Outside the Box
- Discerning a Vocation: Big Questions of Young Adults
- The Paschal Mystery: From Discernment to Action
- Stations of the Cross
- Finding the Ocean – A Guide for Spiritual Direction (by Sr. Marybeth Martin)
- Reflection on the movie "Surrogates" (by Jesse Martin)
- A Quest for Vocation
- US House of Representatives Honors Historic Contributions of Catholic Women Religious
- Caritas in Veritate - The Pope Speaks Out on Social Justice
- Tips on Discernment
- Catholics on Call Summer Conferences: Reflections of a Mentor
- Sharing Lent
- Tips on Prayer
- From Burden to Blessing
- Catholics On Call Participant Profile—Megan Mio
- Catholics On Call Participant Profile—Megan Sherrier
- Catholics On Call Participant Profile-Josh Stagni
- The Pope’s Visit to the United States
- A Reflection on the Shootings at Northern Illinois University
- “Climbing the Stairway to Heaven”
- Living in Hope: What Catholics Believe About Death and Eternal Life (I)
- The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, Part VI
- The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, Part V
- The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, Part IV
- The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, Part III
- The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, Part II
- The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, Part I
- Ekklesia, Part VIII: Communion Amidst the Threat of Polarization
- Ekklesia, Part VII: The Church and Young Adults
- Ekklesia Part VI: Karl Rahner's View of the Church
- Ekklesia, Part V
- Ekklesia, Part IV
- Ekklesia, Part III
- Ekklesia, Part II
- Ekklesia, Part I
- Challenge Series: I Don’t Like the Way Women Are Treated in the Church
- Challenge Series: Why is the Church So Hung Up About Sex?
- Challenge Series: Why do Catholics Argue So Much About Their Faith?
- Challenge Series: Do I Really Need God, Anyway?
- Honoring the Sacred: A Reflection on "The Da Vinci Code"
- A Public Faith
- Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat: Woman of Courage and Confidence
- Fr. Louis Querbes: Making a Difference
- Deus Caritas Est: Dispelling Hollywood's Caricature of Catholic Love
- St. Paul of the Cross: A Young Adult's Role Model for Discernment
- Howard Stern and Us
- Making My Own Decisions
- Eight Myths About Religious Life
- True Confessions: One Man's Search for Meaning
- Outside the Box
Catholics on Call Summer Conferences: Reflections of a Mentor
If you are ever concerned about the future of the Catholic Church or even the world, just spend some time with the young adults that have attended the summer sessions of Catholics on Call (CoC). I have had the honor and privilege of being a “mentor” at both CoC sessions in summer 2007. The young people that have attended these two weeks have been such an uplifting inspiration for me!
The young adults are faith filled, spiritual people who recognize the gifts God has given them and are openly sharing their gifts for the betterment of those around them and around the world. They reach out near and far. They are willing to sacrifice to share their gifts and spread God’s word their actions and words. Many of the young people have spent much time, at least a year, in third world countries, sharing their life, gifts, and faith with the underprivileged of those countries.
The humanity of these young people is even more amazing! They have done so many great things already in their young lives, yet they are incredibly humble about their accomplishments and actions. They do not find their deeds or actions out-of-the-ordinary because it is a natural way for them to live their Christian lives. It is so natural for them to give and do and love freely and not expect a thing in return.
So often we only hear and see and acknowledge the bad or evil or negative side of life. But once you spend some time with the caliber of young people I have encountered at Catholics On Call. These young people are prayerful, introspective, spirited people moved to share the Spirit within them. They are contagious and inspiring. They fill me and all around them with hope and excitement for the future of the Catholic church and the world.
If these young people each know a handful of other young people like them who also know a handful of other young people like them, and so on…then there are many of these amazing people to carry forth the goodness and progress of humankind and the Catholic faith. Your outlook on life and humanity would be transformed if you had the opportunity to be graced by the stories and lives of these and many, many other young people’s lives.
Joyce Hansen
youthmin@passionist.org
Sponsored by Catholic Theological Union