Saint Theresa’s Youth Ministry

“Christ says “Follow me” to each person…He says “Follow me” to each one of us.  And following him means walking after him, in his footsteps, following him with your mind, your will, and the whole of yourself.”

–St. John Paul II, The Way to Christ

 

Our Mission: The mission of Saint Theresa’s Youth Ministry is to help all of our young people develop a wonderful, life-giving relationship with Jesus.  It is the only thing that will make them happy, that will give them joy and contentment and meaning for the rest of their lives.

And it is fun!  There is nothing more enjoyable at a deep level than being part of a supportive group of young people and caring adults committed to building the Kingdom of God right here in Ashburn Virginia.

High School — Upper Room Squad

We seek to meet teens where they are.

For some that will mean going on our awesome adventure treks like hiking Buzzard Rock or tubing down a river.  Others love our relaxed Sunday invitation evenings with games, gospel contemplation, and pizza. Wednesdays are an opportunity to learn more about God in a warm and friendly setting.  And Mondays are small groups with the accompaniment of awesome adults, for those who want to launch a different type of adventure, that of deepening their faith journey.

Middle School — Rock Squad

One Saturday of the month the high school youth ministry hosts an exciting evening for 6-8th graders.  A great time is had by all, and everyone comes a little closer to God.

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How We Form Disciples of Christ

At the heart of our ministry is the 7-Pillars of Discipleship Framework.  It is a road map for how to follow Christ with the wisdom of the Catholic Church.  It gives teens a toolkit they can use for the rest of their lives to understand how to encounter Jesus, to come to know Him as a friend, and to become the person they are meant to be:

 

Christocentrism:  Centering our lives on Christ and understanding our deepest identity as beloved sons and daughters of God.

Word:  Coming to know the mind of God through sacred scripture and the teachings of the Church.

Sacrament:  Receiving the grace of the sacraments, and being strengthened by them.

Prayer:  Learning to listen to and speak to God.

Will:  Knowing and doing the will of God.

Communio:  Living in relationship.

Purpose:  Finding the joyful fulfillment of one’s calling.

 

Adult Volunteers

We believe you can only give what you have, and we support our adult volunteers with a fulfilling ongoing communio formation program.  It is by knowing the love of God themselves that they are able to pour out the living water of faith for the youth they care so much about and whose good they seek to serve.

We would love for you to join us!

Whether you are in high school or middle school, a parent or an adult considering volunteering with the youth, we invite you to “Come and see.”

Who’s who in the Youth Ministry Office:

Paul Dwyer – Coordinator of Youth Ministry

Hi! My name is Paul Dwyer. I have been a parishioner here at St. Theresa’s since 1997.  I live here in Ashburn with my wife Colleen, and my two daughters, Casey & Jessie, who are now attending James Madison University and are active members of the Catholic Campus Ministry down there.  I began volunteering with the Youth Ministry here in 2014 and was brought onto the staff two years ago.  I love working with the teens and am very excited about the direction of our Youth Ministry.  We have such a wonderful community here in Ashburn and an amazing Parish in St. Theresa’s.  We would love for you to get involved with our group and we welcome all ideas and thoughts about growing our ministry.