Confirmation Schedule

Sun Mar 14th
9th Grade Confirmation at St. Mary's,
4:00pm to 7:00pm

Sat Mar 20th, 9:30am through Sun Mar 21st, noon(ish)
10th Grade Confirmation Retreat at Holy Trinity

Sun Apr 11th
10th Grade Confirmation at St. Mary's,
9:30am to 1:00pm

Sun Apr 18th
Confirmation Mass with Bishop Amos
2:00pm

Sun Apr 25th
9th Grade Confirmation at Holy Trinity,
4:00pm to 7:00pm

Youth Group Activities & Retreats

• Boundary Waters Camping & Canoeing: June 26th to July 2nd.
• Steubenville North – St. Paul, MN: July 31st to Aug 1st
• Cincinnati Service Trip: Aug 8th to Aug 13th

2009 Youth Ministry Summary and Look Ahead

2009 marks our third full year of youth ministry in the Cluster Parishes. We are starting to evolve and expand into many new areas. New activities include taking a trip to New Melleray Abbey in Dubuque, going to the Newman Center at the University of Iowa, and taking a camping and canoeing trip to the Boundary Waters national park in northern Minnesota. We also continued past activities such as Bingo at Parkview, our annual spring "garage sale", and took a group for the third year in a row to stay with the Franciscans for the Poor in Cincinnati, OH and volunteer at local charities.

In 2010 we hope to add a third retreat in the summer. In addition to the Boundary Waters retreat and the Cincinnati Franciscans retreat, we are hoping to take a group to "Steubenville North", a charismatic Franciscan retreat at St. Paul, MN. These three retreats will be scheduled at different times throughout the summer, which should give kids plenty of opportunity to participate in at least one retreat. The Boundary Waters trip will be the last week in June; the Steubenville North Retreat will be the last weekend in July; and the Cincinnati trip will be the second week in August. Below is a recap of these activities.

New Melleray Abbey: This year for the first time ever, we took kids to New Melleray Abbey in Dubuque to pray with the Benedictine monks. They also got a chance to visit with a monk who explained Benedictine life at the abbey. We made three trips there this year, once in the Spring, and a couple of times in the Fall. The kids were very curious as to what type of life was led at the abbey, and seemed to be in awe at the feeling of "sacredness" that permeates the abbey.

Newman Center: We took kids to the Newman Center at the University of Iowa to participate in a different way of doing mass. At the Newman Center, there are no kneelers, no servers help the priest, and the tabernacle is located in a separate chapel. This was a lot different experience than new Melleray Abbey, and gave the kids exposure to a more casual way of worshiping at mass. We also had a chance to visit with a college student and talk to him about practicing his faith amidst all the distractions of college.

Boundary Waters Retreat: This was an intense week of camping and canoeing on the beautiful lakes of northern Minnesota. We were surrounded by majestic forests during the day, and enjoyed the clear star-filled sky at night. I have never seen so many stars in the sky. The moon and stars reflecting off the clear lake water was also a sacred moment. There were many opportunities to experience God's revelation through nature, and realize just how awesome God is!

Cincinnati Retreat: Each year we take kids to help out at local charities in Cincinnati. This is a great opportunity for kids from a rural state to get exposure to some of the hardships of city life. Cincinnati is a beautiful city and the Catholic Church has a huge presence there. Like any city though, they have their share of urban poor. It is a wonderful way for kids to see how their Catholic faith can be a way to reach out and help the poor and marginalized. In addition to working during the day, we try to incorporate some fun activities like going to a Red's baseball game and Salsa Dancing on the Square.

Spring Garage Sale: We raised over $2000 through our second annual "garage sale" at the Parish Life Center. We are always very fortunate to have parishioners donate some big-ticket items that help raise money for youth retreats and activities. We are also thankful for the many parishioners who purchase items at the sale.

Bingo: For the last couple of years, we have been taking the Holy Trinity 8th grade class to help senior citizens play bingo at Pleasantview retirement home in Kalona. We usually help out once a month, and the kids seem to have a great time interacting with the elderly community. I hope to get something similar started in Wellman and Riverside, so we can extend the same opportunities to the St. Joseph's and St. Mary's 8th graders.

Steubenville North: This is a new opportunity for us, and one I think the kids will greatly enjoy. St. Mary's in Solon has been taking a group up here for the last five years. When they first started, they had about 5 or 6 kids attend. This last year, they took over 60! I have been in contact with the youth minister from Solon, Julie Agne, and she will be bringing some of her kids to visit with us and tell us about their experiences.

I appreciate the support the Cluster Parishes have given to the youth ministry program over the last few years. Something like this takes the backing of the whole community, and would not be possible without it. I truly feel blessed to have your support and confidence. With your help and prayers, we should have another successful year in 2010!