all, accompany the youth at all times.