REDRAWING THE MAP -
THE STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY
   Having discovered this map of US Catholic dioceses (that was designed by Columbus diocesan youth leader Mark Butler) will lead us all into a virtual tour of the US Catholic youth ministry diocesan offices- -  state-by state.    

COINS indicate 2008 report
STAMPS indicate 2007 report.  Some links may be outdated

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: ALASKA
** Anchorage held the Alaska Catholic Youth Conference in June and has begun to offer CMD’s Certificate in Youth Ministry Studies program
** Fairbanks is looking for a Diocesan Youth Minister.  This position will work primarily in the Fairbanks area, rural road system, and Northwest coast in developing youth and young adult ministry programs for individuals from junior high school age to approximately 30, along with serving as a resource throughout the rest of the Diocese.
**  Mary and Rich Stone are leading the Juneau World Youth Day trip.  A WYD fund-raiser is occurring right on the diocesan front page.

Tuesday, 06 May, 2008
STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: ARIZONA  
    > > Phoenix is hosting Arise for young adults and college students.
    > > > > How can you visit Arizona without checking in at St. Tim's , Life Teen's ancestral home. in Mesa?
    > > Tucson hosts CYLE, the Catholic Youth Leadership Experience, a five day leadership experience for high school teens done in a retreat atmosphere which includes hand-on training activities for service projects, projects, fun times.

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: ARIZONA
** Phoenix is encouraging participation in the Discipleship Leadership Academy in August at the University of St. Thomas up in St. Paul, MN.
** In Tucson, it was difficult to find much directly aimed at youth ministry.  They did have, however, the makings if a cool multimedia platform on their iDiocese site.  

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: ARKANSAS
** Little Rock has a junior high event with Jamie Dillon and a senior high event with Doug Brummel and Mark "The Bible Geek" Hart this past spring. This summer, they will host c2si- Catholic Charities Summer Institute: a hands-on learning experience of social justice.   

Thursday, 08 May, 2008
STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: CALIFORNIA NORTH
   > > Oakland, like others, is tooling up for World Youth Day,
   > > There was a middle school rally in Sacramento that featured NET ministries.
   > > Santa Rosa has a camping ministry at Camp St. Michael.
   > > Sam Francisco's site has a page dedicated to confirmation,
   > > San Jose will host a week long leadership program  “TAHOE 2008: Quest for the Hidden Treasure”  June 16 – 20
   > > in Stockton, the office hosts a monthly diocesan youth ministers gathering, sponsors workshops at Diocesan Ministry Day, and can offer a wide variety of trainings for parish youth ministry teams.
 

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: CALIFORNIA (NORTH)
** Oakland has a basic introduction site which makes mention of their W.E. L.E.A.D. (Weekend Leadership Enhancement and Development) Retreats - leadership development for youth parish leaders
** Over at Sacramento, the Youth and Young_Adult Conference is an overnight event at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds. Speakers include Pam Stenzel and Marissa Espanoza. Curtis Stephan is the musical headliner. 
** Santa Rosa's office web-page offers a simple listing and a link to Pope Benedict's WYD letter.
** Over In San Francisco, Youth Leader is underway.
** San Jose has a great picture of young people walking a labyrinth and the site high-lights immersion programs for both youth and adults.
** The Stockton office also serves as a liaison between parish youth ministers; and provides networking and fellowship opportunities for those involved in youth ministry.

Friday, 09 May, 2008
STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: CALIFORNIA SOUTH  
   > > Youth Ministry in Fresno is served out of the office of ministries
   > > Monterey is hosting CFIT - Confirmation Foundational In-Service Training  
   > > Los Angeles' newsletter, the Grapevine, is phasing out the print version and will soon become an e-vine!  
   > > > > Hey, St. Jude the Apostle in Thousand Oaks, be advised.  I have a nephew in your parish and I'm keeping an eye on you!  
   > > It is tough to determine if the Orange site has been updated in the last few years.  
   > > San Bernardino recently conducted a Quinceañera workshop
   > > Vikki Shepp is leading the year-ending retreat for OYM leadership in San Diego.  
 

Friday

July 13

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: CALIFORNIA (SOUTH)
** Among the services that Fresno offers is the “Profetas Juveniles” programming for KNXT-TV Channel 49
** The Monterey site reminds is that youth ministry "must be relational. It must be relational between the minister and God, between the minister and the young people, between the young people and God, and between the young people themselves."
** Los Angeles has a page organized around your role in youth ministry.  Maybe you coordinate confirmation  Perhaps, you are an adult volunteer.
** Orange lists out an extensive variety of resources.
** Meanwhile, San Bernardino offers a seminar in Pastoral Practices of Comprehensive Youth Ministry, an intensive 9 month/60 hour course for Directors and Coordinators of parish youth ministry
** Down in San Diego, they will be conducting their leadership camp, Camp Emmaus, in early August.

Saturday, 10 May, 2008
STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: COLORADO  
   > > The Youth Board in Colorado Springs hosts a chastity rally each Spring.
   > > Denver's annual summer Steubenville of the Rockies is already sold out.
   > > > > Over at Littleton's St. Frances Cabrini, direction of youth ministry Jeremy Heinen has a invitational video.
   > > Although Pueblo has not updated their youth ministry page they have recently hosted a Continuing Formation and Education Conference that featured NFCYM's Michael Theisen.

 

Saturday

July 14

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: COLORADO
** Colorado Springs is getting ready their Fishers Discipleship Conference which features keynote speaker D. Scott Miller.
** Denver (home to son Clark's Totus Tuus program) is gearing up for the Equipp Catholic Youth Ministry Conference.
** The Pueblo site reports that The Dioceses of Pueblo and Colorado Springs have received a grant to promote ministry to young adults.

Sunday, 11 May, 2008
STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: CONNECTICUT  
   > > Bridgeport is sending folks to the Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City in June.
   > > "Who Do You Say That I Am will keynote the Catholic Yoiuth Spectacular over in Hartford
   > > > > Originally founded by  the five Roman Catholic Parishes of West Haven, the Association of Catholic Teens is currently supported by St. Paul, St. Louis, and Saint Lawrence Parishes.
   > > Youth Ministry in the Norwich diocese is still within the Faith Formation office, but the diocesan main page has a link to a teen's

Sunday

July 15

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: CONNECTICUT
** In August, Bridgeport will be hosting the Fan the Fire rally.
** Hartford has selected some wacky Cajun as their keynote speaker for their Youth Spectacular.
** Over in Norwich, youth ministry comes under the responsibilities of a larger faith formation office.

 

Monday

July 16

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: DELAWARE
** In Wilmington, they have the prototype of a great e-newsletter Ladders Online.  Wilmington, by the by, includes the "eastern shore" of my home state of Maryland.

 

Tuesday

July 17

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY:
FLORIDA (GULF COAST)
** The mighty Jesse Mannibusen graces the Pensacola-Tallahasee page.
** The mighty St. Petersburg's front page is primarily generated by Lansing. Michigan's "faith teen" web magazine.
** Over in Venice, a listing of contacts and coordinators can be found. [state]

 

Wednesday

July 18

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: FLORIDA (OCEANSIDE)
** Miami's site is appropriately bi-lingual and the SonLight newsletter is pitching NCYC.
** Orlando heralds their World Youth Day trip along with a link to the Pope's WYD message.
** Palm Beach has a cool web site name www.1timothy412.com and is hyping twin Christian youth group events at Disney (Night of Joy) and Universal (Rock the Universe) the weekend of September 7-8.
** The is a listing of the office staff on the St. Augustine page.   [state]

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: GEORGIA
** Atlanta will be hosting YMI - Youth Ministry Institute in three separate locations.  Archbishop Wilton Gregory will preside at the Saturday liturgy at the second location.
** In Savannah, the annual Diocesan Youth Conference will be held in January and will feature Chris Padgett and Who Do You Say I Am    [state]

 Saturday, 17 May, 2008
STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: HAWAII  
   > > A search in conjunction with Honolulu's site shows an e-bulletin where "After inquiries from various parishes and discussion with the Presbyteral Council, Bishop Larry Silva approves the following policy regarding the age of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion: Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion may be as young as 16 years of age, provided they have received all three sacraments of initiation, are selected by the pastor for their maturity, and are properly catechized and trained for the ministry.
   > > > > Our Lady of the Mount youth core team had a plan for the Past calendar year!
 

Friday

July 20

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: HAWAII
** As best as I could tell from search the main Honolulu site, there were no youth ministry links. A google search, however, lead to the Catholic Hawaii Youth and Young Adults Forum bulletin board.   [state]

STATE OF YOUTH MINISTRY: IDAHO
** Over in Boise, they are right between their two weeks of Ultimate Reality high school discipleship retreats.  [state]