This set of six manuals provides resources for applying the wisdom of Renewing the Vision and addressing all eight components of youth ministry in your parish. Each manual comes with accompanying digital materials containing customizable handouts, and theme-related links. The catechetical piece of the initiative begins with these foundational resources, along with the student resources, and is completed and addressed specifically in the Total Catechesis manuals.
Total Youth Ministry is one of three components in the Total Faith™ Initiative. To learn more about the Total Faith Initiative, click here.
Components
Ministry Resources for Community Life offers faith communities resources and strategies to build community among young people and throughout the entire parish. The manual contains nine gathered sessions to help young people get to know one another, themselves, and the meaning of Christian community. It also contains an outline for an ecumenical event to help build community across denominational lines, and it offers practical strategies and ideas for managing community issues, making the most of community life opportunities, and encouraging intergenerational and family relationships.
Ministry Resources for Evangelization offers faith communities tools and resources to evangelize youth. It offers practical strategies and ideas for outreach to young people and contains twelve gathered sessions to share the Good News. The manual also contains a retreat to engage young people in becoming or continuing as disciples of Jesus.
Ministry Resources for Justice and Service offers faith communities strategies to engage youth in justice, direct service, and advocacy in faithful, age-appropriate, and proactive ways. This manual contains eight gathered sessions around specific justice issues, an overnight retreat on service to poor people, and two half-day retreats or evening reflections on simplicity and racism. All the sessions utilize the pastoral circle process to immerse youth in a justice issue, educate them on the "why" of injustice, help them reflect on the issue from a faith perspective, and support them in choosing a faith response to combat injustice.
At the heart of Ministry Resources for Pastoral Care are 12 sessions designed to equip young people with the tools needed to celebrate their holy goodness and navigate some of life's difficult issues. The topics of the sessions include recognizing the goodness in oneself and others, building and maintaining relationships, dealing with tough times, and preparing for the future. The last section of the manual includes a compilation of strategies for doing the ongoing work of pastoral care.
As youth grow in faith, they learn to pray always and to pray in all ways. Ministry Resources for Prayer and Worship is designed for those who work with and walk with youth in this journey of discipleship. The manual includes three sessions for teaching youth to pray and practice praying in different forms. The manual includes 11 communal prayer services that can be used on a variety of occasions throughout the year. Also contained in the manual are strategies and resources for helping youth communities develop patterns of prayer and for including youth in preparing prayers and liturgies.
Ministry Resources for Youth Leadership Development offers faith communities the resources and strategies to develop youth as leaders within youth ministry programs and parishes. The manual includes four foundational sessions on Christian leadership, 10 sessions and mini-sessions on leadership skills, and two mini-sessions to help prepare youth and adults for working together. The manual also offers strategies for using the activities, sessions, and mini-sessions to create day-long, weekend-long, and year-long training programs for youth; for creating leadership roles within the parish; for inviting youth to leadership; and for working with the parents of youth leaders.
This set of six manuals provides resources for applying the wisdom of Renewing the Vision and addressing all eight components of youth ministry in your parish. Each manual has an accompanying digital download containing its electronic version, customizable handouts, and theme-related links. The catechetical piece of the initiative begins with these foundational resources, along with the student resources, and is completed and addressed specifically in the special series, Total Catechesis.
The Total Faith™ Initiative Coordinator's Manual draws on the experience of many parish communities to give leaders what they need to plan and implement dynamic and effective youth ministry, including intentional catechesis.
What people are saying about Total Youth Ministry
You Did It! Finally a program that's comprehensive and a pleasure to teach. I've tried several other programs but none to compare with what you have!
Review by Becky Link, youth minister and director of RCIA, Saint Mary's Catholic Church, Bethel, Ohio
