Catholic Charismatic Renewal got its start with young people. During a Duquesne University retreat, many college students in their twenties experienced what we now call baptism in the Holy Spirit. Because those college students told their friends, and they told their friends, we now have thousands and thousands of people who have benefited from their witness, and Catholic Charismatic Renewal was born.
In Western Washington, young people have been involved in the Renewal from the beginning. Of course, we were all younger back then. You may have been a young married couple when you first got involved. You could have been a teenager who got involved first and had your parents investigate to see what you “were up to now.” You may have had your mom bribe you with something special to get you to attend a youth retreat. You and your siblings might have watched your parents as they experienced new life in the spirit (you may have thought that they were strange at the time, but it did positively affected your own spiritual life). A youth minister may have inspired a deeper relationship with Jesus in you, after his or her own participation in a Holy Spirit seminar.
There are many ways that Charismatic Renewal has influenced and built up the young people in our area and vice versa.
Early Conference Youth Tracks
Looking through our annual conference archives, we have found that a youth track or workshops have been offered at least 20 times. In 1979, two people from Franciscan University of Steubenville presented the youth workshops. Since then, ministry to youth has been done usually by local Washington people. Jack and Mary McCann and Jay DeFolco (before he was ordained) coordinated the youth track for the conference in 1980 & 1981. For the next few years, Reach Youth Ministries with Tim Briffett or the Catholic Youth Renewal Team (CYRT) with Randy and Theresa Anderson provided the youth ministry.
CYRT was an independent ministry in the beginning, born out of a desire to provide something distinctively Charismatic for Catholic youth. Collaboration between CYRT and WWCCR was evident from their early formation and eventually it seemed reasonable for them to come under the umbrella of the WWCCR organization. Randy and Theresa Anderson were the founders of CYRT, but this ministry continued even after they left the area due to a job change.
In 1988-89, the ministry to youth underwent a transition of leadership and vision. For a year, a group of young adults met monthly and prayed and discussed what kind of Charismatic youth ministry we could offer to the Archdiocese that would complement and supplement regular parish youth ministry. These discussions led to the beginning of monthly youth rallies and offering occasional retreats. Tim Briffett, who started the Reach Youth Ministry in Yakima,WA, was invited to help train the interested youth and adults who would help at the rallies. The youth rallies lasted three hours and included praise and worship, dramas, teaching and small groups presented in a way in which young people could relate.
During the summer of 1991, the steering committee discovered that they were spending as much time and energy preparing for the rallies as they did for retreats. They found that retreats were more effective because they were better attended and there was more time to build relationships and share the gospel. The decision was made to focus on providing retreats and team development.
Since then the YMT has been offering quarterly retreats and the youth track at the annual WWCCR conference. During a typical retreat, members of the YMT present five teachings: “Coming to Know Jesus,” “Choose Life,” “Lord Change Me”, “Spiritual Gifts/Baptism in the Holy Spirit,” and “Equipping for the Journey.”
Between teachings, there are personal testimonies, dramas that relate to the teaching, small group sharing and discussion time. There are also other planned activities, meals, and some free time. Mass is usually Saturday night, with prayer time (and prayer teams) following. If the priest has time available before or after Mass, he will be invited to do one or more of the teachings and/or be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The schedule is always packed, and there is plenty of fun and fellowship.
The people involved on the Team change from year to year, as would be expected as young people go off to college or get jobs. Inviting and training new Team members is an integral part of the work of the Team. The youth who participate in YMT events often express interest in becoming part of the Team themselves. There are certain criteria that have been established over the years to help us incorporate new members onto the YMT. These same criteria are applied also to young adults and even parents who indicate an interest. Team Members see their own faith grow as they learn to trust and share the love of Jesus with others. They learn to trust the Lord in new ways as they pray and prepare to give a talk or act in a drama. Often the younger team members begin to recognize how much they have grown when they notice new retreatants being disruptive or trying to sneak out of a retreat cabin like they used to do. They are an effective witness because they can relate to the desires, needs and hopes of their peers.
In addition to its regular ministry, the YMT has been invited to offer retreats for local parishes. They have offered workshops at the annual ACCY (Archdiocesan Youth) Convention. During the Jubilee year, five members of the team were able to participate in the Youth Arise Conference and World Youth Day, both in Italy and Toronto. This summer another group is planning to go to Germany, again for the Youth Arise Conference and World Youth Day.
The future is bright with promise as people of all ages are being invited into a deeper relationship with Jesus and the Church. Together, may we bring God glory as we serve His people.
Written by Sharon Fox and Tammie Stevens