What is comprehensive youth ministry? Why should my parish have one? How much does it cost? Are there enough youth in my parish to warrant a youth program? These are valid questions which are frequently asked by Pastors and parishioners. An equally important question is what happens if we don’t minister effectively to our youth?

A youth ministry is a proven way of meeting the spiritual and developmental needs of teens, of helping them to find truth, meaning, and relevance in the teachings of Jesus Christ. What is an effective youth ministry? What does it look like? In 1997 the US Conference of Catholic Bishops answered these questions. After much study, thought and prayer the Bishops issued Renewing the Vision, A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry. The Bishops called on the whole church to reach out to teens and draw them into “the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community.” Renewing the Vision encourages the church to minister to teens in eight essential areas. These eight components of comprehensive youth ministry are Advocacy, Catechesis, Community Life, Evangelization, Justice and Service, Leadership Development, Pastoral Care, and Prayer and Worship.