Strangers in the House of God Sons and Daughters of the Light A Pastoral Plan for Ministry with Young Adults

High School and Teenage Years Salesian Contact Salesian Contact –Youth Center –Parish –Camp –School –Boys and Girls Club

The Value of a Dream Don Bosco & Rector Major Don Bosco & Rector Major Motivation Motivation Focus Focus Purpose Purpose Meaning to Ones Life Meaning to Ones Life

Problems with a Dream Lack of Development/Fully Thought Out Lack of Development/Fully Thought Out Lack of Support Lack of Support Lack of Resources & Guidance Lack of Resources & Guidance You Cant Go Home You Cant Go Home -especially after HS graduation -especially after HS graduation

College and Young Adulthood

How to Measure Success Different for each person, location Different for each person, location We are called to be faithful, not necessarily successful We are called to be faithful, not necessarily successful

Cafeteria Catholics It is not easy to live as a Christian in contemporary society. It is not easy to live as a Christian in contemporary society. Sin and temptation are everywhere Sin and temptation are everywhere Religious vs Spiritual Religious vs Spiritual

Potential Traps False Promises False Promises False Prophets False Prophets –Frats –Drugs –Sex –Alcohol –Roommates –Relationships Questioning Faith Questioning Faith –Afraid to Question –Afraid to Hear Answer Are they prepared? Have we prepared them?

Results of Being Trapped Less Participation Less Participation Flashy Religions Flashy Religions Unhealthy relationships Unhealthy relationships Change in Priorities and Morals Change in Priorities and Morals Inability to fulfill dreams Inability to fulfill dreams

Tasks of Young Adulthood Developing Personal Identity Developing Personal Identity Developing Relationships Developing Relationships Developing A Meaning of Work Developing A Meaning of Work Developing A Spiritual Life Developing A Spiritual Life

Developing Personal Identity New Surroundings Introduce New People with Different Values, Faiths, Cultures, & Sexual Orientation New Surroundings Introduce New People with Different Values, Faiths, Cultures, & Sexual Orientation Independence & Interdependence Independence & Interdependence

Developing Relationships Common Bonds Common Bonds –New Location –Activities and Involvement Reordering Relationships in Family Reordering Relationships in Family –Mutual Experiences Big Group Events Big Group Events –Intermingling –Pain of being alone in a crowd –Loneliness

Developing A Meaning of Work Seek meaning to their life Seek meaning to their life Fulfillment of Dreams and Visions Fulfillment of Dreams and Visions Unhealthy Balances/Misconceptions Unhealthy Balances/Misconceptions

Developing a Spiritual Life Relationship with God Relationship with God Balance Gods Will & Society Balance Gods Will & Society Willingness to Challenge Willingness to Challenge Searching Searching –Internally –Participation –Community

Developing a Spiritual Life Challenged by media Challenged by media Inhospitable or Unresponsive Parishes Inhospitable or Unresponsive Parishes Desire to return to faith Desire to return to faith –Positive Experience in YM –Seek Participation in Church –Feeling important

Accepting Gods Invitation

Group Vs. Individual Longing to Belong Longing to Belong Salesianity Salesianity Do they understand what they are apart of? Do they understand what they are apart of? Why are they at the institutions that they are? Why are they at the institutions that they are?

Call to Community Young adults have expressed the desire to be a part of a community Young adults have expressed the desire to be a part of a community Helps to develop potential, foster talents, form identity, and respond to the challenges of being holy men and women. Helps to develop potential, foster talents, form identity, and respond to the challenges of being holy men and women. Give and Take Give and Take Healing Healing

Get Involved (cont) Teach for America (teachforamerica.org) Teach for America (teachforamerica.org) AmeriCorps ( AmeriCorps ( Missions Missions –Salesians ( Corporately Accepted Corporately Accepted Vocations Vocations –Priesthood, Brotherhood, Sisterhood, Teachers, Youth Ministers, Volunteers Others? Others?

Get Involved Be Knowledgeable & Informed Be Knowledgeable & Informed Encourage them to get involved Encourage them to get involved Give Direction to get involved Give Direction to get involved Follow up/Check-in Follow up/Check-in

A Plan for Ministry Connect Young Adults to: Connect Young Adults to: –Jesus Christ –The Church, by inviting and welcoming their presence in the Christian community –The Mission of the Church in the world –A Peer Community to strengthen and nurture their faith

Four Types of Accompaniment Personal Personal Group Group Project Project Environment Environment Let us reflect and see what we are doing right/best. What needs to be improved?

Personal Accompaniment Names Names Friendship Friendship Confession Confession Spiritual Direction Spiritual Direction s s Sense of Paternal/Fraternal Support Sense of Paternal/Fraternal Support

Group Accompaniment Fostering Relationships Fostering Relationships Formation Formation Service Service Festivity and Celebration Festivity and Celebration Prayer Prayer Spirituality Spirituality

Project Accompaniment Vision Vision Purpose Purpose Team Building Team Building Formation Formation Discernment Discernment Delegation Delegation Empowerment Empowerment Follow-Up Follow-Up

Environmental Accompaniment Sense of Family Sense of Family Belonging Belonging Safety Safety Happiness Happiness Trust Trust