Youth Programs

“Let the children come to me,” (Matthew 19:14) at Immaculata we have taken the recent renovation of our home very seriously, we wanted to give our home a “younger,” “newer” look from the inside out. Of course, we’re not only talking about our material home, we’re also talking about the people whom we serve. We have given birth to a new reality:“Youth Ministry at Immaculata.”

Immaculata has opened her doors again to the many young people of our New England area. We recognize that young people are a special treasure of our Church; we see them as Christ himself sees them: with a look of love and trust. They are the future of the Church. Pope Benedict XVI during his encounter with young people in Brazil gave the youth of the world a mandate: “I send you out, therefore, on the great mission of evangelizing young men and women who have gone astray in this world like sheep without a shepherd. Be apostles of youth. Invite them to walk with you, to have the same experience of faith, hope, and love; to encounter Jesus so that they may feel truly loved, accepted, and able to realize their full potential. May they too may discover the sure ways of the commandments, and, by following them, come to God”.

Through our youth programs, we want to prepare young people for that great mission. We share with them sound and solid Catholic teaching and yet we speak their language. Young people feel at home at Immaculata because they feel understood and loved. In this first year after reopening, we have already hosted a variety of youth programs: last summer we had our first “College age” ACTS retreat as well as a High School ACTS retreat. Our Confirmation programs have been enriched by the participation of a group of College students who work with us in developing and actually presenting our Confirmation retreats. Because of the new life we are breathing into our youth programs, we have already seen an increase in Confirmation retreats and other youth day-programs. Our service to youth is not only “in-house”- we also do outreach to local parishes in serving their youth groups with days of reflection, talks, formation days and youth Masses. Thank God we have some youthful energy, because there is still a lot to do for our youth. God bless you and keep us in your prayers.