A Vision for Catholic Youth Ministry OLDCourse Level: Intermediate

A Vision for Catholic Youth Ministry is a five week course introducing students to the vision and principles for developing a comprehensive framework for youth ministry. Students will explore the historical development as well as contemporary models of the Catholic Church's efforts to reach out to young people and their families. Finally, students will be introduced to a leadership system for creating a stable, vibrant, and lasting ministry within their ministry setting.

Successful completion of this course earns 2.5 CEU's. Click here for more information about CEU's.

• Articulate the goals of Catholic Youth Ministry and define what is meant by a “comprehensive mindset”
• Understand how the themes, settings, and components of Catholic Youth Ministry are integrated to form a comprehensive framework
• Describe common threads of the historical development of Catholic Youth Ministry and implications for contemporary approaches to our ministry with young people
• Describe the current youth ministry model in their ministerial setting
• Explore a leadership system for strengthening their current efforts in youth ministry

• No books required. All readings are online.

• Week 1: Renewing the Vision
  • Name and understand the goals, settings, and themes of Catholic Youth Ministry
  • Articulate a personal understanding of what it means to be church
  • Understand a comprehensive mindset as an approach to youth ministry
• Week 2: A Brief History of Catholic Youth Ministry
  • Explore the historical basis for the development of Catholic Youth Ministry
  • Describe common threads of the Church’s ministerial efforts with young people
  • Apply key characteristics (operational principles) of Catholic Youth Ministry to your local ministry setting
• Week 3: Models for Catholic Youth Ministry
  • Identify the eight components of Catholic Youth Ministry
  • Explore the current model of youth ministry in your local ministry setting
  • Understand the need for a “balanced approach” to implementing youth ministry
• Week 4: Soul Tending
  • Understand the disposition of “soul tending” as key element to our role as adults involved in youth ministry
  • Explore three arenas that strengthen our faith and the implications for our ministry to, for, and with young people and their families
  • Appreciate the importance of Christian practices for the ongoing development for effective youth ministry leaders
• Week 5: Leadership
  • Explore the scriptural basis for leadership in Catholic Youth Ministry
  • Identify with the leadership system described in Renewing the Vision
  • Appreciate the roles of leadership that young people can have within youth ministry, in the parish and in the wider community