Get youth involved in Church life, faith

‘I have benefited greatly from the youth ministry in our diocese,’ Lamb says

By Matthew Lamb

I have often heard about the lack of youth involvement in the Church. I see the truth in this statement. Most people my age are more consistent in social media posts than in prayer. This apathy of the younger generation is quite apparent. 

However, I have had a different experience. Christ the King Church in Little Rock boasts a very active Catholic Youth Ministry program. The meetings are held every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the youth center. 

These meetings are always well attended by high schoolers from every grade. The first 30 minutes are fun and games. The boys usually play billiards; the girls seem to gravitate toward table tennis. There is also a foosball table and an air hockey table. 

In the back there is a room called the cantina stocked with soda and food. Pizza is ordered for special events. Sometimes kids will bring their own homemade baked goods to share with their friends. 

After the first thirty minutes, we get down to business. This usually includes informational videos on faith-related topics, peer-led small group discussions or a guest speaker. The most frequent speaker is Father Patrick Friend, a teacher at Catholic High School and the chaplain of the CYM. 

I had Father Friend for English class my freshman year. He was always very passionate about what he taught, and he brings the same passion for the Catholic faith to CYM. 

The CYM program at CTK is filled with young people who are passionate about the faith. The diocese has a Youth Advisory Team that meets to organize different youth events. The members of this team who belong to CTK also organize parts of the CYM meetings. 

Because of the CYM group, I had the pleasure of going to Steubenville Mid-America, a national youth faith retreat sponsored by Franciscan University. It has multiple locations for the convenience of different areas. The Mid-America conference is the zone for the Diocese of Little Rock. 

Kids from different parishes come along with our group, but most of the group is from CTK. We all pack into a bus and ride to Missouri State University and stay in dorms during the weekend. At certain points in the day, we all filter into the basketball stadium to listen to incredible speakers. It is an amazing thing to see all of these young Catholics from different states gathered in one place.  

Steubenville is an incredible experience, but there is a more personal retreat closer to home. Search is the best opportunity for young people to grow closer to God. Held at St. John Center in Little Rock, Seach is a weekend retreat that allows young people to contemplate their personal relationship with God. A weekend away from their phones so they can evaluate the state of their faith life. 

The retreat is completely peer-led. The team is divided into two groups. The Inside Team (IT) and the Outside Team (OT). The IT stays with the Searchers throughout the weekend and each member gives a personal witness talk. The OT puts on skits that convey powerful messages. 

There are two Seach retreats each year, one in the winter and one in the summer. I have had the honor of serving on the teams three times. 

This summer will be my third and final time on the team. I enjoyed my own Search, but I got more out of being on the team. It is a wonderful thing to see young people free from their phones so they can focus on God. It gives them a chance to consider how important faith is to them, and why they should trust in the Lord. 

I have benefited greatly from the youth ministry in our diocese. Before I began attending CYM, I felt alone in my faith. There were only three Catholics in my private middle school so I felt like I was one of the only young practicing Catholics in Little Rock. Then I met some faithful Catholics at Catholic High, and we started attending CYM together. Now I have a community of faith around me.                            

Matthew Lamb is a recent Catholic High graduate and seminarian for the Diocese of Little Rock. He will be living at the House of Formation in the fall.  

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