When I was a fairly new Youth Minister, I was dating a Veteran Youth Minister, and lucked into attending a "Veteran Youth Ministers" meeting at the OYM. I tried to stay quiet, since I had essentially gained entrance on my boyfriend's coattails, but my ears were wide open. I learned so much from these people. They already knew and understood the things that I was struggling to figure out. They were confident, educated, strong- they'd tried and failed, and tried and succeeded. I wondered what my life would be like when I achieved veteran status.
Well I'm officially in! This week we're gathering again the veterans and I'm one of them. I've been doing YouthMinistry professionally for 10 years now, and working with adolescents for almost 15 years, in various other (secular) capacities.I'm at the point where those vets were so long ago, who I admired so much.
I do feel like a veteran, I have definitely seen and learned and tried a lot of things. I have developed a significant sense of cynicism, experience serious burnout, cried and laughed at the amazing things I've seen happen at kids, felt and known the presence of the Holy Spirit, learned a LOT about this Church and its workings... I've read and read and read as much about Youth Ministry as I have been able to. I've been inspired and enraged. I feel like a veteran-complete with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder!
I can't wait to hear what these veterans have to say. I'm wondering how many of us are in serious burnout mode. I'm curious to hear the differences between the stories of the males and the females. I wonder what people will be saying about the state of YM in the Archdiocese.
I'll keep you posted!
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3 comments:
do you get to wear a funny hat or sash? will you get to march in a parade? I'll come and cheer you on and explain to my children the hard price you paid for their benefit.
Stop the presses!!
Cardinal O'Malley is starting a BLOG!!
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/09/21/to_reach_out_omalley_turns_to_blogging/?p1=email_to_a_friend
I gotta tell ya Margo - I was that newbie in on a vetrean's meeting and I learned so much, said very little. Thank you for being that role model who knows so much, done so much, is confident, strong, and has given me such guidance! I learned more in that meeting than I have all year in my first parish as a professional youth minister. A lot from you - however good or bad it was you had to say. THANK YOU for being someone in the YM world AND in my friend world that I look up to, respect, and learn from! Love ya! Kate D.
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