BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

 

What does collaboration look like?

It looks intentional. When Young Life collaborates with the Catholic Church it can take many different forms. Collaboration can be a regional, official agreement, but it can be a local, casual​ arrangement where a single Young Life staff member and a parish youth minister decide to meet regularly to discuss how best to reach kids together.

Here are a few of the ways​ we’ve seen collaboration with Catholics in Young Life’s different geographic divisions:

Northeastern Division

  • A collaborative agreement was signed between Young Life and the Archdiocese of New York (see photo).
  • Young Life staff in the New York metro area have been intentional about building friendships with Catholic clergy.
  • Catholic school administrators in New York have allowed Young Life volunteers to do contact work in several Catholic schools, and Young Life is developing some Campaigner-style small groups in some area Catholic high schools.
  • A Catholic parish in New Jersey hosts a YoungLives ministry, and a few YoungLives ministries in New York are connecting with the Catholic Sisters of Life.

Northwestern Division

  • A memorandum of understanding was signed between Young Life and the Archdiocese of Portland (see photo).
  • Social gatherings have been held in the Portland-metro area to link local Young Life staff with the Catholic parish youth ministry workers in their areas.
  • The Archdiocese of Portland has hosted and has participated in joint youth ministry training for Young Life staff and Catholic youth ministers.
  • The Catholic adult guest program at Oregon’s Washington Family Ranch brings Catholic clergy, Catholic youth workers and Catholic parents to camp each summer.
  • The Archdiocese of Portland has introduced the work of YoungLives​ to several Respect Life Committees in Oregon and has begun to recruit Catholic volunteers for YoungLives.

South Central Division

  • An official memorandum of understanding was signed between Young Life and the Diocese of Brownsville, Texas.
  • Young Life in Southern Texas launched a leadership development program (see photo) that has fast-tracked several Catholic, Spanish-speaking volunteers onto Young Life staff with financial help from the diocese.
  • A Catholic theologian and professor from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans currently serves on the Theological Advisory Council of Young Life’s president.
  • One Young Life club in Houston launched to serve three Catholic high schools; one Young Life club in Dallas serves two Catholic high schools.

Midwestern Division

  • Two Catholics have been hired as Young Life regional directors in this division.
  • The director of youth ministry for the Diocese of Jefferson City, MO, is connecting parish youth ministers and Young Life staff in an effort to help Catholic kids become more active in their parishes after a Young Life camp experience.
  • WyldLife has been fully integrated into a Catholic parish school in Davenport, Iowa, and this ministry has expanded into a new Young Life ministry at a local public high school.
  • Catholic adult guest programs at three Midwestern camps (Timberwolf Lake, Castaway Club, and Clearwater Cove) bring Catholic clergy, Catholic youth workers and Catholic parents to camp each summer (see photo).

Eastern Division

  • The Catholic Relations office recently developed a partnership with Franciscan University at Steubenville, a Catholic university that graduates hundreds of youth ministry workers each year.
  • The Catholic adult guest program at Rockbridge, Young Life’s camp in Virginia, brings Catholic clergy, Catholic youth workers and Catholic parents to camp each summer.

Southwestern Division

  • Catholic Young Life staff members in San Diego (see photo) and Oakley, Calif., are educating Protestant staff about the Catholic Church in an effort to better minister to Catholic kids.

International

  • In Poland, Young Life staff and volunteers are all Catholic so Young Life is very much integrated into the Catholic community. This article in Relationships Magazine​ highlights one of Young Life’s best ambassadors in Poland.
  • In Nicaragua, half of the Young Life volunteers are Catholic (see photo). This newsletter​ highlights the collaboration between Young Life and Catholic communities in Nicaragua.
  • In Africa, Young Life has great relationships with Catholic clergy, and many Young Life staff and volunteers in Africa are Catholic.

 

 

Are there collaborations between Young Life and the Catholic Church in your region that are not listed here? Contact us​ and let us know!