Youth Ministry

September 12, 2008

Hello,

WELCOME to a new year. I am looking forward to meeting all of you! Because I am new I have a lot to learn: about you, your parish, and this youth group. And so I need your help!

I need your input, ideas, and concerns. We need to work together. Each of you has something beautiful to offer. Some of you act, play instruments, sports, are good at computers, grow gardens, laugh, pray, serve… or are great at being yourself. All of these things are needed!

The Kick-off is only the beginning. The following week we will have an opportunity to engage in exercises that will build our community and help us get to know one another better, as well as have a cookout, group prayer and watch the sunset. I hope to meet you all there!

Thank you to all who have been so kind and warm! Don’t hesitate to contact me!

youth@spxcatholic.org

616.538.2600 ext. 137

Peace.

Erin M. O’Lonergan
Youth Ministry Coordinator

High School Youth Ministry Calendar

9^th – 12^th grade High School Youth meet Sundays 6:00-8:00 p.m. (in the Youth Room)

November

Sun. 2 5:30p.m. Planning Meeting
Pizza Experiment: Dinner in the World.

Sat. 8 Vocations Youth Rally (9a.m.-5:30p.m.) at Catholic Central
Explore our Christian Vocation. Music, Adoration, Speakers, Workshops and Mass.

Sun. 9 5p.m. Bible Study: The person of Jesus
6p.m. Youth Group: What are we called to be/do?

Fri. 14 Food Drive at Rivertown Mall with Confirmation Candidates

Sat. 15 Service Project: Raking Leaves/Lunch with Franciscans in Lowell
(Confirmation Candidates and H.S.)

Sun. 16 Advent Wreaths/Creating Characters/Preparation for Homeless Night

Sat. 22 YTO Mass
6:45p.m. Hunger Banquet
Homeless Night (over night)

Sun. 23 Serving at Guiding Light Mission (a.m.)
No Youth Group.

Sun. 30 Thanksgiving Break/No Youth Group

Story Time...

How to Forgive

One day a while back, a man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking in the woods. As he thought about his life this day, he knew many things were not right. He thought those who had lied about him back when he had a job. His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his things and cheated him. He then remembered family that had passed on. His mind turned to the illness he had that no one could cure. His very soul was filled with anger.

Standing there this day, searching for answers he could not find, knowing all else had failed him, he knelt at the base of an old oak tree to seek the one he knew would always be there. And with tears in his eyes, he prayed the following:

“Lord, you have done wonderful things for me in this life. You have told me to do many things for you, and I happily obeyed. Today, you have told me to forgive. I am sad, Lord, because I cannot. I don’t know how. It is not fair Lord. I didn’t deserve these wrongs that were done against me and I shouldn’t have to forgive. As perfect as your way is Lord, this one thing I cannot do, for I don’t know how to forgive. My anger is so deep Lord, I fear I may not hear you, but I pray that you teach me to do this one thing I cannot do – teach me to forgive.”

As he knelt there in the quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt something fall onto his shoulder. He opened his eyes. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw something red on his shirt.

He could not turn to see what it was because where the oak tree had been was a large square piece of wood in the ground. He raised his head and saw two feet held to the wood with a large spike in them. He raised his head more, and tears came to his eyes as he saw Jesus hanging on a cross. He saw spikes in his hands, a gash in his side, a torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into his head. Finally, he saw the suffering and pain on his precious face. As their eyes met, the man’s tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to speak.

“Have you ever told a lie?” He asked.
The man answered, “Yes, Lord.”
“Have you ever been given too much change and kept it?”
The man answered, “Yes, Lord.” The man sobbed more and more.
“Have you ever taken something from work that wasn’t yours?” asked Jesus.
“Yes, Lord.”
“Have you ever sword, using my Father’s name in vain?”
The man, crying now, answered, “Yes, Lord.”

As Jesus asked many more times, “Have you ever…?” the man’s crying became uncontrollable, for he could only answer, “Yes, Lord.”

Then Jesus turned his head from one side to the other, and the man felt something fall on his other shoulder. He looked and saw that it was the blood of Jesus. When he looked back up, his eyes met those of Jesus, and there was a look of love the man had never seen or known before.

Jesus said, “I didn’t deserve this either, but I forgive you.”

It may be hard to see how you’re going to get through something, but when you look back in life, you realize how true this statement is.

If God brings you to it – He will bring you through it.

Question of the month

“How come the Catholic Church is negatively portrayed so much in movies and the news?” – From the book Did Adam & Eve Have Bellybuttons?

The main reason is because the Catholic Church is the moral leader of the world. It is the voice of reason in an unreasonable age. It stands for truth – and the truth is difficult for many to hear.

Like Jesus, its founder, the Church calls the world to holiness. Most of the world doesn’t want to hear this because the Church challenges it to a higher standard of moral living. It tells people that they can’t steal, lie, cheat, kill, and hurt others. And like Jesus, it is persecuted because of its faithfulness to the Gospel.

In fact, if the world stopped persecuting the Church, would that mean that the church has become “too worldly”? Remember, Jesus said that whoever follows him faithfully will be persecuted and even hated. (Matthew 10:22, Luke 21:17)