Junior high youth group forms in Sioux City

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
February 23, 2006

After years with a successful high school youth ministry group, Nativity and Immaculate Conception Parishes in Sioux City have recently started a youth ministry group for junior high students.

Mary Sam Hacker, director of youth ministry for the two parishes, explained that she invited sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders to participate in the high school senior Mass on Thanksgiving Day.

"We had about 22 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders join us in singing and ushering and being musicians," noted Hacker. "I had several parents talk to me that day, before church started about starting a full-fledged junior high youth ministry program."

It didn't take long for the youth minister to get things rolling. The first meeting was held in mid-January. About 32 junior high students attended.

"They laid out some plans of ideas they wanted to do for the rest of the year. They signed up and volunteered their time to help at church dinners, first reconciliation and other programs," she explained.

On Feb. 12, these younger students joined with the high school youth group to make Valentine cookies for shut-ins and residents of local nursing homes. This is a project that the high school students have been involved in for several years.

After making and delivering cookies, they participated in a pizza party and movie that stressed the Catholic faith.

Hacker mentioned that the junior high school students will meet on a monthly basis and usually they will meet separately from the high school students, except when there are special projects such as the cookie bake.

The junior high program meets at 5:15 p.m. on the third Sunday of every month and the senior high school program meets at 7 p.m. that same evening.

Hacker said the pastors believe that some intermingling of the groups is beneficial as the older students can serve as good role models for the younger students, witnessing "being committed to your church and being welcomed to the church." Also, the high school students can speak to the junior high students about diocesan programs like the youth rally.

"This does not replace religious education classes or studies they do at Catholic schools. This is a whole separate program," noted the parish director of youth ministry. "They are all very enthused about it."

A typical gathering will include Scripture study and talking about their faith.

"At the first meeting, we discussed how to treat one another as junior high students," said Hacker. "We talked about how they would treat Jesus if he walked in the room with long hair, a beard and sandals. We try to stress the faith base around their activities."

The fact that the youth take one more night out of their month for faith-based activities, noted the youth ministry director, shows how much their faith means to these students.

"They see so many of their fellow classmates going to youth programs at other faith denominations that have these programs so they are willing to give up that extra hour or hour-and-one-half a month to come to this. It speaks highly of them and highly of their parents," she said.

Like the high school program, Hacker said the junior high program will incorporate the various components of youth ministry ranging from evangelization to catechesis and service.

Hacker is very pleased with participation in the new group this far. She believes that the formation of the junior high program will only strengthen the high school program.

"These kids will be really ready to step into high school leadership roles and they will understand what it is about and what we are trying to accomplish with them - to become a full-fledged, active member of the faith," she said.

Already about eight to 10 junior high students have stepped up to serve on a core group leadership team. Just as the high school students are encouraged to become involved as leaders, so are the sixth- through eighth-grade students.

"It's not my youth group, it's their youth group. I'm just there to try to guide them and lead them in the right direction," she said.