Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
September is an exciting month for our office because every youth group in the Diocese is beginning their year with the teens. We have had many things happening in our office. In September, we had our Spirt Mover bootcamp. We did a day training with our Spirit Movers. Spirit Movers are a group of teenagers who help us plan our Diocese Conference and Middle School retreats, and they help with the many events we provide for the Diocese.
We had our Diocesan Youth Ministry Kick-Off Dodgeball Tournament again at St. Vincent de Paul Elementary School on Saturday, September 30th, 2023. We had over 100 youth, middle school, and high schoolers, within our Diocese attend the kick-off. It was a day full of fellowship, competitive fun, and food. We ended the day with praise, worship, and Eucharistic Adoration.
“The Challenge” Middle School Retreat was held on Saturday, October 21st, 2023. This retreat was for all those in grades 6th through 8th grade. Our Spirit Mover team for the diocese, consists of 10th through 12th graders planned and facilitated the retreat. The theme of the retreat was “Made Know”which was all about Sainthood. The sessions where the Process (Becoming a Saint), The Way (Loving God), The Truth (the desire for truth), and The Life (The need for courage). Each session included a game, teaching, teen testimony, small group discussion, and a challenge. We ended the day together with Mass and praise, worship, and adoration.
On January 14th, we had our Walk for Life at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Biloxi. Our day began at two in the afternoon and ended at five. We had all our Catholic Schools involved as well as many youth groups within our Diocese. We began our afternoon with a rosary let by the youth. After the rosary we had Mass with our Bishop Louis F. Kihneman, III. Once Mass ended, we began our Walk for Life from Nativity to the Light House Park Pavilion in Biloxi. We had about four hundred people at the rosary and Mass and about two hundred fifty people attend the March and events at the pavilion. At the pavilion, we had guest speakers from Catholic Charities, Pro-Life Mississippi, Walking with Moms in Need, and other Pro-Life Ministries on the Coast. We concluded our day with Adoration and praise and worship. This year on January 17th through the 21st we were able to go back to Washington, D.C. for the March For Life. It was a great pilgrimage full of encounters and understanding what it means to be pro-life.
On January 5th through the 7th and on February 2nd through the 4th we had our two Search Retreat Weekends. We had forty participants at our January Search weekend and forty-one participants at our February Search weekend. Search is a peer given retreat by a Diocesan youth and adult team. During the Search weekend, we shared testimonies by the community members, songs, prayer, small group discussions, Adoration, Eucharist, Reconciliation, quiet time and a great fellowship between you and your “new” friends. The Search Retreat is for all senior and junior students in high school. The Holy Spirit was present, moving, and working in the lives of all the teens who attended these retreats. Thank you for all your prayers and support for our young people and ministries within our Diocese.
