“Dear young people, please, don’t be observers of life, but get involved. Jesus did not remain an observer, but he immersed himself. Don’t be observers, but immerse yourself in the reality of life, as Jesus did.”
Pope Francis, July 27, 2013 Youth Prayer Vigil at World Youth Day
The Youth Council is an advisory council to the pastor and represents the youth of our parish by fostering each adolescent’s personal relationship with Christ. We seek to encourage each individual to grow in faith through the holy mass, reconciliation along with the other sacraments, catechesis, fellowship, service, and leadership. The Youth Council explores and develops ways to form the youth of our parish to become disciples and leaders of Christ. We seek to facilitate the talents and gifts of our youth in service of the Church and community. The Youth Council welcomes all youth of various ages and groups as part of our parish community.
The St. Simon Youth Council supports all youth of our parish including those attending St. Simon Parish School, a school in the surrounding community or home school, including those in Scouts, Children’s/Youth Choir, Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Ushers, Greeters, Gift Bearers, Tech Ministry, Rites of Christian Initiation for Children, Pre-school Faith Formation, Children’s Faith Formation, Middle School Youth Ministry, High School Youth Ministry, and others.
The Council should consist of a variety of parishioners to ensure all perspectives are considered in council decisions and recommendations. Council members are to serve a three year term with the exception of the students, who will rotate yearly. Each member should have a passion for or previous background in youth ministries.
Following are some examples of the opportunities for youth to get involved at St. Simon Parish: Giving Tree, Special Olympics Dance, Tijuana Ministry, Haunted House, Crab Feed, choir, altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, ushers, greeters, tech ministry, scouts, Vacation Bible School, Kinship Party, Christmas caroling, Living Way, Military Boxes, letters & cards to the troops, One Warm Coat Drive, cookie baking, rummage sale, youth Masses.
“Let me tell you what I hope will be the outcome of World Youth Day: I hope there will noise. … I want you to make yourselves heard in your dioceses, I want the noise to go out, I want the Church to go out onto the streets, I want us to resist everything worldly, everything static, everything comfortable, everything to do with clericalism, everything that might make us closed in on ourselves.”
Pope Francis (July 25, 2013, Meeting With Youth, Cathedral of San Sebastián, Rio de Janeiro)
“Do not be afraid to go and to bring Christ into every area of life, to the fringes of society, even to those who seem farthest away, most indifferent.”
Pope Francis, 2013, July 28, World Youth Day Mass
