CLE 21:6
Diocesan Youth Conference

Be a part of this gathering of high school teens on Saturday, January 8, 2022 at John Carroll University.  Bring teens for a great day of inspiration, community, music, Adoration, Mass, and speakers including David Calavitta, Fr. Ryan Mann, Aaron & Monica Richards, and more!  To purchase tickets for your group and find more info, go to: dioceseofcleveland.org/cle216. The Digital Media Kit provides editable flyers, Instagram posts, and more that you can use to promote the event to your teens and families.

ALSO - Youth Ministers: There will be a private event for YOU the evening before, January 7, with David Calavitta, our  keynote speaker.  Save the date!

Desert Day Retreat
Rescheduled for October 18

Due to Bishop Pilla's funeral, we changed the date.  We hope you can join us to spend time with the Lord and be filled. This will be a quiet day of prayer. We will start with an inspiring talk by Fr. Damian Ference and go on our own to read, reflect, respond, and pray in solitude with God. Mass, Adoration, Confession, and Spiritual Direction will be available. 

This event is geared for youth ministers, campus ministers, ym volunteers, and all those who minister to teens.  Join us from 9am-5:30pm at the Jesuit Retreat Center, Parma.  Register HERE by October 11.

NCYC Tickets Available

November 18-21, Indianapolis, IN

We have some extra tickets for the National Catholic Youth Conference this November.  If you are interested in taking a small group from your parish or high school, please contact Francine ASAP.  The cost is $565 and includes conference ticket, bus transportation, hotel, and a couple meals.

Synod Opening Mass
For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission

October 17, 10:30am, Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist

Bishop Malesic will celebrate an Opening Liturgy for the Synod, kicking off the diocesan phase of the three-year synodal journey of consultations and discernment, culminating with the Assembly of Bishops in October 2023 in Rome. 
 
Through the end of 2021, all baptized Catholics - including your teens! - will be invited participate in this process of listening, dreaming, and discerning God’s call for the Church amid the present signs of the times. Bring teens to join us for the opening Mass and get excited about this Universal Church experience! The diocesan discernment will culminate in a “Pre-Synodal Meeting” early next year. Click HERE for information.

Youth Rally & Mass for Life Tickets
Big Changes

January 21, Capital One Arena, Washington, DC

If you are taking teens to Washington for the March for Life, you may want to participate in this event, put on by the Archdiocese of Washington the morning of the March. 

• Emcee: Dr. Ansel Augustine
• Speaker: Josh Brahm
• Musician: PJ Anderson

For the first time, they are charging $5 per person and tickets go on sale October 15 to diocesan reps.  They expect to sell out that day!  You can order tickets for your parish/school group, or find out more HERE.  Orders must be received by the Office of Youth Ministry by October 14.

Life is VERY Good Registration Open

January 20 & 21, EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, VA

This is another option for groups going to the March for Life in Washington.  Life is VERY Good has two events hosted by the Diocese of Arlington.  

Discount rate of $31 if you attend both events.  Reserved seating in order of payment.  Find out more and register your group HERE.

Youth Ministers Summit

January 10-13, Centerburg, Ohio

This partnership between Damascus Catholic Mission Campus (home of Catholic Youth Summer Camp) and Project YM (along with Franciscan University of Steubenville) is a gathering for Catholic youth ministry leaders from across the country to celebrate, prepare, and be sent back into mission.  You'll spend time preparing for another year of mission: learning new strategies, discussing ideas with other leaders, and praying together.  It is meant to be more retreat and prayer, and less conference talks and vendors.

Find out more information HERE.  There is a $100 discount if we register as a diocesan group.  If you're interested in attending, please contact Francine by October 20.

Need to Order T-Shirts?

Just a heads up as we head into retreat season.  There is a HUGE raw material shortage and in general manufacturers do not have many t-shirts in stock.  You will need to get your t-shirt orders in at least one month ahead of time.  If you're used to placing a t-shirt order the week before retreat, you might want to rethink that.

Meet the Culture Project Missionaries

October 29, 10am-noon, Broadview Hts

The Culture Project is sending a new crop of missionaries to CLE and they want to meet you!  They will welcome us into their home with bagels, donuts, and coffee, and introduce themselves and their mission.

The Culture Project missionaries partner with Catholic schools and parish youth ministry teams to speak about human dignity and sexual integrity.  They offers students an encounter with young people who are a living witness and demonstrating a life of counter-cultural virtue.  It is free to have them come speak! 

Look for RSVP link in the next eNewsletter.

Coffee & Conversations

Francine, the Director of Youth Ministry, wants to meet with YOU!  If it's been awhile, please consider signing up for one. It's a chance to chat, share how you & your ministry are doing, and discuss how the Office of Youth Ministry can serve you.

This can be with the youth minister, campus minister, priest, parish staff members, campus ministry department... whomever you like.

YOU choose the location... your parish, a local restaurant/coffee shop (my treat), online, on the phone... Sign up HERE.

Belongingness Challenge

When Dr. Josh Packard of Springtide Research Institute was here last month, he suggested to help build trust and relationships with teens, that youth ministers take the Belongingness Challenge.  You can also read more about the research HERE. You can sign up HERE to get a free copy of their latest research that will be released in October, which Josh presented to us at the Pastor & Youth Minister Gathering on September 15.

XLT West is Back!

Their first XLT is on Wednesday, October 13, 7pm at St. Joseph, Avon Lake. Join them for this time of Eucharistic Adoration with Praise & Worship music, Scripture, and an inspiring message from presider Fr. Josh Cochrac, followed by snacks & fellowship.
 
Consider marketing this to your teens and parish. Marketing materials including social media graphics can be found here.

Catholic Youth Summer Camp

Registration opened September 30!

Right next door in the C-bus Diocese, CYSC is an amazing High Adventure camp for high schoolers and middle schoolers.  It's filled with activities like high ropes, paintball, blobbing, archery tag, giant swing, dual zip lines, a 5-story climbing wall, and more! They are rooted in the sacramental life of the Catholic Church, and their mission and work is anything but boring.

This is a plug-in event - families register their teens and take them to and from the camp.  Youth ministers are not expected to attend with them.  However, many parishes pick a week to promote so their teens are able to build community to bring back to the parish, and youth ministers can pop down to spend time with their teens.  St Francis of Assisi is going Week 6, July 10-15 if anyone else wants to join them for a CLE week. 

Life Teen Summer Camp

Registration opens October 5!

Covecrest and Hidden Lake camps in Georgia are open to all groups - not just parishes who subscribe to Life Teen. Daily Mass, Reconciliation, other powerful prayer experiences, and dynamic speakers will lead teens into an encounter with Christ. All of this alongside ropes courses, an obstacle course, messy games, plenty of free time, kayaking or white water rafting, and much more. 

One of the big focuses at these camps is parish-based discipleship. They want campers to come and grow in their faith, as well as grow closer with their parish family. Therefore, all campers must attend with a parish and chaperones to build that relational ministry.

October is Respect Life Month

To help build and celebrate the culture of life, the Office for Human Life, in collaboration with the Diocesan Social Action Office, will highlight a different aspect of life each week:

• October 2/3: Abortion
• October 9/10: Death Penalty
• October 16/17: Adaptive Needs
• October 23/24: Human Trafficking
• October 30/31: End of Life Issues

Strengthening Our Faith Grants

This is worth your time and effort! Do you have a retreat or project you'd love to do with teens but don't have the funding?  Is there an event to which you would like to bring teens, such as a Steubenville Youth Conference, Catholic Youth Summer Camp, or Life Teen Leadership Conference?  Is there an event you would like to attend yourself, or bring volunteers such as Catholic Youth Ministry Summit or Catholic Youth Ministry Convention?  Apply for a grant!

The maximum amount requested is capped at $25,000. Distributions will be awarded based on the merits of each request and funding available.  Applications can be found HERE.  They are due November 1 (and require multiple signatures, so you cannot wait until the last minute!).

Knights of Columbus Catechetical Media Grants

Need a new projector or screen?  The Ohio Knights of Columbus are generous to make funding available for parishes, schools and diocesan organizations in order to purchase catechetical media & media equipment. Funds will be limited to $1,000 per organization, so you might not get the full amount you need, but it would make a great dent! Applications are due November 30 and can be found HERE. 

Stay in the Know about Young Adult Events

Many youth ministers also do young adult ministry - or are young adults themselves!  Keep up-to-date with the latest happenings out of the Office of Young Adult Ministry by clicking HERE to subscribe to their eNewsletter.

As You Plan Your Calendar
Topics for Gatherings

There is a lot going on in the Church these days.  Looking for content to cover this year with your teens?  Consider these timely topics:

• Processing the Pandemic & Coping Skills
  • We are sick of talking about it, because we are sick of living through it.  But our teens need guidance on how to process the pandemic and learn coping skills for the stresses of life. Resources for two sessions coming soon.
• Year of St. Joseph - ends Dec 8, 2021
  • This oft-forgotten saint is a powerhouse! Introduce your teens to him!
• Year of the Family - ends June 26, 2022
  • Help teens discover the beauty of family life, married love, and the gift of self.  USCCB resources HERE.
• Priesthood Sunday - Oct 31, 2021
• Global Celebration of Youth & Young Adults on Solemnity of Christ the King - November 21
  • Check out this USCCB Resource Page which includes the NEW Pastoral Guidelines for the celebration!