What is the Diocesan Youth Discipleship Team?
 
The Discipleship Team is a leadership team of high school youth (grades 9-12) in the Diocese of Worcester that is designed to provide opportunities for personal spiritual growth, equip members with skills for missionary discipleship within their own parish communities, and give teens leadership opportunities in Diocesan middle school events and programs.

The team will be facilitated by Tim Messenger, the Diocesan Director for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, as well as a leadership team of adults from around the diocese.

Who can be on the Team?
 
The Discipleship Team is designed for high school youth from parishes around the diocese.  Each parish has the opportunity to nominate up to 2 youth who exhibit qualities of leadership, are active in their Catholic faith, are active in their parish community through youth ministry or other ministries, and are willing to deepen their faith and witness to the gospel.

What is the process of joining the team? What is the cost and what paperwork is require?

Parishes who are nominating youth must submit the appointment form and Priest recommendation form to the Youth Ministry Office early in the summer. Youth Application Packets are also due at the same time. After applications are reviewed, individuals will be notified of their acceptance and will attend the kickoff retreat in August. 
 
Applications for 2018-19 have been reviewed and the team has been formed. Dates, locations, and forms for 2019-2020 team will be available in spring 2019


What is the format?
 
The program starts with a retreat that will focus on aspects of prayer and discipleship through personal witness. The teens will be placed into small group discipleship groups that will meet throughout the retreat as well as throughout the year functioning in a support and accountability role. The teens will also be placed on a leadership team to help plan one of the Diocesan middle school events for next year. Following the retreat, the Diocesan Youth Discipleship Team will meet once a month for prayer, fellowship, and ongoing formation in missionary discipleship. During each meeting, the team will also meet in their discipleship groups and leadership teams.

Diocesan Youth Discipleship Team Schedule of Events
2018-19

Dates of gatherings:     
Discipleship Team Retreat                        August 18
Meeting 1                                                    September 13
Meeting 2                                                    October 11         
Meeting 3                                                    November 8       
Meeting 4                                                    December 13     
Meeting 5                                                    January 10
Meeting 6                                                    February 14                 
Meeting 7                                                    March 14  
Middle School Youth Rally                        March TBD         
Meeting 8                                                    April 11
Meeting 9                                                    May 9
Other Middle School Events                    TBD
 

What is the role of the Parish/Youth Ministry Leader?
 
The overall goal of the program is to establish young missionary disciples who are able to witness the gospel to other youth in an effort to draw them into the life of the Church. The role of the parish youth ministry leader is to walk with these individual(s) and support their role as missionary disciples.

Throughout the program, the Youth Ministry Office will maintain close communication with the parish youth leader and parents as to what is covered during the retreat and meetings.  Parish youth ministry leaders are always welcome, but certainly not required, to attend any meetings.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Tim Messenger at 508-929-4360 or by email at tmessenger@worcesterdiocese.org.