Diocesan Youth Day to feature music, worship, workshops
Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski is scheduled to serve as principal celebrant of a Mass during the annual Diocesan Youth Day at Cardinal McCarrick High School, South Amboy, March 21.
Diocesan Youth Day brings together eighth- to 12th-graders from the diocese for adoration, reconciliation, workshops, skits, music, fun and opportunities to understand Catholic teaching and ways of caring for the needy, said Michael J. Wojcik, director, Youth and Young Adult Ministry.
Wojcik said Diocesan Youth Day aims to “support teens and parish youth ministries in living the Gospel; renewing their baptismal call to be disciples of Jesus with others in his church; seeing the richness of the Catholic Church; and giving them opportunities to meet new friends and have fun in their faith.”
The event begins with registration at 11 a.m. followed by lunch, music and vendors.
At noon, keynote speaker Mike Patin of Lafayette, La., will present “Tuned in Teens.” Patin will be discussing how teens can grow spiritually and hear God’s voice every day in a world packed with entertainment, music, videos, movies, radio, concerts, commercials, iPods and advertising.
During the afternoon, Patin is also scheduled to present one of 11 workshops, “Youth Ministry Successes: Flukes or Dynasty.”
Other workshops include: “Sharing About the Vocational States of Life,” presented by Father Randall J. Vashon, diocesan director of vocations; “Tune Into the Blessed Mother Mary,” Father John B. Gordon, pastor of both La Asuncion Parish and Our Lady of Hungary Parish, Perth Amboy; “Tune Into Managing Your Money, Credit Cards and Self as Catholic Disciples,” Arthur D. Canales of Austin, Texas; and “Using Art to Tune Into God,” Stephanie Moench, a youth minister at Holy Trinity Parish, Bridgewater.
Also, Rich Fritzky, a successful businessman and father of 12, will discuss how his faith helps him in the workshop “Tune into God Even During Difficulties.”
The sacrament of reconciliation will be available before Mass, which is scheduled to be celebrated at 4 p.m. at St. Mary Church, next to the high school.
Following Mass there will be a dinner, games and music until 9 p.m.
Patin has worked in a variety of settings with teenagers and adults since 1984, including 13 years in youth ministry for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. In 2006, Patin received the National Catholic Youth Ministry Award.
Canales is a freelance Catholic theologian and adolescent ministry scholar, and associate adjunct professor of theology at St. Edward’s University, Austin.
Canales also serves as president of the Austin-based Cornerstone Financial Education, a national not-for-profit debt management, credit counseling, housing counseling and financial education company.
For more information, contact the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry at (732) 562-1990, ext. 1635.
Chris Donahue