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FAITH IN ACTION
By LINDA M. LINONIS
poland
The Youth Ministry of Holy Family Church, 2729 Center Road, boasts an ambitious agenda with projects on the parish, community, greater community and diocesan levels.
Maureen “Marnie” Kelty, director of religious education and youth minister at Holy Family, reported that the youth group has a membership of about 38 young people with a core group of 13 who participate in most, if not all, projects. The age range is eighth-graders who are newly confirmed to seniors in high school.
“Faith in Action” is the group’s motto, which helps direct the projects that the ministry tackles.
“They want to take an active part in making a difference,” said Kelty, who will mark her second year in the position this July. “It’s a group effort when we discuss and pick projects,” she said.
On the parish level, the group has worked to improve the Emmaus House on parish grounds that will be used for parish and community meetings. The youth has done landscaping there.
The ministry also has hosted Advent and Lenten retreats for students along with social events related to the season such as breakfast with Santa and an Easter egg hunt.
Members also assist in decorating the church for various occasions.
In the Poland community, the youth ministry has delivered U.S. flags to veterans at Blackburn Home, Greenbriar Healthcare Center and Sunrise senior retirement community, placed flags at Riverside Cemetery and participated in the Poland Memorial Day parade.
In the greater community, the youth group is teaming with the youth at St. Nicholas Church of Christ Our Savior Parish in Struthers to assist with arrangements for the Purple Cat prom.
Members also have decorated Sister Jerome Corcoran’s “Giving Tree” for the holiday season and participated in the Walk for Life at Boardman Park.
They also did volunteer service at Animal Charity.
In the Diocese of Youngstown, the youth ministry will be involved in Project Grow set June 19 and 20. The two-day retreat at Villa Maria will engage young people in a cleanup and beautification project on South Avenue.
The Rev. Edward Brienz, director of Propagation of the Faith and Missions Office in the diocese, is project coordinator.
Ministry members also will return to Cumberland, Ky., for a mission trip in July.
At the Dorothy Day House, Kelty said the youth group brought donations on the house’s “wish list” that included paper products and cleaning supplies.
Outside at the house of hospitality, Kelty said the youth ministry members were involved in preliminary garden work in anticipation of the big planting day from 9 a.m. to noon today.
Sister Ann McMahon, director of Dorothy Day House, said service by volunteers “is invaluable because there is no paid staff at Dorothy Day. We rely totally on volunteers.”
She said youth groups up to college-age from the Valley and Walsh, Kent and Youngstown State universities are among volunteers.
Sister Ann said vegetables from the garden are used for the meals provided by Dorothy Day House. Meals are from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. They’re served and provided by church and community organizations along with in-house volunteers.