Youth Ministry Blog

Much has been made in the last couple of days about the Passion Vancouver event that took place at Rogers Arena last Friday evening and in particular the prayer for concussed-Canuck Daniel Sedin led by the founder of the Passion Movement, Louie Giglio.

And while a couple of blogs have done a decent job of presenting and analyzing what happened, I can offer you a perspective that they can’t:  a first-hand account as I was present at the event. Not only was I in attendance at the Passion event, I also attended a pre-event dinner hosted by Louie.  But more on that later.

As part of my job as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver, I sat on the Advisory Team for Passion Vancouver.  Per the official website, “Passion exists to glorify God by uniting students in worship, prayer and justice for spiritual awakening in this generation.”

We had been meeting and praying for the success of the event for months prior to last Friday and as a gracious gesture of appreciation I was invited to the pre-event dinner held in the Rogers Arena Captain’s Room.  I met a lot of great people including Miss Canada 2011 Tara Teng.

One of us seems a tad happier than the other.  But I digress.

During the dinner, Louie Giglio went out of his way to thank all of us for our work and service in helping bring Passion to Vancouver.  He mentioned that Vancouver is the only city outside of the United States where Passion has held events three times – largely in part to the willingness of the Aquilini family to host the event in Rogers Arena.  Louie thanked Paolo Aquilini (who was in attendance at both the dinner and the concert) and then segued into talking about the Vancouver Canucks and their massive popularity here.  He then reflected on how his hometown of Atlanta was particularly good at grooming NHL teams to move to Canada (the Flames and more recently the Jets).  I chuckled as Louie said “So once we get another team we’ll get them ready and ship them back up to you.”

As dinner completed we hastily made our way to our seats in the Arena…but not before I snapped my picture with Tara.  Okay…I’ll stop mentioning that now.

After worship leader Chris Tomlin opened the event, Louie made his way onto the stage with a couple of items in his hands.  One, we quickly learned, was a Canucks jersey signed by the entire team  – a gift to Louie from Paolo and the Vancouver Canucks.

The other was the helmet of injured forward Daniel Sedin.  Louie didn’t announce how he obtained the helmet; needless to say it was likely with the permission of Paolo Aquilini after the Passion organizers held their pre-event prayer time in the Canucks’ dressing room.

After publicly thanking the Aquilini family in front of the 12,000 people in attendance, Louie shared a few words about the Canucks and Atlanta’s knack for losing their hockey teams to Canada (similar to what he shared with us at dinner).  Then, he suggested that we pray for Daniel’s recovery from his concussion.

Click here to see the video.

After allowing for 35 seconds of spontaneous prayer, Louie led the attendees in a prayer of thanksgiving for the Aquilini family and for the arena, the city and team.  He ended off by praying for Daniel’s recovery.  At the time, I felt that it was a very powerful and genuine gesture.  It didn’t feel out of place for the main reason that this was a gathering of Christians praying for a Canuck player AND NOT a gathering of Canucks fans with some Christian prayer in it. There is a HUGE difference.  If people were not interested in praying for Daniel’s recovery then it was their prerogative not to join in…much like any other element of the night.

Also, Louie didn’t pray for the Canucks to win their next game, to win a playoff series or two, or to win the Stanley Cup.  He didn’t pray for Daniel the hockey player; he prayed for Daniel the human being.  For full healing and recovery.  For goodness and fullness of life.  For his heart, and everything going on his life.

You’ll hear from the video Louie saying “And we pray God that You just him know…there are people praying for him tonight – not for what he can do, not for how he can score, not for how many assists he has, but we just love him tonight God because he is Yours.”

Immediately after the prayer concluded, I was happily surprised at what had just transpired.  It was quite moving to be among 12,000 people praying together.  I went to both Twitter and Facebook with a simple post:

12,000 people at Rogers Arena praying for the health of Daniel Sedin…powerful stuff.

Unbeknownst to me, my buddy Joseph posted the video up in the Canucks.com message boards and in 24 hours it had accumulated over 13,000 views and 300 replies.  Everyone seemed to have an opinion as to its appropriateness, its effectiveness, or its relevance.  It’s come to be expected when talking sports and faith.

Was the prayer genuine?  Absolutely.  Was it a way to show Vancouver that Passion was in tune with the city and culturally relevant?  Without a doubt.  Was it a strategic and smart way to engage the crowd?  Certainly.

And I loved every minute of it.

I’m in Ottawa this week for the biennial National Youth Ministry Conference put on by the Canadian Catholic Youth Ministry Network (CCYMN).  By virtue of my position as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry (OYYAM) for the Archdiocese of Vancouver, I’ve been part of the CCYMN since its inception in 2005.

Prior to the weekend conference, the Directors and Coordinators of Youth Ministry and Young Adult Ministry are gathering for a few days for our Annual General Meeting.  It will be a great chance to pray, to share, to network, and to discuss issues that we face on both national and local levels.

At the opening session of the AGM, we broke into small groups and talked about the conference theme of “Be Still and Know That I am God” from Psalm 46.  The responses from my group members were not surprising: we are all busy balancing family and ministry (and other things) and it’s a challenge to just “be still”.  Yet we collectively realized that it’s vital to our ministries and more importantly our health, our relationships, and our overall well-being.

I told my group that while I acknowledge the importance of being still, it actually isn’t really on my radar or a priority for me…at least currently.  I certainly wasn’t suggesting that I was busier than anyone else, but I did offer that I’m not wired to “be still”.  When at home, I do my best to make sure that I’m truly present to my wife and kids in all ways:  physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  But when they go to bed, my first thought isn’t always to join them (it doesn’t help that my wife Gail often goes to bed before sunset but that’s not the point here…haha).   I do my best work when I’m working well into the night, or more accurately, well into the next morning.  Sometimes it’s ministry work and other times it’s creating written and video blogs on the Vancouver Canucks (my other passion besides family and faith).

Granted, I’m not getting any younger so I certainly don’t have the stamina that I had 10 or even five years ago.  I know that my wife Gail would like me to get more sleep but it’s hard, especially when I’m excited about what I’m working on. And I realize it’s always the same routine in the morning: while we’re scrambling around trying to get the kids ready for school, she still takes the time to read the blog or watch the video that I had finished just a few hours prior. Even when I can tell that she doesn’t care, at least she pretends to.  :p

So I admit: this theme of being still is going to challenge me and stretch me.  Obviously, I recognize the value of slowing things down and simply resting in the Lord.  I, like many others, often catch myself being more “Martha” and less “Mary”.

But I must remember that I don’t always have to be “chasing after” God or “seeking after” Him.  There are times when I need to just get over myself, be still, and let Him find me.

I took Kayla with me to the Spirit Day Stage Team rehearsal this afternoon.  Among the many skits that the team practiced was the “Everything” skit by the band Lifehouse.  In it, Jesus protects the main character by shielding her from many “vices” (played by people).

 

On the way home, I asked Kayla what she thought of the rehearsal. 

 

 ”It was fun” she said.  “My favourite part was when everyone said bye to me.”

 

 ”What was your least favourite part?” I asked.

 

 ”When Jesus pushed Oggy down” she answered.  Oggy played one of the “vices”.

 

 And then it started.

 

 K:  “Why did Jesus push Oggy down?”

 

 C:  “Because Oggy is a bad guy.”

 

 K:  “Why is Oggy a bad guy?”

 

 C:  “He’s not, he’s just pretending.”

 

 K:  “Why is he pretending?”

 

 C:  “Because it’s not real life.”

 

 K:  “Why isn’t it real life?”

 

 C:  “Because it’s a skit.  Anything else Kayla?”

 

 K:  “Why did Jesus push Oggy down?”

 

 Oh oh…it was time to try a different approach.

 

 C:  “Because he is protecting the girl.”

 

 K:  “Why is he protecting the girl?”

 

 C:  “Because he loves her.”

 

 K:  “Why does he love her?”

 

 C:  “Because he loves everyone.”

 

 K:  “Does he love the bad guys too?”

 

 C:  “Yes he does but he doesn’t want them to be bad.”

 

 K:  “Why doesn’t he want them to be bad?”

 

 C:  “Because he doesn’t want anyone to be bad.”

 

 K:  “I’m not a bad girl, right Daddy?”

 

 C:  “Right Kayla…you’re just curious.”

 

 K:  “What does curious mean?

It’s always an honour to serve as a Eucharistic minister, whether at an archdiocesan event or at my home parish of St. Paul’s in Richmond.  And it’s an added bonus when I get to share Jesus with my lovely wife Gail and our children.

 

Sean and Jacob are mature enough to realize that it’s all the same Jesus; it doesn’t matter who they go to receive Jesus at Mass…as long as they receive him!  But admittedly, I will try and serve on the side of the church where my family is sitting so they can come to me (if they want).

 

So there we were this past Sunday night at the 6:30pm Mass at St. Paul’s.  During the sign of peace, the 3 of us Eucharistic ministers went to wash our hands and do our usual assigning of spots.  On this week, I was serving with Mary and Kris, and I started off by saying:  “It doesn’t matter to me what side I’m on.”

 

“Doesn’t matter to me either,” replied Kris.

 

“Same here,” Mary answered.

 

“Well then, if I can, I’d love to serve on the left side of the church so I can give communion to my family…so middle or choir side would be great.”

 

“I’ll take the middle then,” said Kris, “and you can have choir.”

 

“Mary, are you okay with the far side?” I asked.

 

“Sure, no problem,” she answered and then we all made our way to the altar.

 

(So for anyone wondering…that’s what we’re talking about while washing our hands…haha).

 

After a few minutes, I saw Gail, Sean and Kayla approaching me (Jake had gone to Mass earlier in the day with a friend…from all accounts he stayed awake for the entire Mass).  Sean arrived first, so I gave communion to him.  I loved the way he was concentrating on receiving Jesus, similar to the way he did at his First Communion over 2 years ago.  Makes a daddy proud!

 

Next was Gail carrying Kayla (our 3 year-old tends to get lazy at the most convenient times) and I went to lay my hand atop Kayla’s head.  After blessing her, I went to give communion to Gail.  But as I reached into the ciboria, Kayla lunged towards me with her arms wide open.  She wrapped me up in a massive hug and then gave me a huge kiss on my cheek.  “I love you, Daddy!” she proclaimed, all while I was trying to get a host out for Gail.

 

“I love you too, sweetie” I replied as she finally gave me enough space to give communion to Gail.  I could barely suppress my joy as I caught them returning to their pew out of the corner of my eye.

 

During my prayer time after communion, I reflected on what had just happened and I was struck by how desperately Kayla wanted to show her affection for me, albeit while I was trying to distribute communion.  How she displayed innocence, child-like faith, and determination in expressing her love for her father.

 

This is exactly how we should approach God our loving Father and Jesus Christ His son.  In good times and tough times and everything in between, our goal should always be to grow closer to Him.  When we feel hopeless or beaten down, we can go to our Father for His love and comfort.  When we sin, we can lunge for God and His mercy and forgiveness.  And when things are going our way, we can strive to meet Him to thank Him for blessing us.  No matter the situation, when we approach God with our arms wide open we must have faith that He will be there to pick us up.

 

That’s what unconditional love is all about.

 

Here is the interview with Mark Hart that appeared in the April 18 BC Catholic.

  

 Who are you and what do you do? 

I’m a son of God, a husband and a father. That’s all that really matters in Heaven.  I have an amazing wife and three very energetic young daughters. Truly, “blessed am I among all women.” (Lk 1:42)

 

As far as what I “do” - I’m proud to serve as Executive Vice President for Life Teen International, a Catholic Youth Ministry Movement. In addition to overseeing all the various aspects of the ministry on a daily basis, I spend most of my time creating resources – books, videos, podcasts, etc. – that teach and communicate the faith to a screen-based, 21st century generation. It’s an incredible and grace-filled challenge – I am blessed to say that I truly love my work here in Phoenix and across the country and continent.

 

Why do you do what you do?  What do you enjoy most about your “work” life? 

I love the creative process. I love inviting and allowing the Holy Spirit to breathe the timeless Gospel truth in timely new ways. It’s seriously my favorite thing in the world to speak or write or communicate God’s love to the modern culture in a way they might not be expecting, in articulating the Gospel message and introducing people to the person of Christ in original ways.

 

What do you remember about your visit to Vancouver in 2005? 

I remember that I would need to begin liking Sushi before a return trip…Vancouverites are really serious about their sushi, huh? No, seriously though, I was very impressed by the hospitality and respect of the teens in 2005. They were very welcoming and very “open” to the Holy Spirit. I travel quite a bit and it’s sad to say but not all groups of teens are like that. It was a great example of how Catholic teens should act – and I point back to that event, often, in helping Youth Leaders understand that teenagers can act crazy but still be respectful at an event. It’s possible to be fun and holy at the same time!

 

What excites you about coming back to Vancouver this year for Youth Day? 

I can finally use up the rest of the Canadian money that’s been sitting in my drawer for the last six years. Just kidding.

 

The teens – it’s always the teens. When you get that many young Catholics together, you never know what is going to happen. Additionally, I just want to affirm their parents and Youth Leaders and remind the teens of how loved they are by them, by Life Teen, by the Roman Catholic Church and by God their Father.

 

How does the theme of “Rooted” speak to a young person today? 

I’ve always loved the Parable of the Sower and the Seed (Mt 13, Mk 4). In it we are reminded that if we’re not open to Christ and rooted – really rooted – in Him, than not only will we fail to produce good fruit, but we are at risk of being devoured by the world around us. It’s impossible to live out the Catholic life if you lack a prayer life. Prayer doesn’t just “help” our relationship with God – prayer is our relationship. To be “rooted” we must be humble, receptive and open to the grace of God, most specifically the graces offered to us through the Sacraments.
 

 

What is your hope for young people in general? 

I want young people to know how blessed they are to be Catholic. I want them to see how amazing and beautiful and joyful a life led by the Holy Spirit really can be. I want to shatter misconceptions that Catholics cannot have fun or that we don’t really know the Scriptures. I want to be sure that every young person knows that God loves them for who they are, not for what they do and that the God of the universe would rather die than risk spending eternity without them. That’s a God worth living for.
 

 

Did you know that Steve Nash grew up just 43 miles (69 kilometers) from here in Victoria, BC? 

I did know that, actually. Steve is a hero here in Phoenix. He’s a warrior on the court – during most of the playoff runs, his medical record has resembled a hockey player’s more than that of a basketball player. He’s one tough dude. He is yet another reason that I love Canada.
 

  

How would you assess the Vancouver Canucks’ chances of winning the Stanley Cup this year? 

Much better than the Phoenix Coyotes’ chances!!

 

How would you assess the OYYAM staff members’ dancing in the Youth Day promo video? 

I believe it was Gloria Estefan who said it best when she proclaimed, “The rhythm is going to get you.” I can say from the video that must be what happened to the OYYAM Staff. Either Gloria is a prophetess or the Staff got hold of some bad sushi that day. I haven’t seen moves like that…well, ever.

 

Today is the Annunciation, the Christian celebration of the announcement by the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would become the mother of Jesus Christ. Despite being a virgin, Mary would miraculously conceive a child who would be called the Son of God.

As my friend and colleague Tom East said so well on Facebook, “I think this is an important day for us as youth ministers. We have the chance to be like Gabriel and bear God’s message of love and promise to teenagers. We speak on God’s behalf as we tell a young person: you are beautiful inside and out, and God has a plan for your life. What a privilege, this ministry we share.”

Or, as my friend and OYYAM colleague Gerard Garcia stated nicely: “TGFMY: Thank God for Mary’s Yes!”

Today’s feast day was significant to me, and not just because I could eat meat all day (despite it being a Friday in Lent).

Rather, I had a chance to spend some time reflecting on my calling as a Catholic youth minister. Continuing the thoughts expressed by Tom, not only do we have a chance to be like Gabriel, but we are also like Mary.

We may struggle with our calling sometimes, especially when things don’t go as well as we like. We fret about numbers. We worry about logistics. And we stress about our talk or teaching falling flat.

But we can learn a lot from Mary, especially in her faithfulness and trust in what the angel Gabriel was saying. We, like Mary, may consider ourselves unworthy or unqualified. But we are comforted knowing that God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called!

And it’s not just the trust and faith that we have for ourselves. It’s the same trust we have when we defer an important teaching to another youth ministry leader, it’s the same confidence we have in allowing a grade seven student greet the Archbishop at Spirit Day, and it’s the same faith we have that we are indeed making a difference in the lives of young people.

We are blessed indeed, we are truly highly favoured. And it has nothing to do with us…it has everything to do with God.

He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30).

So when we’re asked if we like what we do or if we feel we’re making a difference…may our answer always be a resounding “YES!”

 

 

This past weekend, Jacob’s child-like faith reminded me as to how I should approach receiving Jesus every time I am at Mass.

 

Jake received his First Communion on February 26 and since that point had received communion from our 2 parish priests at Masses.  This past Sunday, March 13, I was scheduled to serve as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (Eucharistic Minister) at the 6:30pm Mass, meaning I had the chance to give communion to Jake for the first time.

 

Both Jake and I were looking forward to me sharing Jesus with him, but I warned him that if it didn’t work out for whatever reason, that it’s all the same Jesus:  ultimately it didn’t matter if he went to me or someone else.

 

Jake nodded at me, confirming his understanding.

 

(As an aside, it’s always interesting to see the priest’s communion line is usually much longer than a “lay person’s” line…as if communion means more coming from a religious.  But I digress).

 

That particular Sunday got off to a great start, as Jake told me in the morning that Sunday was his favourite day of the week.

 

“Why, Jake?” I asked.

 

“Because I get to have Jesus!” was his earnest response.

 

The day was also notable because it was my lovely wife Gail’s birthday, highlighted by lunch out and our weekly grocery shopping at Superstore.

 

The day went by quickly, and soon we found ourselves at St. Paul’s for Mass.  Gail and the kids sat on the choir side while I met Pat and Charly, the other 2 Eucharistic Ministers before Mass in the church foyer.  We quickly discussed who would serve from what position. 

 

“I’m usually not that picky,” I stated, “but I would love to be able to give communion to Jake today.  But both he and I know that it’s all the same Jesus!”

 

The 2 dudes chuckled a bit as we prepared ourselves for the procession.

 

The Sign of Peace was our signal to wash our hands at the side…and this is where we traditionally finalize our spots.  Pat and Charly told me to take the middle-left, which would give me an opportunity to give communion to the family.

 

As I gave communion to the parishioners, I eagerly awaited Jake’s arrival at the altar.  I did my best to concentrate on the people at-hand as I eyed my family approaching.  Finally, it was Jake’s turn.

 

He stepped up to me with his small arms outstretched towards me, his hands resting one atop of the other as he was taught.  He had a massive smile on his face, as if he had just received wonderful news.  But most of all, he was almost running in place, his legs and feet dancing around…almost like he had to go the bathroom.  He was THAT excited to receive Jesus in the Eucharist.

 

“The body of Christ, Jake” I said quietly as I shared Jesus with him.  I was beaming with so much pride and joy that I could barely get the words out.

 

“AMEN!”  Jake proclaimed.

 

Sean, Julie Ann, and Gail (with Kayla) were right behind Jacob in line, and I was just as happy to share Jesus with each of them.  But make no mistake about it, I was deeply touched with how Jake received Jesus.

 

During my prayer time after communion, I reflected on what had just transpired.  Jake’s cute and innocent actions in receiving communion had a humbling effect on me and challenged me to approach Eucharist in the same child-like manner:  with wide-eyed curiosity, dangerous wonder, and simple faith.

 

We are called to be child-like (and not childish) in our faith.  As adults, we often complicate things and we search for the “perfect” words or actions.  For children, there are no “religiously-correct” words or phrases:  children say what they mean and mean what they say.  And like adults, their actions will often speak louder than their words.

 

That’s why I was so thankful for Jacob.  His honest yet excited way of receiving Jesus in the Eucharist reminded me to never take things for granted, and to always hunger:

 

For integrity.

 

For justice.

 

For truth.

 

For Jesus.

 

I was a cleaning machine.

For 2 hours on Friday afternoon I cleaned out and re-organized one of our OYYAM (Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry) storage rooms in our building at 150 Robson. As I moved the last few boxes, with the finish line in sight, it happened.

RRRRRRRIIIIIIPPPPP!

Fearing the worst, I looked down towards my nether regions. Sure enough, my suspicion was indeed a reality: I had split my pants below the zipper. Embarassed, I sheepishly walked back to my office holding a binder in front.

“Guess what?” I asked Gerard and Faye, who were doing some cleaning as well.

“What?”

“I split my pants!” I proclaimed in a weird blend of embarrassment and pride. “Right down there!”

Gerard broke out into his trademark Gerard-Giggle and exclaimed: “I hope we don’t see your tighty whiteys!”

My reply was less-than-comforting: “Nah, I’m not wearing any underwear.”

Their laughter turned into horror.

“JUST KIDDING!”

Faye politely suggested that I had given them too much information.

“Well,” I answered, “I’d rather tell you that I have a hole in my pants than you finding out for yourself…not that you’d be looking down there.”

The conversation was quickly disintegrating.

“Besides, would either of you had told me that I had a hole?”

They unanimously answered: “NO!”

“Thanks a lot guys” I smirked, slightly hurt by their unsympathetic response.

“Yes, I’d tell you,” Gerard replied.

My chagrin turned into comfort upon hearing these words. Comfort turned back into chagrin as Gerard started singing (in an homage to American Idol) “Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, looking like a fool with your pants on the ground. Rip in your pants, rip in your pants, looking like a fool with a rip in your pants.”

Analyn arrived at the OYYAM during this debacle and asked what the commotion was about. I told her and then asked her if she would have told me about the hole if I didn’t tell her first.

“Of course I’d tell you…why wouldn’t I?” she answered. I smiled…until I heard Faye.

“Even if he’s not your go-to guy anymore?” Faye asked, referencing Analyn’s recent on-ice experience at Rogers Arena.

“Good point.”

I then solicited their collective advice: “Oh, by the way, I have meeting with Archbishop Michael in an hour. Do you think I should say anything about my pants?”

And so it went: we continued to clean, they continued to make fun of me, and I continued to walk around with a binder in my hand. Then came 4pm.

As I entered Archbishop Michael’s office we exchanged greetings and he asked me how my day was going.

“It was going great…until I ripped my pants while cleaning up.”

Trying to stifle his grin, Archbishop Michael said: “Oh that’s too bad. I hate it when that happens!”

Finally, an empathetic response!

“Thanks Archbishop Michael. Has it happened to you before?”

“NEVER.”

Scratch that…not so much empathetic…but certainly sympathetic.

I sat down, thankful that his desk was relatively high. We ended up having a great half-an-hour meeting, talking about the OYYAM’s plans for the upcoming year. It went so well that I completely forgot about my little dilemma. That is, until I was leaving the office after the meeting.

“Having a good weekend…and take care of that hole!” Archbishop Michael exclaimed.

I chuckled as I left his office as I reflected as to why I admire him so much. He’s certainly a suitable shepherd for our archdiocese and for me, whether it has to do with ministry or my wardrobe malfunctions. He was both sympathetic and empathetic.

As for me…I’ll just go with pathetic.

   

During the recent Christmas break, I got a chance to watch the Canucks in action with my friend Matt. As many of you know, the Canucks are currently among the hottest teams in the NHL and so we were very excited to see them play in a much anticipated game against the Philadelphia Flyers.    

    

I also had an opportunity to go on the ice and be part of a shoot-out during the first intermission and if you haven’t seen it already, here’s the video.  Given Clay’s commentary and his “helpful advice” on the video clip, I knew it wouldn’t be complete without highlighting Clay’s pre-shoot-out “helpful advice” and what was going through my mind during the experience.  

    

Before the game, Matt and I met up with Clay, who kindly assisted us with picking up our tickets from the box office.  We agreed on a plan to meet up after game and then made our way into Rogers Arena.  There was such a great buzz and energy in the air and my excitement grew as we approached the gate.  There were so many people wearing their Canucks and Flyers jerseys as well as a lot of banter and trash talk.  

Just after we walked into the arena, Matt noticed a super-shot game that tests the speed and accuracy of your shot.  So we went over to find out what it was all about and as we walked away, a woman approached us and said, “I noticed the two of you checking out the super-shot game. How would you like to be a part of a shoot-out during the first intermission?”   Matt and I looked at each other in disbelief and then turned back to her and said “Yes!!!”   

She introduced herself as Amelia and began to describe what the shoot-out would look like as well as when and where to meet her.  After Amelia walked away, the panic began to set in….oh no, what have I just said “yes” to?!?!  As Matt began to contact his family and friends, my mind began to race:  

Matt is a hockey player,  

Matt is a really good hockey player,  

I have not held a hockey stick in a long, long time!   

Why did I say “yes” to this? Do I have time to get out of it? When is Matt gonna get off the phone? 

Who should I call for some advice as well as calm me down?  

Clay…I’ll call Clay…he’s here tonight, he plays hockey, and he always knows what to say to me especially when I’m worried or nervous about something.  He’ll give some good (helpful) advice.  

So I immediately called Clay.  Here’s the full transcript of Clay’s pre-shoot-out “helpful advice”: 

Analyn:  “Hey Clay - Guess what?  Matt and I were just chosen to be part of a shoot-out during the first intermission!” 

Clay: “What?!?  Wow – That’s great!”  How were you chosen? 

Analyn: “I don’t know, a few minutes ago, a lady approached us and asked if we wanted to be a part of it and we said ‘yes’!   So...I haven’t held a hockey stick in a long, long time and I’m really nervous about doing this!  Any words of advice?”  

Clay: “Yes, of course…happy to give some…” 

Clay: “Number One: They’re gonna BOO!  So you’re gonna have to be prepared and tune it out, ‘cause they’re gonna BOO! 

Analyn: “gulp…okay” 

Clay: “Number Two: Don’t slip and fall on the ice…‘cause they’re gonna LAUGH and BOO!” 

Analyn: silence and heart rate increasing… 

Clay: “And Number Three: Don’t embarrass me and good luck” 

Analyn: “gulp, gulp…okay…thanks?!?! Bye…” 

To be fair, Clay called back a moment later and offered some additional “helpful advice”: “Lean forward and don’t rock back when you shoot the puck ‘cause that’s what throws you off balance...” (which leads to laughing and booing …helpful-advice-number-two forever ingrained in my mind)  If you ask Clay about this conversation he may deny some or all of it but I’d like to note that my go-to-friend distanced himself and referred to me as “someone he works with” in the video clip. 

By this time, Matt was off the phone and actually gave me some “good” helpful advice but Clay’s three points were still very much on my mind!  We made our way to our seats ready to watch the pre-game skate and the start of the game.  I spent much of the first period caught up in the action of the game but my mind continued to race with images of people (including and led by Clay) pointing, laughing and booing at me.  And with seven minutes left in the period it was our cue to meet up with Amelia and the other player for the shoot-out. 

Amelia took us down to ice level winding through the front offices and ice level hallways where we got a chance to see the media room, the hallway the Canucks go through from their locker room to the ice, as well as past the new front door of their locker room. It was so amazing to see the behind-the-scenes set-up.  Then all of a sudden we found ourselves among the ice bunnies and dudes and directly behind Luongo in goal!  Needless to say it was such a thrill to see all the players and game so close.  It was so exciting that I that I almost forgot about the impending experience of people pointing, laughing, and booing.  Amelia gave us waivers to sign, ice booties (like crampons) to put on, and final instructions: all three of us would have 15 pucks each and 45 seconds to get as many of them into the empty net.  I would be shooting from the centre, Matt would be to my right and the other guy would be to my left.  Amelia ended off by saying, she expected each of us to get at least one puck in the net!  At this point my fears and nerves returned and my mind began to race, this time with my own pep talk: 

“Don’t take yourself so seriously, you can do this” 

“Enjoy this moment, it’s a once in a lifetime experience” 

 “You’ve been in much higher pressure situations before…” 

“You’ve welcomed and spoken to the Pope in front of hundreds of thousands of people…” 

“You’ve handled tough media interviews before – if you could do that you can do this – but then again no one ever outwardly pointed, laughed or booed in those situations…” 

My inner pep talk was interrupted by the buzzer signalling the end of the first period and Amelia gestured for us to follow her onto the ice.  I took a deep breath, did a triple sign-of-the-cross, roused my inner Sidney Crosby and set foot on the ice.   

From there, the whole thing was pretty much a blur.  I was grateful the ice wasn’t as slippery as I anticipated and I was especially grateful for Amelia’s REALLY helpful advice.  She firmly yet gently told me to turn around (as I was facing the wrong net) and to move over (as I was standing at the wrong end of the line of pucks if I wanted to shoot from my right side).  I don’t even remember the announcer saying “Go” or anything else he said because I was in my own world.  I was Sidney Crosby ---  I could feel the intensity of shooting those pucks with the speed, accuracy, strength, and skill that would have broken all the records on the super-shot game.  But I did hear Amelia or perhaps it was one of the ice bunnies cheering me on and encouraging me to go faster which lead to the rapid fire of shots at the end of (or just past ) our allotted 45 seconds! 

Matt won the shoot-out with 9 of his 15 pucks in the net and I was happy with my hat-trick (it sounds so much better that way).  I was also proud that I didn’t slip or fall on the ice and managed to meet the get-one-puck-in-the-net expectation.   And of course, I was eager to hear my fearless boss’ (no longer my go-to-friend) judgement of my performance.  Did I embarrass Clay or not?  (I was also grateful that Clay was far enough away that I couldn’t hear his laughing and booing.)  After we returned to our seats, I received a text message from him saying “You did a fine job” and breathed a sigh of relief.  Despite my fears and worries, it was an incredible experience to be on the ice and it was such a thrill to see the Canucks break the 22 year post Christmas game losing streak to the Flyers by a rout!    

   

    

We had a wonderful OYYAM staff Christmas party last night (thanks Clay and family for hosting)! There was good food, good company and a bit of a twist to our annual "Nacho' Gift Exchange". One word describes that particular event: CHAOS!  It was fun though and probably one of the most intense 5 minutes of 2010 for me!

 

 

 

As the evening wound down, I noticed a decoration in the Imoo household. (See picture.) I first looked at the wooden pieces amongst the bits of hay and thought, "This is really nice.  Simple shapes but symbolizing so much."  Then I noticed that Mary is smiling, Baby Jesus is either singing or yawning (it's okay, that's what babies do when their swaddled.)  But then, Joseph's expression caught my attention.  All I could think was why isn't he smiling like Mary?

 

Nicole and I went to mass this morning and the gospel was from Matthew 1:18-25.  The gospel tells us about Joseph and his "Christmas" journey.  Father Rodney Nootebos' homily at mass made me think of these wooden figures with the different facial expressions. I understood now how whomever made the decorative Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus really caught the emotions in it's simplicity.   Fr. Rodney spoke of Joseph's response to his call from God.  Can you imagine what it might have been like for him when he found out that his wife to be as pregnant not by him, but by divine intervention?  And what is the rest of his family, her family and his community going to think of all this?  Okay, he accepted that with a little more encouragement from an Angel of God, but still... add to that the fact that his very pregnant wife has to ride a Donkey all the way to Bethlehem for a census.  Then when they finally get to their destination, they find out that there's no place for them to stay.  Joseph was obviously a loving man and tried his best to make Mary comfortable especially since she was about to give birth.

 

Through all the hardship, Mary is smiling.  As a mother, I can understand, despite some trials during pregnancy, that once that child is born, there is a wave of joy.  Not only that, this child is Jesus!  Our Messiah!  

 

Now back to Joseph.  I'll never forget the look on my husband Sean's face each first time we met our children, Nicole, then James, then Nathan.  There was such joyful bliss and emotion.  You'd think Joseph, being the loving husband and new father that he was, would be smiling.  But how could he?  As Fr. Rodney mentioned in his homily:  Joseph was under a lot of pressure.  With the birth of Jesus, came his responsibilty of being the guardian of the Messiah.  I repeat: THE GUARDIAN of  the MESSIAH!  That's a HUGE responsibility! That's enough pressure to put a sober look on anyone's face.  Once things started to settle, I'm sure he came to realize how truly blessed he was and changed his expression... until of course when they lost Jesus when he was a pre-teen in the temple.  But that's another story...

 

I have just returned from a wonderful trip to New Orleans for the biennial National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry (NCCYM) presented by the USA’s National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM).  So right away, you know this blog is going to be about youth ministry because of the number of acronyms in the opening paragraph.

 

I went with my fellow OYYAM (Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry) staff members along with 4 YM (youth ministry) and YAM (young adult ministry) leaders from SAK (St. Andrew Kim parish…not their official acronym…but I just love saying it…LOL).  Okay, enough with the acronyms for the sake of acronyms.  Acronyms FTW!

 

I’ve been blessed to attend these conferences in the States for the past few years since 2004 (the conference for adults such as this year’s alternates with the conference for teens) but usually I’m flying solo or with one other staff member.  Thus, I was very excited to be joined by Analyn, Faye and Gerard this time as we collectively rubbed shoulders with some of Catholic YM’s most prominent speakers, artists, and workshop leaders.

 

Indeed, it was a fabulous 4 days of faith, fun, food, and fellowship (wait…this sounds like a Spirit Day promo or something):  we got to see old friends as well as make many new ones as we explored the theme of “Marching With the Saints.”

 

But our march was almost relegated to a crawl right off the start.

 

On Thursday afternoon, we made our way to the Exhibitor’s Hall to pick up our credentials (nametags) for the conference.  Gene of APeX Ministries had them at his booth, as he had generously arranged to “sponsor” us for the conference.  We excitedly approached the entrance and peered into the massive hall in the Convention Center (think the size of 2 football fields).

 

That’s when I saw her.

 

A tiny, serious woman stationed at the door.  The only person standing between us and over 100 exhibitors.  I quickly surmised that she was ensuring that everyone was wearing their nametags as their entry to the venue…similar to what we do at Spirit Day.

 

I don’t even know why I tried, but I casually tried to walk past her.

 

“STOP!  You need your badge.”

 

“Our credentials are actually with…”

 

“Doesn’t matter.  You can’t go in.”

 

Normally, at this point I would try and say something charming or at least disarming.  Maybe explaining we were nice Canadians (something we were recognized for quite a bit during the conference…but I’ll save that for another blog) or appealing to my good looks.  But I could tell that neither was going to work:  this one was a non-negotiable.
 

 

I turned back to the rest of the staff after my futile entry attempt.  Knowing Faye’s admirable penchant for sticking to our firm yet fair office policies especially with respect to registration for our events (case in point:  one of our favourite lines in the office is “We’re sold out…even the Pope can’t get in”), the only thing I could say to her was:

 

“Wow Faye…this lady makes you look like a teddy bear!”

 

We erupted into laughter because my statement was both sad and true.  Faye’s really good at what she does; sometimes I’m scared of her.  But even Faye might have trouble holding a candle to this security woman.

 

Our laughter was interrupted by the appearance of Mark Hart (Vice-President of LIFE TEEN and long-time friend of our archdiocese), who, like us, wanted entry into the hall but not yet with his credentials.  After some quick hugs and hellos, Mark was met with the same fate at the door:  he wasn’t allowed in.

 

“But he’s tonight’s Keynote Speaker!” I said through my giggling.

 

As expected, the lady didn’t react to my comment as Mark stood waiting at the door.  Meanwhile, Chris Padgett bellowed from the spotlight stage inside the hall:  “Hey everybody, it’s Mark Hart!  Come join us!”

 

Mark sheepishly pantomimed back that he couldn’t get in.  It was an unintentional brilliant comedic moment.

 

Mark came back to our group and said “I think we can take her if we all split up…we must be faster than her.”

 

Our strategizing was cut short by Gene, who emerged from the hall with our credentials (turns out that Analyn had summoned him via text).  A few seconds later, a LIFE TEEN staff member came out with Mark’s.

 

We greeted Gene and thanked him before donning our nametags.  As we once again approached the door, I complimented the woman for doing a good job.

 

Her quick grin confirmed that she indeed knew how to smile.

 

So we proudly marched into the exhibit hall with a new spring in our step in eager anticipation of what the next few days held in store.

 

 

We’re thrilled to share with you some exciting news:  on September 1, 2010 the former Youth Ministry Office (YMO) of the Archdiocese of Vancouver officially became the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry (OYYAM). 

   

As you are aware, Gerard Garcia was hired as the part-time Consultant for Young Adult Ministry, the first for the archdiocese, back in June.  Later that month, Archbishop Miller approved the name change of our office as we looked to best reflect our expanded services to youth and young adults in the archdiocese. 

   

For youth ministry, the OYYAM will continue to provide parish youth ministry formation through training and support.  For young adult ministry, the OYYAM will aid in the development of young adult ministry through connecting, convening, and consulting. 

   

It’s certainly been and exciting and busy time preparing for this transition.  For the social media types out there, we have pages set up on Facebook (www.facebook.com/oyyamvancouver), Twitter (www.twitter.com/oyyamvancouver) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/oyyamvancouver).  Please feel free to connect with us there if you wish. 

   

As well, we’ve revamped our website at www.oyyam.com.   We’ve replaced the Spotlight feature with a brand new Calendar feature which links to calendars for both youth and young adults.  As always, we plan to have our website play a major role in our ministry. 

   

At 150 Robson, we’re still in the same place in the building, we still have the same staff members and office equipment, but we now have a longer name and added responsibilities!  Come visit us anytime! 

   

In reflecting on how far we’ve come, we are grateful for the work of so many that have paved the way for this to happen.  We ask for your prayers as we continue forging ahead with the transition.  We’ve got a ways to go yet, including designing a new logo, but we’re getting there. 

   

Thanks for your support of the youth and young adults of our archdiocese.  It’s going to be an exciting year! 

   

May God continue to open eyes, touch hearts, and change lives. 

   

OYYAM?  Oh Yeah! 

   

God Bless and Be God’s, 

Clay