www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization ByzanTEEN From Paralysis to Paradosis

J Thur,

"I can sense your frustration. I've seen all sorts of documentation on Evangelization with official committees and all, and then I hear from my friends in the "missions" that they received grey pew books with "High Mass" instructions in them to use."

Interesting that you bring that up since the guideline for the Sisters of St. Basil the Great is apparently the NCCB pastoral "Sons and Daughters of Light". I don't think that that pastoral is bad or "infected" (at least it's a definite turn away from the "empowerment" talk that runs throughout the NCCB 1997 publication, "Renewing the Vision"). What I expected more of a was a conscious, bold, and constructive gathering of ideas from where good, solid Eastern Catholic (and Orthodox) youth ministry is actually "happening". Let's have open meetings with the Melkites, OCA, Antiochian Orthodox, etc... before we too brazenly step onto the Roman's minefield. I guess I'm just an old fashioned, horizontal-communion kinda guy.

The basic problem with our current approach is that our people have just grown too comfortable allowing official committees and experts take over what is the prime mission of the Church to it's own: the communication of the totality of the Faith to the young. Which is of, course, the prime responsibility of the parents, indeed, of all the adults of the adults. And from what I've been able to dig up, that's a common theme with vibrant youth programs: involvement of all the parents and strong, devoted families. Why are the Melkites doing what we seem incapable of doing? Short answer: Because the Melkites Eparchies have invested a heck of a lot more resources, time, and money into religious ed materials and have stressed strong parental involvement (guidance, support, and reinforcement at home). Those two themes are what I think we Ruthenians need to focus on before all else.

My frustration stems from the fact that anybody who is willing to actually go and dig around and talk to people (even those outside their own jurisdiction. Gasp!) or do some research on the internet, will find out just how we oblivious we Ruthenians are when it comes to our young. For example, Fr. Maximos (a monk at Holy Resurrection Monastery, and one of my buds) often hops across the country to give talks to Melkite youth groups. In fact, he gave a talk at the NAMY pre-convention back in 1997 or 1998. Why does a Ruthenian monk from our (Van Nuys) Eparchy hop across the country in a single bound to Melkite youth groups but not our own? Our priests just don't ask. In fact, he's (as far as I know) never been to any of the Van Nuys ByzanTEEN gatherings, probably we never had the idea to ask him to come. In fact, the only time he has come to speak to a Ruthenian youth group was just about a year ago at my home parish (St. Thomas in Gilbert)when he gave a presentation on Byzantine Christian Morality at Fr. Phil Acquaro's (God Grant him many years!) request.

So how many Ruthenians does it take to change a lightbulb?

As for mission parishes, I'm not sure if what you said is true about the Van Nuys Italo-Greek mission parish in Las Vegas (which I may add, has one heck of website).

"I like to learn more about your re-investment method. When I was a youth-group coordinator once upon a time, we did tons of things. Sometimes, pastors and authoritative-driven personalities like the sense of control."

Being a former youth-group coordinator myself, I'll second that. The problem here is that the authoritative-driven personalities so easily take charge because the person who's "fiefdom" it is is just un-supported by the parents who are necessary to organize events, host them, provide rides, gather permission forms, etc...except of course for those who should be as far away from in-charge of the group as possible (I'm speaking from experience).

What we need instead is more of a "special teams" approach, where parents and other adults of the parish will volunteer to host or help out with a given event (social gathering, service project, spiritual, etc...), and have the "leader" by one of the older teens, but always with the guidance and oversight of the priest or deacon, heck even the Presbytera (Double Gasp!)

Because we are still following an outdated (pre-1960's?) Roman model, where youth ministry is an auxiliary of religious ed, we seem to insist on leaving all of the youth stuff in charge of a "director". I think the single best move that the Metropolitan Youth Commission can make is to move youth ministry further away from religious ed and place it more under the auspices of the Offices of Vocations, the monastics, and departments of Evangelization. We may even consider adopting a more Orthodox approach outright and just create a pan-Byzantine Department of Youth and Young Adults with positions filled by youth, parents, clergy and monastics.

In short, the major shortfall I see with the MYC is that it codifies the problem (making youth ministry a clerical fiefdom). We must switch directions and get our Bishops to re-invest in the parishes.

On a Practical level, re-investment means
1) Revitalizion (or creation) of Eparchial Youth Departments with young adults or teens in actual positions to contribute to meetings and come up with regional events and strategies.

2) Beefing up Eparchial and parish websites by posting more relevant content (like that Powerpoint presentation on that Melkite parish's site) as well as contact info and updated bulletin section. A youth group calendar should also be up on there.

3) Having more of the young people step up to the plate and do much of the work of evangelizing their own. A good example of this is Sarah Cooley's ByzanTEEN newsletter (due out in mid-September. I'll have an article on WYD in there, so you all better read it!) We need more ByzanTEEN authors, poets, website designers, speakers, etc...

In short, our spread out and far-flung Metropolia has no nucleus around which to stabilize, a youth movement or program that the young can actually call their own. Keeping the goods on the East Coast only exacerbates the problem for the youth in Van Nuys.

4)More pan-Byzantine regional events (get-togethers, rallies, etc...) organized and hosted as a joing effort by the Byzantine parishes in a local area (ex. Phoenix Metro area).

5) Much more vision and vocal direction from the hierarchs.

6) Youth Days of Recollection. We just had one for the ECF catechists for Van Nuys down here in Tucson last Saturday. We need the youth of the various jurisdictions to meet together, share ideas, and fellowship, instead of having the bulk of our major events during the summer months (which is what we're doing now)

7) More emphasis from the Eparchies on committing resources (people, money, time) to building up parish and inter-parish programs.

S'nami Boh!

Darrenn

Darren,
You have some very good points and ideas but before people rush into a large pan-Eastern/Byzantine youth group, youth ministries and youth groups need to be first formed on a parish, eparchial, and archeparchial level. We must have a strong interior before we go all out to a pan group.

"So how many Ruthenians does it take to change a lightbulb?"

I don't know. But it takes 12 Ukrainians, one to hold the bulb and 11 to drink so much that the room spins :p :rolleyes:

Z namy Boh
ukrainiancatholic

[ 08-30-2002: Message edited by: ukrainiancatholic ]

ukrainiancatholic,

"before people rush into a large pan-Eastern/Byzantine youth group, youth ministries and youth groups need to be first formed on a parish, eparchial, and archeparchial level. We must have a strong interior before we go all out to a pan group."

I tend to agree, which is why I think the Metropolia needs to "re-invest" in its young people where we're currently at rather than form a Metropolitan Youth Commission. It's kinda like giving a newborn Stridex pads.

S'nami Boh!

Darrenn

[ 09-09-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

J Thur,

The founder and editor of the ByzanTEEN newsletter is Sarah Cooley, who's email is byzanteen_spirit_editor@yahoo.com

"Our success as a youth group back in the late 80s was that we did fun things centered around prayer. We didn't do the lecture gig too much nor were the events centered around a particular personality."

I think that's definitely the way to go. Our Metropolia needs to build up our own teen "intelligencia": writers, poets, speakers, teachers, cantors, coordinators, etc... to ensure that youth ministry remains ministry TO, BY, and FOR the teens and also so that our program(s) don't just center around one strong, charismatic leader.

What I think is crucial to everything we're talking about is the fact that needs to be a total change in mindset about youth ministry in our Metropolia (i.e. it is not an auxiliary of religious ed), and thus can't be run like a program with X dollars and Y man-hours spent gets the kids "to the next grade". Relationships and spiritual maturity are nurtured, not engineered.

"No lectures about "our wedding traditions." They just attend to participate. But all of this happens from the grass roots. I simply invited them, knowing that they sing well and would love to participate. One family has a son who serves at the altar and two girls who sing in our schola. Liturgy is work and it happens because we don't always rely on the lecture gig."

Back at my home parish, there is one girl my age who goes to ASU who cantors with the three men there. Before Bishop William Skurla left St. Melany's parish here in Tucson, I intoned the Epistle once a month, and the two other teens are in the schola up in the choir loft. The more those two teens are exposed to the content (not only the "mechanics" of how to sing it) of our liturgy, the better. The Eparchy of Van Nuys should make it a special point of encouraging the teens to cantor. It would save so many headaches, such as...

1) Having to explain why there's no Purgatory in the Panachida (answer: We Byzantines prefer repose to roasting)

2) What is true theology? (answer: as the Kondak of the Council Fathers tells us, it's the "mystery of worship"--the liturgy)

etc...

Now, if we can just get our parents to put their kids with the cantors as they are eaget to put them in the dance troupe.

Having just come back from dance practice,

Darrenn

Darren,

As I cantor, I agree with you 100%!!! I learned most of the music when I sang in the choir with my parents many years ago (as a teenager). It helped me to foster a love for both choir and prostopinije singing. The best of both worlds, I think, is harmonised prostopinije, sung from the heart. The older I get, the more I long to hear the same heartfelt singing. Having teens (along with the adults)involved in the cantoring is one way to keep the traditions alive and involve the parish youth at the same time.


STeve Petach,
(who wants to hear EVERYBODY singing!)

[ 09-09-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

[ 09-09-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

Joe,

"What exactly is making things work far away and what exactly is NOT making things work? Is it the pastor? Is it the parents? Is it the youth? Is it lack of communication between all three or between the parish and those putting on the event? I often wonder if anyone ever ponders these things. We can learn about ourselves and those deadbeat parishes when we investigate such differences."

I've been thinking about this for a long time now. I think that the Eparchial newsletters should dedicate a section to "what's happening (well)" in parish youth programs within our Metropolia by spotlighting a parish each issue and featuring an article by someone from that parish on how to "do" parish youth ministry well. That way, much more useful information can be put out there instead of the Eparchies essentially leaving each parish on its own.

"I suggest a Byzantine Catholic Youth "think tank" where members can share their thoughts, successes, failures and suggestions."

Amen, Amen, Amen. We definitely need our own youth intelligentsia to coalesce and form. MAKE YOUTH MINISTRY MOSTLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE YOUTH THEMSELVES AND GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT, TRAINING, AND RESOURCES THEY'LL NEED.

God bless,

Darrenn

[ 09-09-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

Joe,

I know, I've read it. That section is from YOU! magazine (I once subscribed to it in my Life Teen days) which is now out of print (lack of subscriptions to keep it afloat) and offers limited content on their website.

Excuse the pun, Joe, but I think YOU! and I definitely have our work cut out for us.

We really do need our youth intelligentsia.

S'nami Boh!

Darrenn

[ 09-09-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

I'm guessing that you folks don't like the idea of copying ideas from others, but in case you're interested, the OCA has a nice little e-mail "newsletter" for youth and young adults. I've (though just clawing to still be considered in the latter category) been receiving it for a while & think it's pretty good. It seems like something our youth, with some adult guidance, could even produce themselves. I think in something like this, the more that's written by our youth themselves -- talking to each other rather than being talked (down) to -- the better.

It's called "YO-mail":
http://yya.oca.org/pages/ChurchwidePrograms/Yo_Mail/index.html

Lemko Rusyn,

I've been a subscriber to YO! Mail for about a year now and I absolutely love it. I think we need to adopt the Orthodox model(s) and programs.

Oh, and by the way, the second issue of the ByzanTEEN newsletter is tentatively set to be emailed out October 1st. Look for a reflection on WYD in Toronto by yours truly.

S'nami Boh!

Darrenn

I was waiting for the next line:

"Rome has said that we are to be authentically Eastern in our e-zines, not copying Latin models, but following our Orthodox brethren as closely as possible..."



Okay, sorry for that one. hehe

YO-Mail is great, as is Fr. Mike Anderson who writes it.

If the ByzanTEENs make an e-zine, you can sign me up! I love receiving things like that.

-Dave