The Meade County Catholic Youth Ministry (MCCYM) office was established in the early 1980’s to create the vision for a high school youth ministry throughout Meade County’s four catholic parishes. This ministry is rooted in the Gospel and reaches out in love and service to parish, archdiocese, local and global communities. This office is recognized by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry,Inc as a Regional Activities Model. As quoted from the resource book Youth Ministry A Planning Resource, "This organization allows each parish to provide youth ministry for their young people--regardless of the size of the parish. It also allows for an exchange and sharing of ideas as mutual support. By pooling their finances, the parishes are able to together and with the coordination of the pastoral associate to provide programs that none of them could have provided alone."
Our Mission
Strive to structure and maintain ministry that creates an environment that allows for our youth to grow individually and spiritually.
Create an atmosphere for community building connecting youth from each parish to the larger community.
Recruit youth and adults in each parish to serve on/work with a ministry team. These teams assess the needs of the youth.
Provide ongoing training/education and support for the parish ministry coordinator and team to implement the programs and meet their goals.
Serve as a link to the Office of Lifelong Formation and Education within the Archdiocese of Louisville.
The MCCYM coordinator also serves as staff for the Region 10 Retreats directing and implementing the program.
Components of Youth Ministry
All activites, programs and events sponsored by the youth ministry fall into these components:
ADVOCACY
Interpreting the needs of youth and their families. Giving young people a voice and empowering them to address the social problems that they face.
CATECHESIS
Sponsoring youth toward maturity in Catholic Christian faith. Helping them to develop their own personal faith identity. Fostering transformation as they learn about, understand and emphasize with the larger Catholic Christian faith community.
COMMUNITY LIFE
Creating an environment which nurtures meaningful relationships amoung youth and between youth and adults characterized by Gospel values—acceptance of all people, trust, respect, cooperation, honesty, taking responsibility, willingness to serve. Helping young people feel like a valued part of the church community.
EVANGELIZATION
Proclaiming through word and witness the Good News of the Gospel to youth who have not yet heard or seen it and inviting them into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Ongoing witness of the faith community as it attempts to live out the Gospel with such authenticity that the faith of all the members is sustained and nourished.
JUSTICE, PEACE, AND SERVICE
Guiding young people in the development of social consciousness and a commitment to a life of justice and service. Empowering young people and their families to work for justice by concrete efforts to address the causes of human suffering and serve and defend those suffering Infusing the concepts of justice and peace into all youth ministry efforts. Teach and practice the Catholic Social Teachings.
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT/ENABLEMENT
Recruiting, training and supporting youth and adult leaders in youth ministry. Empowering youth for leadership and ministry with their peers. Developing a leadership team of youth and adults to organize and coordinate a ministry with youth. Partnering with parents and families in promoting positive youth development and faith growth.
PASTORAL CARE/GUIDANCE
Promoting positive youth and family development. Caring for youth and families in crisis through support, counseling, and referral to appropriate community agencies. Providing guidance as youth face life decisions and make moral choices.
PRAYER AND WORSHIP
Assisting young people in deepening their relationship with Jesus through spiritual development and a personal prayer life Providing a variety of communal prayer and worship experience with youth to deepen and celebrate their relationship with Jesus in a caring Christian community. Involving young people in the sacrament life of the Church.