Resources Youth Ministry

The Church’s Vision for Youth Ministry

“Christ is alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world, and everything he touches becomes young, new, full of life. The very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!” – Pope Francis, Christus Vivit, 1

Listen, Teach, Send

In June 2024, the Catholic bishops of the United States approved a National Pastoral Framework for Ministries with Youth and Young Adults entitled “Listen, Teach, Send.” This text serves as the United States’ response to Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation on young people, Christus Vivit. It is also a summons to local Catholic communities to renew and revitalize their approach to the accompaniment and evangelization of youth (in junior high and high school) and young adults (in college and in their 20s and 30s). 

The methodology is rooted in the Gospel story of the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:13-35) and invites pastoral leaders and families, in their engagement with young people, to imitate Jesus who listens attentively, teaches from the heart, and sends disciples into the world. The document begins with a preface letter addressed directly from the U.S. Bishops to youth and young adults and continues with the three-part framework text for pastoral ministers, families, and young leaders in the Church.

• Listen, Teach, Send One Page Overview
• Listen, Teach, Send Infographic
• Listen, Teach, Send Background
• FAQ and Additional Resources

Directory for Catechesis

As the Catholic Church embarks on the mission of teaching the Christian faith, the new Directory for Catechesis (2020) lays the how-to guidelines for catechesis and presents universal norms to guide pastors and catechists in the work of evangelization.

First released in 1971 and then updated in 1997, this latest edition considers both the opportunities and the challenges which the Church faces in an ever more global and secular society. The new Directory builds upon the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the ongoing work of the new evangelization.

The Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization presents the Directory to guide the proclamation of the Gospel by the Christian faithful to people of all ages and in all seasons of life.

The Directory places catechetical instruction and formation of catechetical teachers clearly within the realm of evangelization. It offers guidelines to assist in the creation of local directories and catechisms and clarifies the importance of catechetical renewal in Christian communities.

The Directory affirms the presentation of the Catholic faith articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a sound point of reference for instruction while drawing deeply from Scripture and the writings of recent popes, especially Pope Francis’s Evangelii Gaudium.

These guidelines are important for bishops, who are the primary catechists in their local diocese. The Directory will also be indispensable for all those responsible for formal religious instruction, including pastors and parish priests, deacons, lay and religious catechists, and religious education teachers in dioceses, parishes, and schools. The Directory will furthermore aid directors of formation who train the faithful in the forms and means of catechesis, including seminary rectors, directors of formation for the permanent diaconate, and lay ecclesial minster formation program directors.

The Directory for Catechesis (2020) is not currently available online as per the Holy See’s request. You may purchase it with various publishers including:

OSV

Amazon

Directory for Catechesis | Catholic Books Direct

Christus Vivit

Pope Francis’ Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit from 2019 casts a vision for youth ministry that emphasizes the role of young people in the life of the Church today.  This document discusses the role of young people in the Bible and the life of the Church, addresses some of the pressing issues of the day, invites young people into relationship with Christ, reviews the current forms and needs of youth ministry, encourages young people to be missionary disciples, and asks young people discern their vocation.  Of particular interest is Chapter 7: Youth Ministry.

Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry

Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry, approved as a statement of the United States bishops in June 1997, builds upon the tradition begun by the 1976 document by the bishops, A Vision of Youth Ministry. To respond to the challenges and opportunities of the present age, the Catholic bishops of the United States have given the Church this pastoral framework as a blueprint for the continued development of effective ministry with youth and adolescents in local communities of faith.

Renewing the Vision identifies three goals for ministry with adolescents:

1. empowering young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ
2. drawing young people into responsible participation in the Catholic Church
3. fostering the personal and spiritual growth of young people

The document identifies seven themes of a comprehensive vision.  Youth ministry must:

1. be developmentally appropriate
2. family friendly
3. intergenerational
4. multicultural
5. have community-wide collaboration
6. have strong leadership
7. have flexible and adaptable programming for young people

The document identifies eight components of comprehensive ministry with young people:

1. advocacy
2. catechesis
3. community life
4. evangelization
5. justice and service
6. leadership development
7. pastoral care
8. prayer and worship

The Archdiocese of Boston’s Vision for Youth Ministry

“Christ is alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world, and everything he touches becomes young, new, full of life. The very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!” – Pope Francis, Christus Vivit, 1

Setting an ambitious goal

• We seek to support parishes in the Archdiocese of Boston in building committed teams of adults capable of accompanying, evangelizing, and equipping young people to pursue ongoing conversion and growth in personal holiness, evangelize their peers, and lead others closer to Christ.
• We seek to encourage parishes to identify at least 2 adult disciples accompanying young people on a journey of discipleship in every parish of the archdiocese by May 2027.
• We understand youth ministry to be a variety of adult disciples using a variety of means to walk with young people on their individual journeys of faith one-on-one, in small groups of their peers, in community with other young people, and active in the life of our parishes.

Working towards fulfilling our goal

The Secretariat for Evangelization and Discipleship of the Archdiocese of Boston intends to support parishes in fostering and enhancing comprehensive youth ministry as outlined above in the following ways:

• Spiritual Formation – providing a community of prayer and support for clergy, staff, and volunteers in parishes to grow in holiness together as we work to accompany young people
• Human and Pastoral Formation – providing opportunities – including workshops, trainings, and seminars – to grow in understanding of young people themselves; how to recruit, form, and train adults to accompany young people; how to actively listen, ask good questions, and walk with youth appropriately one-on-one and in small groups
• Intellectual Formation – providing opportunities for clergy, staff, and volunteers to deepen their understanding of the teachings of the Church and effective strategies for evangelization and catechesis of young people today

Sessions on A Vision for Youth Ministry 

We all desire for young people to encounter Christ and to follow Him. Clergy, staff, and volunteers from around the archdiocese joined the Secretariat for Evangelization and Discipleship and Andrew Ministries for important discussions on the Archdiocese of Boston’s vision for youth ministry in September 2024.

The first session on September 11th at the Pastoral Center in Braintree 7:00 to 8:30pm was for priests and bishops only.  See a recording of that session at this link and of the Q&A portion of that session at this link.

Then, parish teams (clergy, staff, and volunteers) who engage in any ministry with youth attended sessions across the archdiocese at the end of September.  A recording of one of those sessions is below!

Zoom Youth Ministry Training Series

On the 2nd Thursday of the month beginning in October 2025 and going through May 2026 we are offering trainings on Zoom from 7:00 to 8:30pm on various topics. These sessions are led by a mix of local and national youth ministry leaders and panelists.  Register today and mark your calendars for upcoming sessions!  See video of past sessions below!  

Upcoming Meeting Dates and Topics:

June 18, 2025: Safe Environment and Youth Ministry – Register Here!

• October 9 Myths Debunked! with the archdiocesan Faith Formation & Missionary Discipleship team
• November 13 Getting Parents on Board with Deacon Nathan Gunn
• December 11 Relating to Young People with Liz Cotrupi
• January 8 Putting Relationships before Catechesis
• February 12 Music and Youth Ministry
• March 12 Bring Your Questions! with Fr. Denis Nakkeeran
• April 9 Ministering to Youth of Various Cultures
• May 14 Your Health as a Minister with Mike Drahos

View our step-by-step process to start or reform your youth ministry.

Spiritual Accompaniment for Youth Ministry Leaders and Volunteers

As we embark upon a new initiative to support youth ministry efforts across the Archdiocese of Boston we want to encourage everyone to pray for these efforts in support of bringing young people to know Christ present in His Church.

We want to come pray with your youth ministry team!  Please visit bit.ly/PraywithFFMD to schedule a time for someone from our team to come pray with your youth ministry team.

We’d also like to invite you to pray for youth ministry on your own or submit prayer intentions!  Perhaps you are able to offer a weekly or monthly rosary, holy hour, Mass, or other time of prayer for this intention. Perhaps you have a prayer intention related to youth ministry you would like us to share with those praying for this initiative.

Please let us know here if you are accepting our invitation to pray for the work of inviting young people to encounter Jesus so that we can let those engaged in this work know that people are praying for them.

if you have a particular prayer request related to youth ministry in the archdiocese that you would like us to share with those praying, use this form to share the request with us.

Youth Ministry and Confirmation

The Cardinal’s decision to lower the normal age of reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Archdiocese of Boston gives us the chance to reflect on how well parish confirmation preparation and youth ministry efforts complement one another. We have three upcoming sessions this fall on that topic:

What’s Next After Confirmation? How to Disciple Youth

Join us for this practical session with Annie Grandell of YDisciple on how to disciple youth after Confirmation.

We are offering this session 3 times. Please choose the date and time that works best for you.

• September 17 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm at the Pastoral Center in Braintree
• September 17 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at St. Michael Parish in Bedford
• September 18 @ 9:30 am – 11:30 am at St. Theresa Parish in North Reading

In Fall 2024 Katie Gray, Director of Parish Outreach at Life Teen, came to the archdiocese to discuss Confirmation and Youth Ministry: A Wholistic Approach.  Here is a recording of that session:

Accompaniment of Parishes 

We are pleased to announce that we are partnering with a few organizations – including but not limited to Andrew Ministries, Life Teen, YDisciple, and Young Life – to provide parishes in our archdiocese with coaching, training, and support for a year or more at little to no cost to the parish.  

If you are interested in individualized coaching in youth ministry for your parish or collaborative and your parish leadership (pastor, staff, councils, and volunteers) is supportive, please reach out to our team at youthministry@rcab.org to be considered. 

We currently have 7 parishes/collaboratives and 1 high school officially working with Everett Fritz from Andrew Ministries, 2 parishes/collaboratives officially working with YDisciple, and a number of other parishes/collaboratives exploring possibilities with all of the aforementioned organizations.

Building Community for Lay Leaders Across the Archdiocese

Would you like to gather with others engaged in youth ministry across the archdiocese?  We might go for a hike, visit an art museum, have a picnic, or enjoy some candlepin bowling.  Go to bit.ly/YouthMinistryCommunity to express interest.

How to Bring Small Group Youth Ministry to Your Parish 

We all desire for young people to encounter Christ and to follow Him. Priests and bishops from around the archdiocese are invited to join the Secretariat for Evangelization and Discipleship and Everett Fritz from Andrew Ministries for important discussions on this topic on January 29 and 30, 2026.  Times and locations forthcoming.

The last session in this conversation is available to view at this link and the Q&A portion of that session is at this link.

ReKindle: Community for Lay Leaders

ReKindle is a monthly gathering of staff and volunteers who minister to youth, from middle to high school.  It is an informal space to share and support the ministry and each other.

Contact ReKindle at rekindle.rcab@gmail.com or visit the Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1245732288776205.

Upcoming Meeting Dates and Locations

• TBD for 25-26

Key Resources for Youth Ministry

Jesus, himself eternally young, wants to give us hearts that are ever young. God’s word asks us to “cast out the old leaven that you may be fresh dough” (1 Cor 5:7). Saint Paul invites us to strip ourselves of the “old self” and to put on a “young” self (Col 3:9-10).[1] In explaining what it means to put on that youthfulness “which is being renewed” (v. 10), he mentions “compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving each other if anyone has a complaint against another” (Col 3:12-13). In a word, true youth means having a heart capable of loving, whereas everything that separates us from others makes the soul grow old. And so he concludes: “above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Col 3:14). – Pope Francis, Christus Vivit, 13

Andrew Ministries

Discipleship is a process, not a program. When you have a team of people who pursue youth, offer their witness and shoulder their crosses, life-changing ministry can take place.  Andrew Ministries helps build high-impact small group ministries.

Life Teen

Life Teen is a movement within the Roman Catholic Church, Life Teen leads teenagers and their families into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.

Marathon Youth Ministry

Experienced youth minister and speaker Christopher Wesley offers youth ministry coaching and resources.

National Study of Youth & Religion

This groundbreaking, long-term, study directed by Christian Smith, Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame, began in August 2001 and provides a wealth of information regarding the religious lives of American youth from adolescence into young adulthood.

NET Ministries

NET challenges young Catholics, through relational ministry, to follow Christ and embrace a life of community in the Church

ProjectYM.com

ProjectYM, invests in the ADULTS who are making a difference in the lives of young people.

YDisciple

Young Life

Young Life doesn’t start with a program. It starts with adults who are concerned enough about kids to go to them, on their turf and in their culture, building bridges of authentic friendship. These relationships don’t happen overnight — they take time, patience, trust and consistency.  Simply put, the mission of Young Life is introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith.  Young Life is a Christian organization, not a Catholic one.  Here is an article on why Catholic dioceses are teaming up with Young Life.  Here is a blog post on Young Life’s attempts to build bridges with Catholic dioceses.

Books about Youth Ministry

…aspects of Jesus’ life can prove inspiring for all those young people who are developing and preparing to take up their mission in life. This involves growing in a relationship with the Father, in awareness of being part of a family and a people, and in openness to being filled with the Holy Spirit and led to carry out the mission God gives them, their personal vocation. None of this should be overlooked in pastoral work with young people, lest we create projects that isolate young people from their family and the larger community, or turn them into a select few, protected from all contamination. Rather, we need projects that can strengthen them, accompany them and impel them to encounter others, to engage in generous service, in mission. – Pope Francis, Christus Vivit, 30

The Art of Forming Young Disciples

Experienced youth minister and speaker Everett Fritz considers the challenge of encouraging youth engaged in youth ministry and large church events for young people to remain committed to lifelong discipleship.

Discipleship-Focused Youth Ministry

With over 40 years of combined youth ministry experience, Jim Beckman and Eric Gallagher offer an approach to youth ministry that seeks to deepen the impact that youth ministry has in the church through discipleship. The book lays a foundation of understanding on what youth ministry is (or should be!), provides insights into many of the shifts happening in the Church, especially looking at the work of discipleship and the fruit it is bearing across the country, as well as providing a five step plan that parishes can use to begin shifting their youth ministry efforts to be more discipleship focused.

Rebuilding Youth Ministry

Christopher Wesley is on the front lines of youth ministry. He’s been in the parish trenches, refocusing an unpopular youth program and making it one where teens feel connected, stay involved, and grow in faith. In Rebuilding Youth Ministry, Wesley offers ten indispensable strategies to help you make your youth programs just as successful.

Wesley coaches fellow Catholic ministry leaders on how to overcome common hurdles of ministering to young people. Wesley shares how he faced feelings of complacency, underestimated youth, and entertained rather than ministered in his own parish. Wesley built a distinctive program based on small group faith formation and sustained it with the assistance of more than sixty volunteer adult mentors.

Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers

This book reports the findings of The National Study of Youth and Religion, the largest and most detailed such study ever undertaken. The NYSR conducted a nationwide telephone survey of teens and significant caregivers, as well as nearly 300 in-depth face-to-face interviews with a sample of the population that was surveyed. The results show that religion and spirituality are indeed very significant in the lives of many American teenagers. Among many other discoveries, they find that teenagers are far more influenced by the religious beliefs and practices of their parents and caregivers than commonly thought. They refute the conventional wisdom that teens are “spiritual but not religious.” And they confirm that greater religiosity is significantly associated with more positive adolescent life outcomes.

Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry

This book by experienced Evangelical Protestant Youth Minister Doug Fields is a helpful resource for new coordinators of youth ministry and parishes considering starting youth ministry or hiring a coordinator of youth ministry.

Growing Teen Disciples by Frank Mercadante

Engaging a New Generation by Frank Mercadante

Faith Beyond Youth Group by Kara Powell, Jen Bradbury, and Brad Griffin

Youcat

Docat

Helping Teens with Stress, Anxiety, and Depression by Roy Petifils