Youth Ministry Newsletter

February 2025

Dear Friends in Youth Ministry,

Happy February! Exciting things are happening this month as we prepare for the Middle School Encounter, taking place on Saturday, March 15th at Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien! We are thrilled to present a wonderful lineup of speakers, including our keynotes Aires Patulot and the high school students on the Archdiocesan Youth Council. Our grade-level presenters are Sister Doctor Chero Chuma, CSJP (8th), Deacon Dan Powers and Morgan Nolan (7th) and Sheryl Blessing and the SEED leadership team (6th). Please see additional details about this year’s Encounter in the Featured Announcements section below!

Please know I am here to support you as you minister to the young people in your parishes or high schools! You are welcome to contact me any time – I’m happy to help with whatever you need, and I’ll come to your parish or high school to meet you in person, no matter where you are located in the archdiocese. Please contact me if you’d like to schedule a visit! You can reach me at Kimberly.abadir@seattlearch.org, or 206-274-3175. I look forward to talking with you soon!

FEATURED ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANNUAL FAITH FORMATION RETREAT FOR YOUTH MINISTERS AND FAITH FORMATION LEADERS:

MARCH 11 - 12, 2025

ARCHBISHOP BRUNETT RETREAT CENTER

Most of our events are for the youth you serve – this one is for YOU! Take a break and join us this coming Lent! This 2-day retreat will present prayer forms to support you in your call to serve God’s people. Spiritual directors will also be available.

Registration is open!

Click here for additional details

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MIDDLE SCHOOL ENCOUNTER: MARCH 15, 2025 –

KENNEDY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

The 2025 Middle School Encounter is coming up on Saturday, March 15th at Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien! This year’s theme is Fully Known – You are a beloved child of God – you are made in God’s image, lovingly created with intention and purpose for your life. Your identity is in God. You are Fully His, Fully Loved, Fully Known.

Click here for flyers in ENGLISH and SPANISH

MSE 2025 SCHEDULE:

9:30 Doors Open/Registration

10:30 Welcome Game

11:00 Keynote 1: Aires Patulot

11:25 Lunch

12:30 Breakout Sessions by Grade

1:00 Parish Time

1:30 Keynote 2: Archdiocesan Youth Council

2:15 Activity Rotations: Games, Service, Prayer

3:30 Open Mic

3:45 Prepare for Mass

4:00 Mass

5:00 Blessing and dismissal

Visit our event page for additional information. Registration will open next week!

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TEEN JUBILEE SERVICE PROJECT AND PILGRIMAGE:

APRIL 26, 2025

Middle school and high school students and their chaperones are welcome to join us for an exciting event which incorporates the 2025 Jubilee Year, the Teen Jubilee in Rome and the Archdiocese of Seattle’s Season of Service

Students can participate in Service through Outreach at Christ Our Hope Church or Service through Learning at the Care for Creation Summit at Seattle University. Everyone will join together at St. James Cathedral as Pilgrims of Hope and attend a special Mass.

Check out all the details for the Teen Jubilee Service Project and Pilgrimage!

This year the worldwide Church celebrates a Jubilee Year! This year-long celebration includes two special events – one for youth and one for young adults: a Jubilee of Teenagers from April 25 – 27, and a Jubilee of Youth (for Young Adults 18-35) from July 28 – August 3. Blessed Carlo Acutis will be canonized in April and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati in August!

This year also marks the 175^th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Seattle! Find out about all of the upcoming events around the Archdiocese at 175th Anniversary of the Archdiocese of Seattle - Archdiocese of Seattle.

Are you planning to take a group to Rome for the Jubilee? If so, please let me know! I would like to help connect the groups who are planning to go this April or this July. Please email me at Kimberly.abadir@seattlearch.org if you are considering a trip!

ARCHDIOCESAN YOUTH COUNCIL – A FEW OPEN SPOTS!

We have a couple of council members who just completed their term at the end of December, and there are a handful of openings to fill. If you know of good candidates for the youth council, please invite them to apply! You can find out more about the Archdiocesan Youth Council and the application link HERE!

UPDATES FROM THE ARCHDIOCESAN YOUTH COUNCIL!

The Archdiocesan Youth Council meets in person February 7th and 8th to discuss the Middle School Encounter, the Teen Jubilee Service Project, and engage in formation activities and a mini-retreat.

ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

CAMP SOLANUS IS NOW OFFERING CAMP FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS!

Camp for girls entering 7^th – 9^th grade takes place July 7^th – 12^th at Black Lake Bible Camp in Olympia. The camp for boys is from August 10 – 15 at Camp Hamilton. Flyers for both camps can be found HERE!

For more information, visit https://www.stnicholascc.org/new-camp-for-girls and https://www.stnicholascc.org/camps

Camp Solanus is still looking for youth minister and young adult volunteers!

Contact Scott at camp@stnicholascc.org if you are interested!

ARCHDIOCESAN CONFIRMATION RETREATS: 2024-2025

There are still spaces available at some of the archdiocesan Confirmation Retreats this coming year! If you’re interested, please complete this FORM.

Here are the Saturday dates which still have openings (depending on your group size):

March 22nd: St. Frances Cabrini, Lakewood
May 10th: Mary, Queen of Peace, Sammamish

DO YOU KNOW?

We have a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program in the Archdiocese of Seattle called the Catholic Lifesaver Corps (CLC). This team of high school students (16 & older) have been trained and certified as facilitators of the 4-hour safeTALK suicide prevention workshop. They offer regular trainings in their schools and nearby parishes to educate fellow students on the signs of suicidal ideation and the necessary steps to keep their peers safe. More information can be found at: Catholic Lifesaver Corps

LET ME KNOW IF YOU...

Have any questions about Confirmation policies or record-keeping. We also have a Q&A resource on our youth ministry leader's page.

HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS MINISTERS:

Do you have any news or updates to share about ministry in your school? If so, please let me know!

YOUTH MINISTRY ZOOM GATHERINGS

Please join us on Thursday, February 13th from noon – 1:00pm. The format is very casual – it’s a time for you to ask your questions and hear from others - Grab your lunch, log on, and join us! Here are the details:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://scu.zoom.us/j/98000832557?pwd=aUIzOTlmakROUmYwbmYyMjdBTG5tdz09

Meeting ID: 980 0083 2557

Password: 360555

Join by phone:

+1 (669) 900-6833

Meeting ID: 980 0083 2557

One tap mobile

+16699006833,,98000832557#

UPCOMING DATES

3/11/25-3/12/25: Annual Faith Formation, Youth Minister Retreat (Archbishop Brunett Retreat Center, Federal Way) Info and Registration
3/15/25: Middle School Encounter (Kennedy Catholic High School, Burien) Information & Registration coming soon
3/22/25: Confirmation Retreat (St. Frances Cabrini, Lakewood)
4/5/25: Confirmation Retreat (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Bothell)
4/26/25: Local Teen Jubilee/Season of Service Project More Information
5/3/25: Confirmation Retreat (St. Nicholas, Gig Harbor)
5/10/25: Confirmation Retreat (Mary, Queen of Peace, Sammamish)
6/10/25: Annual Faith Formation and Youth Minister Conference (Archbishop Brunett Retreat Center, Federal Way) More Information
7/7-7/12/25: Camp Solanus for Girls (Middle School) (Black Lake Bible Camp, Olympia) https://www.stnicholascc.org/new-camp-for-girls
8/10-8/15/25: Camp Solanus for Boys (Middle School) (Camp Hamilton, Monroe) https://www.stnicholascc.org/camps
8/12-8/14/25: Unplug with the Lord Retreat (High School) (Archbishop Brunett Retreat Center, Federal Way)

Youth Ministry Services