Diocese of Sacramento Sponsors Faithful Father Contest for Youth

In an effort to recognize the important role a dad can play in passing on the Catholic faith to his children, the Diocese of Sacramento Department of Youth & Young Adult Ministry is sponsoring a "Faithful Father Contest" for youth grades 6-12 in conjunction with our "Fathers Day With Bishop Soto" event at the River Cats game on Sunday, June 21st 2009. Contest winner will receive 4 Tickets to the Father's Day event and special recognition on the scoreboard during the game.

Contestants can enter the contest by sending an email to kstaszkow@diocese-sacramento.org with "faithful father contest" in the subject line. Email should include name, contact information, age, grade, school and parish and describe in 50 words or less how your father has been an example to you of how to live as a good Catholic christian. The contest is open to youth grades 6-12 only.

Entries are due by Friday, June 5th. Must be a registered parishioner of a Catholic Parish in the Diocese of Sacramento to win. Email kstaszkow@diocese-sacramento.org or call 916-733-0152 for more information.

Fathers Day with Bishop Soto Tickets to the River Cats game vs. the Salt Lake City Bees on Sunday, June 21st are on sale for $10 each, order tickets online here. If the familes in your group or parish want to sit together, consider buys a block of tickets by downloading an event flyer and order form here. You can also get bulletin announcements here.

Diocese of Sacramento Offers Scholarship To Encourage Multicultural Youth Liturgies

The Youth & Young Adult Ministry Office is excited to offer scholarships to Mercy Center's Multicultural Liturgical Arts Intensive, June 9-12 in Auburn to youth ministry coordinators and/or liturgy coordinators to encourage youth masses, retreats and prayer experiences more inclusive of the many cultures that our youth belong to.

Four 50% scholarships of $175 are offered to qualified applicants on a first come, first serve basis. Scholarship recipients should: 1. Be looking for new ways to make youth liturgy more inclusive and more reflective of the diversity of their youth population, 2. Have a pastor that is open to their efforts, 3. Currently have a regular youth mass functioning in the parish, and 4. Be a youth ministry coordinator or liturgy coordinator who has primary responsibility for liturgy planning for the youth mass in their parish. Only one scholarship per parish.

Interested parties should email Kevin with name, contact info, parish and a brief description of their youth liturgy, their role in coordination/planning of the liturgies and a brief statement of why they want to attend the workshop. Recipients will be asked to submit a one-page report to the diocese in December 2009 explaining how the workshop has enhanced their youth liturgy.

For more information contact Kevin Staszkow at 916-733-0152, kstaszkow@diocese-sacramento.org, visit the youth & young adult ministry website, or Mercy Center's website here: Mercy Center's Multicultural Liturgical Arts Intensive

Nominate Young Adult Volunteers & Youth Ministry Coordinators for the Marello Youth Leadership Awards

The Diocese of Sacramento Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry and the Marello Youth Retreat Center in Loomis are seeking nominations for the Morello Leadership Awards. We plan to recognize 7 young adults (age 21-29) and 3 Youth Ministry Coordinators at the Reds, Whites, Jazz & Blues Event to be held on June 20, 2009. We are seeking nominations. You can nominate a young adult volunteer leader or a youth ministry coordinator online at www.nominateyouth.com.

There are two different awards.

The Marello Award for Leadership In Ministry
recognizes exemplary leadership in ministry by a young adult age 21-29. Nominees must be practicing Catholics, active parish members, and involved as volunteer leaders in either a parish-based ministry (RCIA team, parish council, youth ministry leader, retreat leader, choir director, liturgy committee leadership, catechist) or in a lay movement (i.e. Couples for Christ, Cursillo, etc.) Nominees will be invited to submit an application along with a letter of recommendation from their parish pastor and another church leader that has observed and/or supervised their work in ministry.

The Marello Award for Youth & Young Adult Ministry
recognizes an individual that has served in a leadership capacity in youth and/or young adult ministry. Nominees should have demonstrated excellence in youth ministry in the Spirit of the US Bishops’ documents “Renewing the Vision” and “Sons & Daughters of the Light” and the Diocesan Synod recommendations. Nominees must currently serve the church as a coordinator/director or leader of youth or young adult ministry in either a parish-based ministry or movement. Nominees will be asked to submit an application along with a letter of recommendation from their parish pastor and from another church leader that has observed and/or supervised their work in ministry.

You can nominate a young adult volunteer leader or a youth ministry coordinator online at www.nominateyouth.com.

For more information on the Reds, Whites, Jazz and Blues Event, visit the website here: Reds, Whites, Jazz & Blues -- June 20, 2009

For more information on Catholic Youth Ministry in the Diocese of Sacramento, please contact Kevin Staszkowat 916-733-0152, by email at kstaszkow@diocese-sacramento.org, or visit our website.