Today we had brunch with the former director of the OYM and spent a few hours reminiscing about the various programs and people of memory throughout the last 15 years. Some of the memories are to be cherished, some are to be learned from to say the least. It was great to hear funny stories that happened before my time in ministry and reminisce about the stories that included me too. Fr. Tom quipped that as he has spent some time processing all that has occurred during the past 15 years and he had to say that it was a bit like the Dr. Seuss book "Oh the places you'll go" but from this angle it was "Oh the places you've been".
Paris and Denver and Rome and Toronto and Germany ... Mississippi, Alabama, Peru, Bolivia and Honduras ... Youth ministers who came through the ranks as youth themselves ... youth who really left their mark - good and bad! ...
While it was a great few hours of laughter – and a GREAT brunch btw … check out Paparazzi for a top-notch brunch if you get the chance – it did leave me wondering what the future holds for youth ministry in our Archdiocese. Many opportunities have been available throughout my tenure because of the ability for many parishes to each bring a small group of youth and adults together to create a memorable experience... YOW, Gospel Road, CLI, World Youth Day, Regional youth and regional adult gatherings, National Youth and National Adult gatherings, Conventions, Rallies, Resource days … we have already seen the demise of the conventions and rallies in our Archdiocese. Now that there are only 2 full-time employees for Youth Ministry, the question lingers in the air, are we launching a new release of “Oh the Places You’ll Go” or are we truly at “Oh the places we’ve been”?
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