High School Youth Ministry
The St. Matthew Youth Ministry Team is committed to providing our teens with the best possible opportunities for personal and spiritual growth through catechesis (religious education), fellowship, service, outreach, and leadership.
The Mass – Sundays, 5:30 pm
At the Sunday 5:30 pm Mass, teens and their families are invited to experience the depth of God’s love through the Word, the community, and the Eucharist. All teens are welcome to sit as a community in one section and are encouraged to participate as lectors, ushers, and extraordinary ministers of holy Communion.
Life Nights – Sundays, 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Offered throughout the year, these nights provide a time for dinner and faith sharing. It is the perfect way to jump-start your school week or wind down a week of summer. Each series of nights mixes social, spiritual and service opportunities. For more information, email Ben Lesnefsky.
RCIT (Rite of Christian Initiation for Teens)
This class is for teens coming into the Church who have not yet received all the Sacraments of Initiation and those who have not been enrolled in Faith Formation for an extended period of time. Through a relaxed, small group setting, we discover the teachings of the Catholic Church, what it means to live your life as a Catholic Christian, and the beauty and tradition of the Faith. Teens in this program begin classes in September and receive their sacraments at the Easter Vigil Mass. Please email Adrian Quintero.
Confirmation
The Confirmation process leads teens toward a more intimate union with Christ and a more lively familiarity of the Holy Spirit. This is achieved through the use of Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Confirmation process and other Confirmation resources, including active participation in the Mass. For more information about our Confirmation process, click here.
Peer Ministry, times and days vary throughout the year
This is a great opportunity for teens to share their faith with younger members of the parish. From pre-school to Confirmation, the role of the peer minister is critical. Teens act as catechists, small group facilitators and more in our Faith Formation programs each week. This is a wonderful way for teens to strengthen and deepen their faith as they help younger students get excited about being Catholic.
- 7th & 8th Grade EDGE Co-Catechist Volunteer alongside an adult catechist with a small group of 7th & 8th graders. Donna DeCarlo
- Faith Formation Catechist Inspiring faith in the children of our parish. Working alongside an adult or an experienced teen catechist. Barbara Kohler
Strengths Quest
This program helps teens discover who God is calling them to be! We are each uniquely and perfectly made, and Strengths Quest can help us see how. Through a brief on-line assessment developed by the Gallup Organization, teens discover their top five God-given strengths. After taking the assessment, teens attend a one-time, three-hour gathering that covers how to apply these strengths to become more engaged in the parish, find fulfilling ways to volunteer in the community, develop stronger relationships, find more success with school work, and more. It’s a fast-paced course with lots of discussion and self-discovery, lots of great snacks and a whole lot of Holy Spirit!
Service
Feeding CLT’s Homeless Uptown Walk
Click here to sign up for one of the upcoming walks.
For an ongoing resource with service opportunities, check out the REACH calendar here!
**High School Contact: Ben Lesnefsky, 704-543-7677
Check out Life Teen International’s website!
