“In light of these insights, our ministry with young adults, who make up approximately 30 percent of the total U.S. population, must be intensified. We need to be a Church that is interested in the lives of these men and women and is willing to invite them into our community. We need to be a Church imbued with a missionary zeal for the Gospel. When young adults accept our invitation, we must welcome them, acknowledge their participation, and make room for them in all aspects of church life. This outreach is especially important to the alienated. The words of Pope Paul VI speak of the importance of this ministry: "Existing circumstances suggest to us that we should devote our attention in particular to young people. . . . It is essential that young people themselves . . . should be ever more zealous in their apostolate to their contemporaries. The Church relies greatly on such help from young people, and we ourselves have repeatedly expressed our full confidence in them." (Sons & Daughters of Light,pp.4)
Mission: We are Christ centered. We strive to provide a vision and services for the development of young adult ministry in the Diocese of Lansing, in its parishes and on its campuses, in order that young adults can experience community within the church and a call to a personal relationship with Christ. We are Catholic Christians (18-30's) who are called, active participation in the life and mission of the Church and good works.
Purpose: The Diocesan Office of Young Adult Ministry, in collaboration with parishes, seeks to fulfill the four goals of young adult ministry as identified in the USCCB document Sons and Daughters of Light :
Goals:
1. Connecting young adults with Jesus Christ
2. Connecting young adults with the Church
3. Connecting young adults with the mission of the Church
4. Connecting young adults with a peer community
Function:
1. Advocating for the importance of ministry with young adults in all ministry settings.
2. Resourcing parishes and campuses and regional settings who wish to start or enhance their young adult ministry.
3. Providing training for parish and campus young adult leaders/ministers, volunteer and paid.
4. Sponsoring diocesan level young adult programming.
Diocesan Young Adult Council meets four times a year to advise the Director of Young Adult Ministry and to assist in planning and carrying out diocesan ministries with young adults.
Veritas is an opportunity for Catholics ages 18-28 to get away from the burdens of every day life to take a weekend to reflect upon their relationship with the Lord. The weekend consists of a series of talks, prayer time, and music geared toward allowing each person an opportunity to grow in holiness, while also allowing time to meet many other young adults from the Diocese of Lansing.