A new Start…

Last Sunday I had the privilege of watching the youth  of my parish receive the sacrament of confirmation. I have witness this event many times over the years, and it always makes me proud to know that I had a little bit to do with it.

I was honored to be a small part of their lives over the last 3 years, watching them grow in to fine young men and woman. I was able to see them enter STATIC (the program our parish uses) mere youth and exit young adults. How many, besides parent and family can say they have that privilege? In truth not many, youth ministers have a unique function, we are given the trust of the parish and parents to help guide their children in to adulthood. This responsibility does not elude me, but rather it humbles me. This past Sunday I got a chance to not only see the youth enter in to a deeper faith, I was asked to partake in it, I was welcomed in to the hearts of the families.

As each youth received the sacrament my heart was filled with joy and yes I must admit some sadness also. My job as youth minister is to lead them to this moment, knowing that once they receive the sacrament they are out of my ministry, and entering in to a new life in Christ. As young adults in the Church they now have new and exciting responsibilities, they have become. It is now their faith to own, theirs to live out and to celebrate.

I was also sad for other reasons this year; this will be my last year as the STATIC Youth minister here at St. Theodore’s. I have decided to try my hand at other endeavors, it was not and is not an easy decision for me, but one that I feel must be. So as I watched them walk up to receive the sacrament, I felt pride and sorrow, I have grown to be friends with many of the youth and families, and will miss my weekly tormenting sessions, but I know that God has other plans for me, so I too, like the youth of our parish, am on a new and exciting adventure in my faith. Thanks to all who have wished me well, thanks to all who have stood by me but mostly thanks to all the youth over the last four years, you have made this something truly special for me.

This new path for me is a path of discovery, I plan on entering in to a new and dangerous territory of adult education… No 6th grader has ever put fear in me, but I have had many scary moments for the adult group. I have been teaching adults for the past 15 years or so, so it’s not truly new to me, but the difference will be the intensity of the commitment. I also plan of self promoting my ability to give talks and seminars on a variety of topics. So I am leaving one ministry to enter a new one, as things change, they remain the same.

Paul