Info meeting set for Jan. 15
Youth ministry leaders are invited to attend a virtual Zoom informational meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 15, about joining pilgrims from the Paterson Diocese for the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) from Thursday to Saturday, Nov. 20 to 22, in Indianapolis, Ind. The Zoom meeting will occur from 7 to 8 p.m.
The diocesan Youth Ministry Office urges all parishes to consider joining the diocesan pilgrimage to NCYC. The conference is meant for high-school-age youth, who will be accompanied by adults. In a distinctly Catholic setting, participants are encouraged to encounter Christ, experience the Church, and be empowered for discipleship. NCYC’s theme is “I Am” or “Yo Soy” in Spanish. The event will be held in Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center.
The Zoom meeting is for parish youth ministry leaders, clergy, religious, and school and campus leaders. They will learn what the conference is and the benefits of organizing a group from their parishes and will be able to ask questions.
To join the meeting, email John Cammarata, director of the diocesan Youth Ministry Office, at jcammarata@patersondiocese.org
The diocesan Youth Ministry Office also announced the following other upcoming events:
• Auxiliary Bishop Joseph A. Espaillat of the New York Archdiocese will talk to local youth ministry leaders about “You Can’t Give What You Don’t Have” at a Gathering on Youth Ministry on Wednesday, Jan. 22, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., in the dining hall building of the archdiocese’s St. John Paul II Youth Retreat Center in Kearny.
The event is for all who walk with the young Church, including parish youth ministry leaders, clergy, religious, parish catechetical leaders, Scout leaders, and coaches. Food will be served at 6:30 p.m. The program will follow.
Register by Monday, Jan. 20 at www.rcan.org/oym
• Registration is available for Diocesan Regional Retreats in Sussex and Passaic counties, sponsored by the Youth Ministry Office and called “Knights of the Spirit.” These retreats are open to all youth, grades 8 to 12.
The Sussex County retreat will be held on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Good Shepherd Church in Andover. The Passaic County retreat will be held on Saturday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Bonaventure Church in Paterson. This month, the Morris County retreat set for Resurrection Church in Randolph is already full.
These retreats replace the previous diocesan Confirmation retreat. There is a 100-person limit per retreat. The cost is $35, which includes lunch and program costs.
To register, email Cammarata at jcammarata@patersondiocese.org
• During this Jubilee Year of Hope 2025, the diocese will partner for the first time with the Festival of the Arts, which will occur from Thursday to Sunday, April 3 to 6, at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in the Haskell neighborhood of Wanaque. Now in its 24th year, the festival draws hundreds of artists of all ages from the Tri-State area and beyond.
The diocese invites youth group members, grades K-12, to participate, specifically in one of three award categories: fine arts (any medium), photography, and original live poetry. The festival’s theme is “Flight.” A special award category will focus on “Hope,” the jubilee’s theme. Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney will present the jubilee awards to the winning artists after his welcome and blessing on opening night.
Art submission information and deadlines are in the Welcome Letter and Prospectus at https://stcatharts.org/. Please note that this event fills up quickly, well before the deadlines.
Questions? Contact Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, diocesan chancellor and delegate for religious, at tlee@patersondiocese.org
