Youth Ministry

Catholic parishes on the eastern side of Leelanau County join together to offer more opportunities for fun and faith enrichment to our young people. In cooperation with St. Philip Neri in Empire and the parishes in Traverse City, a variety if activities are available over the course of the year. These might include service project, retreats, bonfires, skating or caroling parties and trips to Gaylord or other church sponsored events such as youth rallies, JustWorks and NYC. The plan is to also have some fund raising activities from time to time.

The youth coordinator is Mrs. Marita Somero (St. Wenceslaus) in cooperation with Mrs. Tina Dunphey (Holy Rosary). The object of the youth group is primarily to have fun. St. Michael’s church has graciously offered the use of a beautiful furnished room, with all the necessary amenities for a comfortable gathering space!

Youth group is intended to be primarily a social group, not educational, although we always learn when we meet new people and have new experiences. For example, last summer a group of young men and women from the Gaylord diocese went to Detroit to help at the Capuchin soup kitchen on Mt. Elliot and visit the National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak. The group had a tour of all the art at the Shrine, a presentation about the history and restoration of St. Charles church (where we stayed), a pizza picnic at Belle Isle and helped the monks serve at the Soup Kitchen. Many had never been to Detroit before and they got a close up view of religious life as well as an impromptu sing-a-long concert with Fr. Matt Wigton from the Vocations Office who accompanied us on the piano. To participate in events, young people need parental permission slips and medical forms. They are available here.

For each off-campus event, a separate permission slip and medical release is needed. Since these forms are event specific, a generic form is not available. Please contact Jude for a hard copy at this point. With experience, we anticipate having the appropriate forms for various youth ministry events available online.

Since many of these events take place off-campus, adults* to act as chaperones and volunteer drivers are needed. If you would like to volunteer, you will need to print, sign and return the following forms. The VIRTUS online child safety course can be done on any computer and the completion certificate printed for our records. The required paperwork includes:
1. Catechist Application (There is a form. Please see Jude in the office.)
2. 3 in 1 Liability Waiver
3.Background_check form_ (permission for Electronic background check)
4. Driver Information Sheet
5. Instructions for VIRTUS
6. VIRTUS (Required Online Child safety Course)

• Just to be clear: If a parent or other authorized adult is driving their own child/children to a ministry event, no paperwork is needed. That would also be true if friends of the young person are invited directly by the family. However, if anyone is going to help us by driving or chaperoning youth and the contact is made through the parish, then the above paperwork is required for legal reasons. The paperwork, including the child protection segment, usually takes about 2 1/2 hours. Please call the parish office or the dioces if you have any questions.