Youth Ministry

2022-2023

High School Teens in Fellowship, Prayer, Service and Worship!

Our High School Teens are VITAL MEMBERS of the Catholic Church, supercharged by the gifts of the Holy Spirit and called to go out into the world as MISSIONARY DISCIPLES LIVING A CHRIST-CENTERED LIFE ROOTED IN THE GOSPEL AND OUR CATHOLIC FAITH!

AND NOW YOU ARE ASKING ... JUST HOW DO I DO THAT?

Join us at the Sunday Teen Mass at 5pm: Come to the sacraments - especially Mass! Sit together in our "student section" with your peers, proclaim God's Word as a Teen Reader or help as an usher! Once a month, join us for our Before School Teen Mass at 7:00 am, followed by breakfast to go and dismissal by 7:35 am so you can be on time for school!

Join us for Spiritual Discipline in Prayer & Worship: 

We offer a monthly Teen Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, with practical spiritual advice from clergy and that features contemporary praise & worship music led by teens. Teens love coming in from the outside world, turning off their phones and spending time with Jesus, who we know is truly present! The Sacrament of Reconciliation available!

Join our Teen Rosary Group (Sliders & S'mores with Mary) once a month. We start with a sliders supper and then bring the mysteries of the Rosary to life with teen friendly reflections 8c end with s'mores at the firepit! Teens also lead the Rosary at Waveny Care Center!

Take time once a month to connect scripture to your life! Guy's Holy Hoops combines pickup basketball with a short scripture discussion. Our Girl's Bible Group focuses on scripture and song to dig deeper into the faith, discover God's love and discern direction for our lives as young Catholic women!

Answer God's call to serve & Put Your Faith Into Action:
Listen for where Christ is calling you ... He needs you as his hands, feet and  heart here in this world! As the Catholic Service Corps, we mentor children  of single mother homes through Malta House, Breakthrough Options &  Thorpe in the Bronx ... St. A's Buddies connect with our special needs friends 
... Service to Seniors provides intergenerational opportunities with the  elderly ... we work in food pantries and serve the homeless on Midnight and  Breakfast Runs ... we help our parish's youngest disciples understand the call to serve in Never Too Young to Serve ... we traditionally go on Mission Trips to Kentucky to deliver Christmas stockings and serve those in need for a week in the summer and join thousands of other Catholic teens at the Steubenville Summer Youth Conference! 

WE NEED YOU TO HELP YOUR TEEN TO LISTEN TO WHERE GOD IS CALLING THEM!
First and foremost, as the first witnesses to the faith for your children, we need you to encourage your high school teen to participate in Youth Ministry. We have created a ministry with offerings and activities that appeal to a broad base. Your teen might not do everything - but get them involved in something! Have part of their teenage formative years spent here at their parish, so that their faith, Catholic identity and call to witness is strengthened before they head off after high school for the next part of their journey!

Catholic Action Service Opportunities
Thorpe Botanical Gardens Trip - Nov. 8 
Cook & Serve Dinner at Malta House - Nov. 18
St. A's Buddies-Nov. 19 
St. A's Buddies Christmas Porty- Dec. 10
Thorpe Breakfast with Santa -Dec. 17
Breakfast Run into NYC - Dec. 18

Spiritual Opportunities
Before School Teen Masses at 7am 
Dec. 8

Teen Adoration 
Nov. 9, Dec. 14

Teen Rosary Sliders n' S'mores with Mary 
Nov. 17, Dec. 1 

Lead the Rosary at Waveny Care Center 
Nov. 12 & 19

Bible Groups - Dates TBA 
Guy's Holy Hoops/Girl's Bible Group

And then, we need committed adults willing to partner with our teens! Adult Youth Advocates can model the values of a Catholic Christian community by active participation in this very important mission. Please consider helping in some way by contacting Chris Otis. All adults must be virtus trained and background checked to work with our youth! 

We love your teen and want to help ensure that when they leave us after High School, they know the love & mercy of Jesus, they have a prayer life & personal relationship with Jesus, that their faith is strong enough that they continue to go to Mass, serve others and have a strong Catholic identity to help them in the world! May you and they have the courage to ... StAY faithful StA Y involved 
StAY true to who God made them to be! May God bless you and your teen! I, along with all of our clergy look forward to walking with our young people. And, if there is something we are not doing ... or could do better ... please reach out to me at youth@starcc.com or 203-652-1154.

Our Teens are Busy - Check out these Past Events!

September Teen Rosary

Please Click Here to view more photos
 

Addiction Awareness Vigil

Please Click Here to view more photos

First Summer Teen Bible Study

Please Click Here to view more photos
 

St A's Celebrates our Graduating Seniors!

Please Click Here to view more photos
 

URGENT NEED FOR TEEN AND PARENT TO PRAY ROSARY AT WAVENY THIS SATURDAY WITH CHRIS OTIS AT 1:15PM - 2PM

Must be vaccinated and boostered -
Please sign up asap at:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084dafad2caafb6-rosary

Taco Thursday at Teen Rosary

THIS Thursday, December 1 at 7pm
Taco Bar, Teen-friendly Rosary, S'mores by the Fire Pit

Sign up at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084dafad2caafb6-sliders6

St. A's Buddies Holiday Gathering

THIS Saturday, December 3 at 4pm
Bingo, Cookie Decorating, Secret Santa Gifts for our Friends with Special Needs

Sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084dafad2caafb6-stas37

STAR Holiday Party for Adults with Special Needs at 5:30 pm

Tuesday, December 6
Need high school teens to help host at tables

Sign up at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084dafad2caafb6-christmas16

HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 

Before School Teen Mass 
Thursday, December 8 at 6:55 a.m. in the church 

Liz Sue BEC sandwiches, bagels and breakfast bags will be served after Mass and you will be on your way to school by 7:35 a.m. Sign up at: 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084dafad2caafb6-before37

CHRISTMAS STARS

One more Breakthrough Options family needs adopting ... it's a mom with three grown children in their 20's - please sign up at link below if you can help!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084dafad2caafb6-christmas14

StAY Connected to St. A's Youth Ministry on Facebook
AND Instagram! 

We are trying to build followers!!! 
Like and Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StAYNC/ 
Follow us on Instagram at stay.nc

StAY T-Shirts & Hoodies

Get your red StAY t-shirt for our Youth Ministry events.  They are in stock in the Youth Ministry office for $15. NEW THIS YEAR are our StAY Hoodies for $25!  

Want to sponsor one for one of our priests or Deacon Bill - let Chris Otis know!

Please Click Here to download the order form. Please order by September 23 to get in on our first order!

Is God Calling You to be a
Teen Reader?

We will be training new teen readers on Sunday, September 25 at our Annual Teen Reader Dinner immediately following the 5pm Teen Mass.  Reach out to Chris Otis if you are interested in serving in this very important liturgical ministry!

Current readers & new readers, sign up for the dinner at:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084dafad2caafb6-teen162

Rising Juniors & Seniors

Want to Be a Teen Leader in Youth Ministry Next Year?
St. Aloysius Youth Ministry offers teen leader opportunities to help our teens grow in discipleship and begin to emerge as Catholic leaders. Teens journey with Youth Minister Chris Otis to lead outreach and prayer/worship opportunities.  They are supported as they help plan and execute events, recruit peers to participate, lead team meetings and prayer, as well as gain confidence to stand as disciples of Christ as witnesses to our Catholic faith in the world.  Support of a virtus trained parent is encouraged. Attendance at Fall Teen Leader training with clergy and ongoing support of youth ministry opportunities other than their assigned ministry is required.  Participation in Summer Mission Trip or Steubenville Youth Conference is encouraged.

Interested?  Fill out the Interest Sheet at:
https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6878912/St-Aloysius-Youth-Ministry-Teen-Leader-Interest-Form

Enjoy pictures of our teens putting their faith into action and like/follow our Youth Ministry Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/StAYNC/) for current opportunities or reach out via email to Chris Otis at youth@starcc.com.

Teens ... Make a Spiritual New Year's Resolution for 2022
Romans 12:1-2 calls us to daily transformation of our minds so we can know and live out God’s will for us. "I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect."

Perhaps you will ask for God's help to:
Come to Mass EVERY Sunday

• Attend 5pm Teen Mass with contemporary praise & worship band music and a "student section"
• Participate in monetary stewardship. Every Sunday bring cash to put into the basket ... give up something for the week and give what you would have spent on it to GOD!

Consider attending Daily Mass once-a-week or even just once-a-month - Our first Before School Teen Mass will be on February 3

Read the Bible -- It's God's Word - Join us for Teen Bible Study

- Spend more time with God's Word and how it applies to your life as a teen in 2022! Watch for our new dates for Guy's Holy Hoops & Girl's Bible Study.

Pray Daily - Just talk to God or try a Catholic Prayer App like Hallow at https://hallow.com/ or in the app store!

Work on Overcoming What Tempts You - Develop habits that lead you closer to Christ

Join your peers in prayer, worship and service in Youth Ministry Watch for ways from our emails and by staying connected on social media.

Like and Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StAYNC/

We have 700 followers -- can we hit 1,000? Follow us on Instagram at stay.nc We have 225 followers -- can we hit 500?