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Youth pilgrimages to St. Joseph Cathedral

Hundreds of students preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation next spring will be making a pilgrimage to St. Joseph Cathedral in Burlington to meet with Bishop Christopher Coyne and connect with the Diocese of Burlington.

The pilgrimages are planned for Oct. 26, Nov. 16 and Feb. 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and include the 4 p.m. Vigil Mass.

The Diocese of Burlington, through the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis and Youth and Young Adult Ministry, is sponsoring the pilgrimage retreats.

“We had a surprisingly strong response to these retreats, with both October and November filling up quickly,” said Michael Hagan, manager of religious education and catechesis. “Confirmation catechists and parish catechetical leaders shared with us that this is the kind of opportunity they are excited to share with their candidates, and they were glad we were doing these.”

The full October retreat has about 100 candidates and 30 adults planning to attend; the November one is full with about 100 candidates and 25 adults. The February retreat is also full.

“The purpose of the pilgrimage is to connect the youth of Vermont to the larger Diocese, to connect them in a personal way to our shepherd, Bishop Coyne, and to help them grow in their love of Christ and His Church,” explained Bill Gavin, director of youth and young adult ministry. “Bishop Coyne was the originator of the idea. He wanted an opportunity to interact with the confirmandi prior to the day of confirmation.”

Each pilgrimage will include ice breakers, introductions, lunch with Bishop Coyne, a talk about students’ spiritual journeys, a tour of the cathedral, a talk by Bishop Coyne about what he does during the confirmation rite, a talk about the reality of the sacraments (especially confirmation), time for prayer and/or confession and the Vigil Mass.

According to Josh Perry, director of worship for the Diocese of Burlington, a pilgrimage can be described as a sacred journey: In a pilgrimage, there is always an external and an internal component. The external component of a pilgrimage is often the destination. The pilgrim is not an aimless wanderer; rather, he or she is on a journey to somewhere. In the Christian tradition, as well as many other religious traditions, pilgrimages are made to particular holy sites. For Catholics, these holy sites often revolve around the life of Jesus, Mary or the saints. Pilgrimage sites are the tombs of saints, churches particular saints founded or places where the relics of saints are located. In these places, the pilgrim, in a physical way, connects with the history and the life of the Church.

“Pilgrimages also involve an internal component, centered around prayer,” he said. “Pilgrimages are often difficult and involve sacrifice; they invite pilgrims to encounter the unfamiliar, discover the presence of God in new ways, and rely on God in the uncertain and difficult points encountered on a pilgrimage. Pilgrimages take us out of the ordinary way of life, if only for a short time, and give us a way to deepen our faith, connect deeper with the Church (and the Communion of Saints) and honor God.”

Gavin said it is important that young people become familiar with their cathedral, the “cathedra” or “seat” of the bishop of Burlington. “It is where we can be united as Catholics here in the Green Mountain State. The ancient practice of going on a pilgrimage is an important reminder of our earthly pilgrimage that culminates in the heavenly Jerusalem someday in heaven.”

For the youth of the Diocese of Burlington, the pilgrimage to the cathedral is not simply a visit to just another church. “Rather, it is an opportunity for them to leave their day to day activities and reflect on the Sacrament of Confirmation and what that Sacrament might mean for them. In the pilgrimage to the cathedral, they will have the opportunity to venerate the relic of a link of the chains of St. Peter, being reminded that through the Sacrament of Confirmation, they are called to greater unity not just with their parish or even the local Church in Vermont, but with the universal Church,” Perry said.

“We hope that youth will have two major takeaways. First, we hope they become more familiar with the cathedral and Bishop Coyne and recognize the connection their parish has with the wider Catholic Church,” Hagan explained. “Second, we hope that candidates better understand the Sacrament of Confirmation as they continue preparing throughout the year.”

 

Youth ministry fostered priestly vocation for Father Forman

The summer before Patrick Forman entered his freshman year at Rice Memorial High School in South Burlington, his pastor at Christ the King Church in Burlington asked him to represent the parish on a diocesan Catholic Youth Organization retreat. It was the teen’s introduction to diocesan youth ministry, and at a small group Mass there he fell in love with Jesus Christ and the liturgy.

That Mass — at the former diocesan Camp Holy Cross in Colchester — was a moment of grace for the young man: “The Holy Spirit touched my heart, and I fell in love with youth ministry.”

He got involved with various youth retreats — Teen Encounter, Search, Leadership School — and wanted other young people to have the opportunity to encounter Jesus in a meaningful and profound way.

Patrick might have been considering a vocation to the priesthood, but he wasn’t talking about it. One day during his sophomore year at Rice, his English teacher, Sister of Mercy Margaret Mary Lyons, told him he would someday be a priest. He reacted somewhat indifferently, but her words stuck with him.

It wasn’t until his sophomore year at St. Michael’s College in Colchester that he was ready to pursue the idea of becoming a priest.

He and a few of his classmates met with then-diocesan vocations director Father Richard Lavalley (now Monsignor Lavalley, pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church in Winooski) who helped them discern their vocation and even select courses that would be most beneficial to them.

After discerning a vocation to a religious order — the Society of St. Edmund, founders of St. Michael’s College — the young man opted for the Diocese of Burlington.

With a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from St. Michael’s and a master of divinity in scriptural theology from Mount St. Mary Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, Patrick Forman was ordained to the priesthood in 1989 by seventh bishop of Burlington John Marshall.

And throughout his priesthood, Father Forman has been a proponent of vibrant youth ministry programs that give participants the opportunity to connect with Jesus and their peers.

Youth ministry, he said, should help young people deepen their personal relationship with Jesus and discern their vocation, reinforce their goodness and give them a sense of church community that they will want for the rest of their lives.

Before his current assignment as pastor of St. Monica Church in Barre (where he previously served his second priestly assignment as parochial vicar) Father Forman, 56, served at churches in Burlington, Brattleboro, Barton, Irasburg, Orleans, St. Johnsbury and South Burlington.

During his first assignment — as one of two parochial vicars at St. Joseph Parish in Burlington — Father Forman was responsible for youth ministry, religious education, the confirmation program, visiting St. Joseph School and parish CYO basketball. “It was really good to use my experience” with youth ministry, he said, adding that he also celebrated Mass daily, visited the sick and was involved with diocesan youth ministry and Vermont Catholic Singles retreats. “I wasn’t pigeon holed into youth ministry,” he said.

His pastor at the time, Father Bernard Messier, mentored him and showed him “how to be a good parish priest.” His second pastor, Father Norm Nadeau — then pastor of St. Michael Parish in Brattleboro — helped him expand his leadership skills and build confidence, something Father Forman has tried to do with the parochial vicars that have served under his pastorate.

Father Forman serves as state chaplain of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and is a member of the Board of Trustees at St. Michael’s College, the diocesan Building Commission and the Presbyteral Council. He is a past member of the Rice Memorial High School Board.

He always has tried to make sure the parishes he served had religious education/youth ministry/confirmation programs with personal, prayerful components “so we are not just teaching children facts about Jesus but we are introducing them to Jesus,” he said. “We’re learning to meet Jesus and experience the sacraments as encounters with Jesus.”

But he doesn’t just seek to provide youth with a personal encounter with Jesus; that’s something he wants for all of his parishioners. “I want people to feel their soul was touched by God.”

No one ministry of a parish should be its heart because the heart of the parish is Christ — who is the center of everything, Father Forman said. But youth ministry does have a special place in his heart.

—Originally published in the Fall 2019 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.

 

Youth called to a life of holiness

“Dear young people, do not bury your talents, the gifts that God has given you! Do not be afraid to dream of great things!”  — Pope Francis, World Youth Day

“My dear young people, do not yield to false illusions and passing fads which so frequently leave behind a tragic spiritual vacuum! Reject the seduction of wealth, consumerism and the subtle violence sometimes used by the mass media. Worshipping the true God is an authentic act of resistance to all forms of idolatry. Worship Christ: He is the Rock on which to build your future and a world of greater justice and solidarity.”  — St. John Paul II 

“Dear friends, … I would encourage you to be missionaries of joy. We cannot be happy if others are not. Joy has to be shared. Go and tell other young people about your joy at finding the precious treasure which is Jesus himself. We cannot keep the joy of faith to ourselves.”  — Pope Benedict XVI

Recent popes have called the youth of the world to a life of holiness.

Holiness, they have all emphasized, is not something out of reach and only for a select few, but instead the everyday calling of living the beatitudes, loving our neighbor, standing against injustice and being a light to all those we meet.

All saints started out young and found the light of faith planted in them along the way. Some of these saints even died young — like Dominic Savio — and others shed their blood as the ultimate witnesses of faith. We have seen this witness today in places like Syria, China and other countries where Christians are explicitly targeted for their faith.

One example is 26-year-old Kayla Mueller who in 2014 went to Syria to offer humanitarian aid and was murdered by ISIS extremists for being a Christian. There are literally thousands of other examples just like her all over the world just in the past decade.

The Church holds up for us hundreds of examples of modern young saints who have offered spiritual inspiration and nourishment for millions — such as St. Therese or Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati — who both died at the age of 24. These saints all point us forward and higher to heaven.

As summarized by Pope Benedict XVI: “The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness!”

To be a saint is to be great. As Pope Francis poignantly stated a few years ago (quoting a new young Venerable of the Church, Carlo Acutis): “’Everyone is born as an original, but many people end up dying as photocopies’ don’t let that happen to you!” Saints are all unique whereas to embrace a life of sin is to become no different than much of the world.

Many saints and spiritual writers have noted humans are, by nature, homo adorans — adoring beings. It is built into our nature to adore and worship. As Pope John Paul alluded to above, one of the greatest temptations of our modern era is to worship what is not God— for our youth it may be an athlete, politician, a well-known YouTube or TikTok sensation, a movie star or any other famous person.

In the end, all of these ultimately will leave us empty. They are living stumbling blocks to a world that prioritizes and prizes money, wealth, power and prestige.

The saints not only are amazing in the uniqueness of their stories, but they remind us of our ultimate destiny in heaven and the one to whom alone we owe worship.  The saints are all united in one particular virtue —namely, humility.  They are united in knowing before whom they stand and whom they ultimately serve.  They are united in unconditionally loving every human being and in being lights that shine in the world (cf. Phil 2: 15).

In this year of the saints, our prayer is that the youth of Vermont rediscover the treasure of our great “cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12: 1) that have gone before us and who now cheer us on through their prayers and intercession. In the words of St. Ignatius of Loyola, “Ad maiorem Dei gloriam!” (All Glory to God!).

—Bill Gavin is Director of youth and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Burlington.

—Originally published in the Spring 2020 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.

Youth and Young Adult Ministry plans events for faith, community building

As the days of summer come to a close, plans are gearing up for several seasons of energetic, inspiring programs in the Diocese of Burlington.

Isaac Desranleau, diocesan youth and young adult minister, outlined a number of spiritual opportunities including “Bread Retreats” – day-long retreats for high schoolers in which Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist Paul Mary Dreger will guide youth in making bread as a prelude to learning about Jesus’ true presence in the Eucharist.

Sister Dreger explains that retreat participants will have the opportunity to learn about the process of wheat and its unique forms from seed to flour to a loaf of bread.

“Bread is universal. So, every culture in the entire world has some form of bread. Jesus Christ chose bread because everybody can relate to it in one way or another,” Sister Dreger said in a 2022 Vermont Catholic interview.

“This will be a great opportunity to connect with other young Catholics in the area while developing a deeper understanding and reverence for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament,” Desranleau said.

In addition, rising ninth graders through graduating high school seniors are being invited to put Steubenville East 2024 on their calendars. Desranleau explained that “Steubenville East is a New England based retreat where hundreds of Catholic teens come together for a weekend filled with praise and worship, talks, adoration, Mass, opportunities to grow in fellowship, and much more.”

In July, 50 youth from throughout Vermont attended Steubenville East. “We want to bring even more this coming year,” Desranleau said. The event, themed “Illuminate,” is scheduled for July 26-28, 2024, in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Desranleau suggested that youth groups are another great way for youth to get involved with Catholic peers, noting more groups are forming in the Diocese.

Pope Francis, who has a great love and respect for youth, reminds them often that staying connected to their faith, their families and their peers is not only important for them personally, but for the Church, saying, “You are the today of God, the today of the Church. The Church needs you so that she can be fully herself.”

Teens or parents who would like to know if there is a youth group in their area, if they are interested in beginning a youth group, or would like to stay up to date about any youth-focused events, should contact Desranleau at idesranleau@vermontcatholic.org.

Youth and Young Adult Ministry is supported by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal.

Pope Francis’ comments were made during a special audience in the Vatican in 2019 for some 250 youth from more than 100 countries who were participating in the XI International Youth Forum.

 Originally published in the Fall 2023 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.

 

Youth and Family Night

St. Mark Parish in Burlington recently hosted a Youth and Family Night with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal as part of its Lenten parish mission.

The event was one of the highlights of the mission, with more than 50 youth of all ages, along with members of their families, participating in an evening of food, faith and fun.

Shortly after the doors opened at 7 p.m., the St. Mark Youth Center was filled with youth and families engaging in joyful fellowship as a spirit of enthusiasm and excitement pervaded the place. After pizza and snacks, everyone moved into the Youth Center movie theater to hear the friars talk about their life as Franciscans, personal vocation stories and inspiring details from the life of St. Francis.

The Community of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal was founded in 1987 as a new expression of the Franciscan charism, following St. Francis’ mission to rebuild and renew the Church. As consecrated brothers and priests, the friars dedicate their lives to prayer, brotherhood and service to the materially poor and to the Church’s mission of evangelization.

The Youth and Family Night was an example of the friars’ style of evangelization, which is relational and engaging. Following their talks, the friars, youth and families bowled together in the recently renovated St. Mark bowling alley and played other games such as pool, Ping-Pong and air hockey.

Father Dallas St. Peter, Pastor of St. Mark, said of the event: “This evening was not only engaging for the youth, but was also an inspiration to the parents and grandparents who were in attendance. Faith, fellowship and fun are meant to be part of our life as a parish community. This event revived an awareness that our relationship with God is meant to be shared and lived together. The excitement, laughter and joy of this night reflected how God invites us to live together as His children.”

‘Your giving matters’

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer, we become more and more aware of the need for light. It naturally leads us, it guides us, it draws us in. That is why we can so clearly understand what Jesus meant when He said, “I am the light of the world.” He leads us. He guides us. He draws us to Himself.

In this Advent season, we prepare to celebrate once again His coming among us as one like us, born of a mother, raised in a family and destined to be our savior. This is the core of our Catholic faith, and all that we do centers upon the mystery of His birth, death and resurrection. This truth impels us to live out our faith in mission: to preach the Gospel, to live the Gospel and to manifest the Gospel in our works.

We see this in the help we give to people like John, Donna and their three children. Both parents worked, John at a local factory and Donna as a visiting nurse aide, but when they lost their apartment through no fault of their own, they just couldn’t make ends meet. Because of the generosity of people like you, we were there for them. They received emergency aid for a security deposit for a new apartment and a kitchen full of food.

Theirs is not an isolated case. We do so much that goes unheralded except by those we help. They know and you should know that your giving matters. We are 78 percent to our Bishop’s Annual Appeal goal and need your help to reach it by the end of December.

If you have already made a gift, thank you! If not, will you please consider a gift to help us spread the hope of Christ, especially to those in need? Whatever you give, please know of the gratitude of those you help, and of me, your bishop and your friend.

Checks can be payable to Bishop’s Annual Appeal and mailed to 55 Joy Drive, South Burlington, VT 05403 or you can make a gift online: vermontcatholic.org/giveonline.

Peace and joy to you this Advent season.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Christopher J. Coyne

Bishop of Burlington