1. Engaging the Hearts,
Hands and Voices
of Youth and Young
Adults in Liturgy
2015 Diocese of Youngstown
LITURGY DAY
with Cindee Case
Director, Youth & Young Adult Ministry
ccase@youngstowndiocese.org

2. Opening Prayer
O God of everlasting goodness,
be with us at this hour of promise.
You have called us to consider the younger
members of our communities when we assemble
for worship in your name.
Renew in us a sense of awe in your presence,
manifested in the sacramental life of our parishes.
Just as your Son gathered his disciples in the upper
room, So may we be gathered to give praise and
honor to your name.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

3. What do you like most about Mass?
What elements of the Mass are most
meaningful for you?
What do you recall of your experiences
of the Mass as a teenager?

4. Pope Benedict VXI, Apostolic
Exhortation On the Eucharist as the
Source and Summit of the Church’s Life
and Mission:
“The Eucharist is a
mystery to be
believed, celebrated
and lived.”

5. “The ministry of prayer and worship
 CELEBRATES and DEEPENS the
young people’s relationship with Jesus
Christ by bestowal of grace, communal
prayer and liturgical experiences;
 It AWAKENS their awareness of the spirit at
work in their lives;
 It INCORPORATES young people more fully
into the sacramental life of the Church, especially
Eucharist;
 It NURTURES the personal prayer of young
people; It FOSTERS family rituals and prayer
(RTV, p. 44)

6. Liturgies:
• Defined: The public, communal and official
worship of the Church (In Greek: A public work, or
Service on behalf of the people)
• > Public as a sign in the community
• > Communal means we do not do this alone
• > Official in that the Church governs it
• Eucharistic Liturgy = Mass
• Sacramental celebrations
• funerals
• Liturgy of the Hours – official nonsacramental daily
prayer of the Church (standard prayers, Scripture and
reflections)

7. From Age to Age: The Challenge of Worship
with Adolescents -- Principles for Vibrant
Worship with Adolescents
1. Vibrant Worship with
Adolescents
Celebrates Their
Involvement in the
Church’s Life and
Mission

8. How to learn of the Church’s
Life and Mission?
Classes
Homilies
Practice of service
Others witnesses

9. How would you explain the
Mission of the Church?
Matthew 25:40
“whatever you did for one
of these least brothers of
mine, you did for me.”
Jesus’ “Mission Statement”
(Luke 4: 18 – 19)
– as Christians to be more like
Jesus:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor. He
has sent me to proclaim liberty to
captives and recovery of sight to
the blind, to let the oppressed go
free, and to proclaim a year
acceptable to the Lord.”
Commissioning: (Matthew 28:19)
Go, therefore, and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the holy spirit, i
teaching them to observe all that I
have commanded you.

10. VIBRANT WORSHIP WITH
ADOLESCENTS INVITES AND
ACCEPTS THEIR AUTHENTIC
PARTICIPATION
From Age to Age: The Challenge of Worship with Adolescents --
Principles for Vibrant Worship with Adolescents

11. Opportunities for Engagement
• Lectors
• Cantors
• Choir members
• Ushers/Greeters
• Musicians
•Sacristan assistants
•Church cleaning
•Gift bearers
• Servers
•E.M.E. (over 16)
•Environment
•Liturgical committee

12. I love this quote in From Age to Age, adapted from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“Young people who exercise
these ministries become signs
of encouragement to their peers
and signs
of God’s
continuing
renewal of the
church.”

13. How to invite?
 I heard you signing at Mass and I think you have a
great singing voice. Have you considered
becoming a cantor (choir member)?
I think you should…..
Here is the information on how to do this…..
 Did I see that you are in the upcoming play at the
high school/ college/ community theatre (or are a
member of speech and debate club/ toastmasters) ?
You should consider becoming a lector at Mass so
you can use some of these great speaking skills!
BTW: Do you offer flexible schedules/Is it easy to get substitutes?

14. The participation of the
Assembly
“Not all youth possess the charisms to be
liturgical ministers, but all youth need formation to
understand the ministry of the assembly.” (For Ages Unending, 20)
CSL #14: The Church earnestly desires the full, conscious
and active participation of all the faithful. In fact it is “the
aim to be considered before all else.”
CSL # 48: The assembly should be fully involved in the
liturgy

15. Reflecting on the Sunday Mass
Readings
Share Lectionary-Based Reflection tools,
Any Given Sunday Project (teens)
http://www.anygivensundayproject.org/
The Five Loaves (adults)
http://www.thefiveloaves.com/
Creighton University
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry

16. Any Given Sunday (Teens)

17. The Five Loaves (Adults)

18. Creighton University

19. Sophia SketchPad: The Eucharist
• <iframe width="640" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QcB7Uem00n4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
• http://youtu.be/QcB7Uem00n4

20.  3. Vibrant Worship with Adolescents
Attends to the Diversity of Ages and
Cultures in the Assembly
Will talk more about music and symbols later, but also
consider that they “see” who they are when they look at the
ministers.
Only segregated Masses are not the answer – what
happens when you move to the next ‘group’?
CSL #37 - In the liturgy the Church respects the culture of the
community gathered.

21. 4. Vibrant Worship with
Adolescents Roots and
Fosters Their Personal
Prayer Relationship with
God
(Luke 11:1)

22. Four Movements of Formal
Prayer/Structure of Liturgy
1. Call to Prayer, Gathering
2. The Word, reading
3. Respond, ritual
4. Blessings, Sending Forth

23. Gregorian chant
Journaling CCM
Nature Walks Praise
Taize’
Meditation Petition
Busy-Person’s retreat Grace Before Meals
Stations of the Cross Centering Prayer
Eucharistic Liturgy Holy Hours Penance Services
Rosary Liturgy of the Hours Prayer & Praise Nights
Small Christian Communities Charismatic Prayer Group
Ignatian Spiritual Exercises Online Prayer Boards Spiritual Reading
Monastic retreats Campus Prayer Rallies Labyrinth Walks Contemplation
Live of the Saints Music Ministry Online retreats Prayer Partners Novenas
Adoration Liturgical Movement Pilgrimage Lectio Divina
Bible Studies Readings of the Day Witnessing Parish Mission
(Created by Cindee Case 2005)
A Variety of Prayer Styles under the Catholic Umbrella
“The Gospels message is too rich to be contained within one paradigm.”
(E. Schillebeeckx)

24. 5. Vibrant Worship Includes
Effective Preaching of the Word
(Clergy to create avenues to listen to the life experiences of all ages,
including teens and young adults and incorporate them into homilies.)
6. Vibrant Worship
Has a Youthful
Spirit in Music
& Song
What is your favorite Church song?

25. Diocese of Youngstown teens & young
adults favorite Church songs:
(2015, not 1985)
• Amazing Grace
• City of God
• On Eagles Wings
• Be Not Afraid
• Lord of the Dance
Also repeated: Joy the World & other Christmas hymns, Lord Thy Kingdom
Come, Canticle of the Turning, Hallelujah, Go Make a Difference,
Sanctuary, Awesome God, Ave Maria!
In 2005, Be Not Afraid, City of God, Here I am Lord and On Eagles Wings!

26. 7. Vibrant Worship Incorporates
Visually Dynamic Symbols and
Actions
Talk about them….
(“Explanatory Mass”)
When appropriate,
touch them
(Church tours)
Experience the smells,
bells, etc….

27. HOSPITALITY!!!!!!
8. Vibrant Worship Has an
Interactive and
Communal Dimension
CSL #26 Liturgical celebrations are not private functions, but rather
are celebrations belonging to the Church.
Yes, PUBLIC, not PRIVATE – challenging in our present society
–trying to regain a sense of communal over individualism.

28. GOALS OF MINISTRY WITH
YOUNG ADULTS
(Young adults are post-high school late teens, 20s and 30s)
1.Connecting Young Adults with Jesus Christ
2.Connecting Young Adults with the Church
3.Connecting Young Adults with the Mission
of the Church in the World
4.Connecting Young Adults with a Peer
Community

29. Young adults told bishops
before they wrote Sons and Daughters
of the Light:
“Consistently, young adults speak of
the life-giving power of good and
prayerful liturgy and the pain an
emptiness associated with poor
liturgical experiences.” (SDL 36)

30. “The key ingredients
to a good liturgy are a
welcoming community,
celebrating in one’s
language, good music, and
engaging homilies.”
(SDL 36).

31. What are you thinking?
• HOW DO YOU ALREADY ENGAGE YOUTH and
YOUNG ADULTS IN YOUR MINISTRY
SETTING?
• What “One Thing” can you – will you do – to better
engage youth or young adults in Liturgy?

32. Ideas to share/borrow:

33. The keys
in a
nutshell:
– Invite
– Encourage
– Affirm
Then
– Train
– Mentor
– Support
Teens/Young Adults need to be welcomed and valued
in their faith communities.
They need to hear the Good News and accept
the transforming love of Christ.

34. Let me know if I can answer any
questions after this session…
Cindee Case, Director
Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry
144 W. Wood St, Youngstown OH 44503
330.744.8451
ccase@youngstowndiocese.org
•Facebook: Youngstown-Youth Young Adults
https://
•Twitter: @YoungInYtown
• Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/youngstownyouth/
• Instagram: @CindeeNYoungstown

35. Quick side note on Engaging
Parents:
“Parents are the most influential agents of
catechesis for their children. They have a
unique responsibility for the education of
their children; they are the first educators,
or catechists.”
(National Directory
for Catechesis, p. 23)

36. “…the best social predictor,
although not a guarantee,
of what the religious and spiritual
lives of youth will look like is
what the religious
and spiritual lives of their
parents do look like.” Soul Searching, p. 261