Please check page four of the weekly bulletin for more information and upcoming events.

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Thanks to all of you who have been part of St. Gerald Youth Ministry this year and in the past. You have been such a blessing to our parish and to me.
Each of you will remain in my heart and in my prayers.

Blessings Always!
Kathy

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Click the link to download the release of liability / permission form in Adobe PDF format.

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Click on one of the thumbnail images below to see the full sized photo:

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Totus Tuus: June 23- 27
Please check the bulletin for more information!

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Our YOUth Masses need YOU! Once at month, from September, through May, our St.Gerald Youth Ministry Group assists at the Noon Liturgy. Your participation is needed as a Welcomer, Gift Bearer, Lector, EMHC, or member or our music group. Be part of the Church of TODAY and TOMORROW.

Our Youth Leadership Team meets once a month to help plan and implement activities for the Youth of our parish. All high school students are encouraged to join us. Your energy and enthusiasm are vital to our parish and the rewards are "eternal." Contact Kathy for more information.

For more service opportunities, please see the Youth Stewardship form which is available in the Parish Office.

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Need service hours? Here is a list of phone numbers and contact information for places where you can find service opportunities. Just download the attached PDF document.

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Please continue to watch this space for our new programs which will be coming soon!

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7-12th graders are invited to CELEBRATE your musical gifts by joining our CELEBRATIONS youth music group. We need your help with our Youth Liturgies and special events.

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As we enter this year of faith I encourage our parish youth and their families to renew their commitment to the journey of discovering and spreading the Good News. Our archdiocese and parish are offering many special activities to help.

The Pope calls us all to focus on Scripture, the Eucharist, the Catechism and service. He reminds us that ,"Faith grows when it is lived as an experience of love received and when it is communicated as an experience of grace and joy."

We are all blessed by this faith that unites us. I hope that you will join us as we rediscover the grace and joy that is offered to us this year.

Blessings!
Kathy

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The Church is alive and the Church is young
This summer, many young people in the Archdiocese of Omaha participated in summer youth conferences, leadership camps,
and work-camps helping those in need.
In Pope Benedict XVI installation homily in 2005, he proclaimed "...The Church is alive. And the Church is young."
As these young people return home, we might ask ourselves, are they returning to a Church that is alive and young? Or might
it scarily resemble a slow, lifeless faith?
As faith communities, there are many things that we can do to ensure the vitality and vibrancy of our Church.
• We must find more ways to inform, form, and transform the faith of parents. They are the first witnesses of faith for young
people. Whatever kids understand about the Church was likely both taught by and caught from their parents.
• We must make a commitment towards greater inclusion of young people into the ministries of the Church, especially within
our communal worship.
• When we do minister with young people, we must find ways to elicit their energy, passion, and skills towards making a
meaningful difference in the world. Pope Benedict encourages young people to make "definitive choices" regarding their
lives and faith and we should do the same.
From their summer experiences, hundreds of young people will be returning to parish pews and will look at the Church through
new eyes. Young people must recognize the Church as alive and young. Is this what they will see?
Adapted from Catholic Youth Ministry Blog

A Top Ten for Raising Teens by Glen McCall NACYML (National Association of Catholic Youth Ministry Leaders) Chairperson
10. Get to Know Your Child's Friends and Their Parents ..One of the best ways to keep a teenager on the right track is to know who they hang out
with. Getting to know their friends and their friend's parents will aid in making both your lives much easier.
9. No One Is Perfect ...There is a difference between being the best and doing your best. The pressures placed on teens today go far beyond anything we
ever experienced as teens. We as adults and parents need to realize that our children are not perfect in everything we desire for them. All we can ask is that
they do their best.
8. Teens Need to Be Taught Life Skills ...Our young people need to learn the basic life skills that we take for granted-the proper way to shake hands,
rituals surrounding a wake and funeral, or interview skills for employment or college entrance-all need to be taught to our young people.
7. Teens Need More Supervision Than Younger Children ...Not much explaining needs to be done here. However, most parents are under the impression
that as their child gets older, the less supervision they require. The reality is, they actually need more supervision because the life experiences of a teen
will carry greater challenges and consequences.
6. Fifteen Minutes Daily of One-on-One Time with Each Child..With all the craziness that life has to offer, this is probably the most challenging task for
parents to accomplish. Yet, the rewards are priceless! Whether it is in the car on the way to soccer practice or just before going to bed, this one-on-one time
will give the teen time to share both the high points and low points of their day. It also allows time for questions she/he finds difficult to ask when others are
present.
5. Be Realistic in Your Expectations of Your Child...The one question I ask parents concerning their expectations for their child is "Would you be able to
survive your child's schedule?" Most of the time the response is "No." Some of our teens, get up at five in the morning to attend a sports practice, then off to
school, followed by another sport or part-time job, then off to their tutor or SAT prep course. Finally, arriving home around 8:00 PM to have dinner and do
their homework and then bed at midnight. At five the next morning it all begins again. Why do we expect this type of schedule for our young people?
4. Educate Your Child in Financial Responsibility...If we do not do this, we are setting them up for failure. Have we taught our children to save for a
rainy day? Have we established a checking account for them and shown them how to reconcile a bank statement? Have we helped them create a budget to
pay for things such as a car (and insurance), college expenses, and other needs?
3. Saying "No," "Because I said so," and "I do not care what everyone else is doing," Will not Kill Your Child (or cause years of future therapy)
Did any of these phrases kill us when they were spoken to us by our parents? Of course not. Sometimes, these are the most appropriate words to say given
the situation. And, guess what . . . one day your child will use the same words on your grandchildren!
2. Consistency, Consistency, Consistency...Young people need consistency, especially in the area of setting boundaries. Being fair and consistent in setting
expectations and boundaries will bring positive results!
1. Foster Faith Skills for Adulthood...It is our faith that will help us through whatever should cross our path as we journey through life. But, we must encourage
our children to develop their faith skills just as we encourage them to develop their educational skills.

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