Youth Ministry

St. T's Youth Ministry serves two groups: Middle School students (Grades 6 - 8) and High School students (Grades 9 - 12)

We are meeting in person again!  Below are the new protocols for how we safely meet in person through August, September, October and we'll see after that!

We will do everything we can to keep everyone safe.  That means, we will be observing social distancing.  That is not easy for kids, but it is important, and we will be reminding them as often as it is needed.

---

We will not be providing whole meals these two months.  There will be individually wrapped snacks offered so the kids don't get too hungry.

---

Anytime we meet indoors, we will ALL immediately wash our hands as soon as we come in.  The Antioch room has a sink and soap.  The Living room has a bathroom off to the side just for these such purposes.

---

For the foreseeable future, we are going to be in solidarity with what we are doing for mass, and at this time Masks are required for the YM meetings.

---

We will be playing games that involve no or very little contact (most contact will be throwing around a sanitized frisbee or ball after we have all washed our hands) and we will still be having discussions.

---

We are excited to get together and catch up with everyone!

youth Ministry

Middle School Youth Ministry meets on Sunday, near a mass (usually after, please see monthly calendar to be sure)  These meetings include food, creative games, a brief message and discussion time. Sixth through eighth grade provides an excellent time get to know one another and build relationships rooted in faith!  We celebrate the excitement of junior high students and cultivate their interest in future high school meetings and activities. 

Special Opportunities

Igniting the Fire - ITF is a   Diocese of Gary 6th-12th grade youth gathering.  ITF has a prayerful retreat-style feel with elements of lock-in-style fun! It is typically one overnight, on a weekend in September, annually.

Inter-Parish lock-ins are events where middle school students can get together with those from other Catholic Churches in the area to share and grown in their faith, get to know their neighbors, and come together for community service projects.

Youth ministry

The High School Youth Ministry will be meeting every week starting in January of 2020.  The meetings are on Tuesday nights from 6:30pm-8:00pm.  The first Tuesday of the month we meet at a local coffee shop in Valparaiso for a more laid-back meeting, the other Tuesdays of the month we typically meet on the St. Teresa property for more formation-style meetings, discussions, some games and plenty of snacks.  For information on a specific meeting date, please click on the calendar information above.

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES 

Igniting the Fire - ITF is a  Diocese of Gary 6th-12th grade youth gathering.  ITF has a prayerful retreat-style feel with elements of lock-in-style fun! It is typically one overnight, on a weekend in September, annually.

TAPT (Teens All Praying Together) is a weekend-long Diocesan retreat that takes place in late March, annually.  TAPT challenges teens to grow and stretch themselves into thinking about their faith from a more mature perspective; all while having fun and forming small group bonds.  Teens can only participate in a TAPT once, but after they have they can apply to be Peer Ministers or OATies and serve those experiencing TAPT the following years.

Conferences - Wheather it is the Nation Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC), or a Steubenville Conference, there are opportunities for teens to travel a bit and meet people from other parts of the country while they grow closer to Christ through Mass, Adoration, service projects, concerts, games, physical challenges, group activities and prayer.  NCYC is biennial in November.  Upcoming dates are November of 2021, 2023 and 2025.  Steubenville conferences happen every year in June.

he Diocesan Youth Council is an advisory body to the Diocesan Office for Youth & Young Adults (OYYA). It is a group of high school-aged youth who represent the parishes and Catholic high schools in the Catholic Diocese of Gary. The members of this body will advise the Office in two ways. First, they act as a spokesperson for the needs of youth in their parishes and schools. Second, they are an integral part of the planning and implementation of youth activities that encourage and support total youth ministry in the diocese. The Youth Council consists of two representatives from parishes and Catholic high schools throughout the Diocese.

Introducing St. T's DYC Representatives: 

Grace Klimczyk and Aubrey Lundquist