High School Youth Ministry (HSYM) 
"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young; but set for the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching."   1 Timothy 4:12-13

The High School Youth Ministry Program is open to students in the 9th-12th grades, and focuses on each student's coming to a better understanding of his or her own faith. This includes centering on what it means to have a relationship with Jesus and the Church, to encourage and develop those relationships, and share that faith with others.

Faith Formation Classes:  Classes meet on Sundays from 6:30-8:30pm, beginning in September and running through April. Students seeking the Sacrament of Confirmation must be registered in the Religious Education Program.  While our Sunday evening faith formation meetings are part of our Confirmation Process, the meetings are open to all high school students; students do not need to be registered in our Confirmation Process to attend our Sunday evening faith formation. Click here for more information about the Confirmation process.

Each year's Faith Formation Classes are divided into four 4-week sessions with a break between each session. Sessions focus on different topics, but each meeting includes scripture and how it relates personally to the lives of the students. Most of the evening is spent in mixed-age small groups. At the end of each meeting, the youth return to the large group for prayer. Friends are strongly encouraged to attend!

Retreats:  We offer two retreats each year, Fall and Spring. We have fun, grow, share, are challenged, and learn on retreats. The transformation and conversion that we experience bring memories, faith, and encouragement for a lifetime.

Fun Activities:  We offer fun activities for our high school students during our session breaks and throughout the summer, including lock-ins, movies, amusement parks, and trips to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. We also offer numerous opportunities for service, including week-long work camps. Family and friends are encouraged to join us.

Parish Involvement:  The students also have opportunities to participate in many areas of our parish community that don't necessarily gather them together as a youth "group." They can assist during Masses as ushers, lectors, musicians and cantors. They may also serve as catechists or on many of the parish's numerous committees. These opportunities assist in initiating the students into our parish community on a regular basis, not just for special youth functions.

Invitation to All:  And let's not forget…our Youth Ministry is not just for youth! Our adult leaders (catechists) receive some of the best skill building, personal support, and spiritual formation available. Adults serve because they love kids and love God. They also serve because they realize how much they grow themselves. Some adults assist a couple hours a week, some much more, all depending on the amount of time they can offer. Youth Ministry gives the adult leaders an opportunity to respond to God's calling in concrete ways that really make a difference. It also offers wonderful, life-giving friendships with other adults. Please consider being a part of our team.