They're getting confirmed tonight!

Tonight, the candidates which I have worked so hard to prepare, will be confirmed as full members of the Catholic Church. I must say, I think they are ready. Pray for us tonight!

For the rest of the day, after anxiously finishing everything on my to do list this morning, I will wait around and try to work on future events. But in all honesty, I will probably try to run over to the chapel and pray. I'm so excited for these kids, and I can't get my mind off of how great of an experience this year has been.

So for now... I'm trying to work, but it's becoming more prayer than work... and that's probably a good thing. Especially today...

The Tuesday before the Thursday

This week, the 9th graders that I have been working with since last September will be confirmed at the Cathedral. Back in September, I would have never dreamed what this day would feel like. I was new at the parish I work at, and didn't feel like I completely knew what I was doing. Let me tell you, God works in mysterious ways. Sometimes I wonder how I got these teenagers this far... without turning them away from the Church ;)
Over the past month, I have been reminded of my own confirmation (forgive me if this sounds a bit cliche). But during the exit interviews that the teens had to go through, they had to name and define the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (I often had to help them articulate what they were trying to say). But I will tell you this, I was impressed by their responses. Their answers were all very thoughtful and I could really see that they were taking the decision to be confirmed very seriously.
Back in January, I didn't think confirmation would ever come and I was worried that the teens would never decide to go through with it. But I was shown that my work means nothing unless I entrust it to the Almighty. I began praying more and more for the confirmation candidates... my prayers usually began with, "Lord please let them decide to get confirmed." And I guess God listened.
I can't tell you how proud I feel for these kids. I am so happy for them, but I think I will be sad to know that after this, some of them will go their separate ways and I won't see them again. Others, I will still see occasionally at Mass. And then those who decide to really truly invest in the parish, I will see every Sunday at the youth group.
Going into my second year as a youth minister will be very different. There is so much more that I will know. And so much more that I can be prepared for. Thank God I had no idea how much work I was going to put into this year :) I'm sure I would have doubted that God put me here and that he would help me at every moment.
Earlier today I wrote an article for our bulletin about the importance of confirmation for high school students. I was inspired when I read an article on adolescent spirituality. Read it, it has some good insights. There is so much that we are up against when we are trying to form our identity as Catholics. The world will tell us one thing, while God is reaching for us to listen to his awesome plan for us!

Mary's month

So, it's the month of May and I've always known that this month had something to do with the virgin Mary and motherhood and hallmark, but I thought I'd look into it a little bit more this time and really try to understand what it is about Mary that we love so much.

I love this image of Mary. Not only because it's pretty, but also because it makes it so clear that she is the queen of heaven and earth. I can't even begin to wrap my mind around what it must be like to have that honor as a human being, but Mary was certainly set apart by God to be honored and to mother the Son of Man.

So Mary is queen... I guess I've never spoken to a queen in person before so I don't know how I would act or what I would say. I can guess that I would be pretty nervous. But for some reason, it doesn't seem like we are meant to be nervous around Mary the Mother of G-O-D. And I love St. Therese's quote about Mary saying "she is more mother than queen." This is so true, and I know it is true because of everything that we know about Mary. We know that she is humble. We know that she is sinless. We know that she is loving. What a great combination of virtues for one person (and that's not all of them).

Since it is the month of May, and thanks to Hallmark, our thoughts automatically turn to our mothers, I ask you all to pray some extra prayers to the virgin Mary asking for her intercession. Especially for our country, for all of those who do not know their own mothers, and for those who weren't allowed to be born and know their mother. Mary is everyone's mother (Jesus on the cross said "behold your mother" signifying his gift of Mary and her maternal love and care to the people that he was about to die for).

Here's a great starter prayer for you:

Hail Mary, Full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

for more on Mary and what the Catholic Church says, look here.