Formed at the NCCYM
By Father Jay Horan, SDB
“Imagine that the worst thing you did in your life would be frozen as an image.” Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ asked us to reflect on that for a moment. That thought scared me.
Catholic Youth Ministry in San Antonio, TX. Sister Helen recalled her background as an advocate to abolish the death penalty. “We only remember people on death row for the worst moments of their lives.” I thought about not only myself, but also the many young people I have come to know over the years. No one of us wants to be remembered for the worst things we have done. All of us want someone to offer us the hope of forgiveness and change; all of us want to know Jesus came among us for that reason. I, like the other youth ministers gathered at the conference, needed to hear this message for ourselves and the young people we minister to you, many of whom are reading this right now.
The National Conference for Catholic Youth Ministry (NCCYM) meets every other year for adults who care for and about young people. The Archdiocese of San Antonio hosted the event for us this year. About two thousand assembled for the mixture of conferences, breakout sessions, exhibits, and most of all, conversation with each other.
We also heard from Roy Petitfils, a counselor at the Pax Renewal Center in Lafayette, LA. He shared a rather intimate story from his own life experience, a sort of mini witness talk. He explained he spent a day of counseling people how to live in a more human, Christian way, then came home and snapped in an annoyed manner to his family. He painfully recognized that what he spoke about during the day to others did not match what he lived at home. I, as well as young team leaders, often feel that same way before speaking to others at a retreat or serving on a Gospel Roads. And yet, Jesus counts on Roy, on myself and on young team leaders — to be his voice. We don’t need to be perfect to care about others; we just need to trust in Jesus to accompany us in our brokenness.
Fr. Greg Boyle, SJ of Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, CA both inspired and entertained us with his stories. When appointed pastor of a parish in an area heavily populated by gangs, Fr. Greg responded to the needs of the young gang members trying to leave that lifestyle. By looking at each young person as an individual person redeemed by God, he initiated projects one at a time that blossomed into a multi-faceted response to the effective alternative to gang life. He related the story of one young man who came into his office with pride to show Fr. Greg his first paycheck. “I know whom I have to thank for this” he told Fr. Greg. Fr. Greg pushed back and pretended not to notice the compliment he anticipated. The young man responded “God, of course.” Fr. Greg replied appropriately “Why, yes, God of course.”
Catholic Youth Ministry in San Antonio, TX. Sister Helen recalled her background as an advocate to abolish the death penalty. “We only remember people on death row for the worst moments of their lives.” I thought about not only myself, but also the many young people I have come to know over the years. No one of us wants to be remembered for the worst things we have done. All of us want someone to offer us the hope of forgiveness and change; all of us want to know Jesus came among us for that reason. I, like the other youth ministers gathered at the conference, needed to hear this message for ourselves and the young people we minister to you, many of whom are reading this right now.
The National Conference for Catholic Youth Ministry (NCCYM) meets every other year for adults who care for and about young people. The Archdiocese of San Antonio hosted the event for us this year. About two thousand assembled for the mixture of conferences, breakout sessions, exhibits, and most of all, conversation with each other.
We also heard from Roy Petitfils, a counselor at the Pax Renewal Center in Lafayette, LA. He shared a rather intimate story from his own life experience, a sort of mini witness talk. He explained he spent a day of counseling people how to live in a more human, Christian way, then came home and snapped in an annoyed manner to his family. He painfully recognized that what he spoke about during the day to others did not match what he lived at home. I, as well as young team leaders, often feel that same way before speaking to others at a retreat or serving on a Gospel Roads. And yet, Jesus counts on Roy, on myself and on young team leaders — to be his voice. We don’t need to be perfect to care about others; we just need to trust in Jesus to accompany us in our brokenness.
Fr. Greg Boyle, SJ of Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, CA both inspired and entertained us with his stories. When appointed pastor of a parish in an area heavily populated by gangs, Fr. Greg responded to the needs of the young gang members trying to leave that lifestyle. By looking at each young person as an individual person redeemed by God, he initiated projects one at a time that blossomed into a multi-faceted response to the effective alternative to gang life. He related the story of one young man who came into his office with pride to show Fr. Greg his first paycheck. “I know whom I have to thank for this” he told Fr. Greg. Fr. Greg pushed back and pretended not to notice the compliment he anticipated. The young man responded “God, of course.” Fr. Greg replied appropriately “Why, yes, God of course.”