Young Adult Ministry in the Archdiocese of Seattle
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Sons & Daughters of the Light: A Pastoral Plan for Ministry with Young Adults (1996)
Initiated after the 1993 visit by Pope John Paul II to Denver for World Youth Day, this is the first time the bishops of the United States have specifically addressed the area of young adult ministry
Goals for Ministry with Young Adults
1. To connect young adults with Jesus Christ
Objectives: Spiritual formation and direction based on personal relationship with Jesus; religious education and formation to help young adults appreciate the Church’s teachings and traditions; vocation discernment
2. To connect young adults with the Church
Objectives: Evangelizing outreach where young adults gather/ forming the faith community by inviting young adults to participate in Church life; pastoral care that responds to the spiritual and developmental needs of young adults
3. To connect young adults with the mission of the Church in the world
Objectives: Conscience formation based on the Gospel and on Church teaching; providing educational and service opportunities to practice gospel values; developing leaders for society and Church life
4. To connect young adults with a peer community
Objectives: To form faith communities of peers; to develop peer leadership; to identify young adult teams in parishes, organizations and on college campuses
Who are Young Adults?
Young adults are people between the ages of 18 and 39. They are single or married, with or without kids. Some are divorced, and others are single parents. Still others have answered a call to a religious vocation. Young adults come from all cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Some young adults are homeless, and others are in prison. Many young adults are actively serving in the military. As a whole, young adults are transient (that is, they move often) and very busy.
This age group encompasses several important – and quite different – stages in life. Some young adults are in college, where they may be discerning careers, trying new things, or questioning their faith. Other young adults have just graduated from college and are searching for a community, while others enter into a career right after high school. Many are raising a family of their own.
Catholic young adults have diverse spiritualities and varying levels of religious practice. They may be cultural Catholics, progressive, traditional, or somewhere in between. Some will respond to charismatic prayer, while others are moved by the rosary. Some attend Mass weekly or even daily; many participate only on Christmas and Easter. Still others are non-practicing Catholics or have left the faith. A good young adult ministry offers diverse activities that appeal to all young adults, not just regular church-goers.