Youth Ministry

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

Things we are looking forward to both soon and in the (not too) distant Future:

Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens
By Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy McGrady

         Get your FREE copy in the Office or from Emily at any of the YM events this month.

We are offering our High School and 8th grade teens an opportunity to journey through lent with something just for them!  How will we go through Lent together while we are apart?  Pick up a free copy of the book we'll be using plus a weekly meeting over zoom with other teens reading through the book and our youth ministry coordinator, to discuss the things they've read, experiences they've had, and life in general.  There are two meeting time options!  Sundays at 4pm or Tuesdays at 7pm during Lent.  This year, Lent is from Wednesday, February 17th (Ash Wednesday) until Sunday April 4th (Easter).  From Feb 17 - March 30 there will be 12 opprotunities to get together.  These are opportunities, not obligations!  We know that people have very busy lives, but we wanted to offer a way to go through Lent with Community and Support and that's what this will do for you.

The Middle School Monthly Game nights!

We did a couple game nights in January and they were so fun!  We are going to be meeting up, online for the next few, then we are hoping to be in-person (and outside) for the ones after that.  The next middle school game night is Friday, February 12th from 7-8 over zoom.  We'll be playing Among Us. Please join our Remind by texting @sta1511ms to 81010 to get the link for the zoom, and also the game room code when we start playing. March, April, and May game nights TBD, but they are happening!  

Regularly Scheduled Middle School Youth Ministry Meetings!

We try to meet twice a month, on Sundays after Mass.  We meet from 10:30am-11:45am in the Antioch Room.  We have discussions, learn about Saints, play games, pray together, have snacks and talk about life!  This is open for all middle schoolers in grades 6, 7, and 8.  We wear masks, sanitize and socially distance the best we can to help us stay healthy during this very odd time.


National Catholic Youth Conference 2021 - November 18-21, 2021  Theme: Ablaze!

The good folks that put on NCYC are moving forward in their planning for the National Catholic Youth Conference for November 18-21, 2021.  NCYC is a chance for High School youth (grades 9-12) to gather from around the country to grow & share in their faith through prayer experiences, dynamic talks and community.  2021 may look a bit different from other years as those that run it are doing everything they can to be cautious, but at the same time they are praying that everything will be able to move forward smoothly.  We will have more information as it comes out!

World Youth Day - Lisbon Portugal - August 2023
General Information about World Youth Day:

Location: Our pilgrimage will center around Lisbon, Portugal. We will also spend some time in Fatima and the surrounding area. Check out our tentative itinerary here.

Age: The minimum age for pilgrims is 16. Young adults are especially invited (while in the U.S. “youth” is often associated with adolescents, it is more commonly used to identify college/20-somethings internationally). Youth under 18 must be under the guidance of a chaperone. Target age for WYD internationally: 18-35.

Estimated cost: Unfortunately, without the dates of WYD, we are unable to have a true cost estimate. Plan for the cost per person to be around $4,000-4,500.  This will include air travel, hotel, transportation, most meals, and all WYD credentials.  To help offset costs, St. Teresa's has already started fundraising for World Youth Day, 2023!  Please consider purchasing a Bible Diary for yourself or a loved one this holiday season.  Now available in the Office while supplies last.

Back on December 2nd, 2020 the Travel Agency that the Diocese of Gary works with, Dube Travel, held a very informational online meeting that was recorded for any potential pilgrims to view.  If you are interested in recieving a copy of this recording, please email Emily Sutton at emily.sutton@valpo.edu.

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