Next Sunday after 5pm mass, the parish will hold a social gathering for young people. It reminds me of when I studied in Ireland in 2007, one day I was on a visit to friends in Marianella in Dublin, I noticed a large group of over hundred young people there. When I inquired from my friends about them, I was surprised to hear that they were not attending the Driving Test Centre there but were intending to register as volunteers for one of the Serve programs organized by the Redemptorist Fathers. They were volunteering to spend the summer holidays working on projects to help the underprivileged and the exploited in developing countries e.g.  water systems in Brazil, teaching work-skills to young girls in Thailand. I discovered that by helping others in this practical way many young people find new meaning in their lives and on their returns carry the experience back with them to their parish, work place, college or classroom. For most of these young people this experience gives a practical meaning to Jesus’ Gospel message of love in action. It is also a good way of communicating the message of Jesus to the people on whose behalf they work. It is a Christian witness that is meaningful in our secular world.

I believe that the Serve program could be a guide to establishing a dialogue between the church and those young people. Despite their indifference towards religion, their materialist outlook, their desire to be successful in material terms they also have goodness, generosity and compassion. I believe that they would respond to the challenge of assisting the poor, the underprivileged and the exploited in the same way that young people who volunteer for the Serve program in Ireland do. This would be a way in which the church can reach out beyond the presbytery and the place of worship to make contact with young people and to preach the gospel to them by actions rather than words.

As Donal Harrington is aware “ Youth ministry is not one-way street. It is ‘for’ young people; it is ‘with’ young people; but it is also by young people.” ( The welcoming Parish, The Columba Press, 2005) This is the way the Serve program works. It takes the clergy out of the church to meet young people, to listen to them, to dialogue with them, and also to excite and challenge them. It gives young people the opportunity to minister to one another as well as bringing a new richness to the way faith is understood and practiced in the community.

Mission to the young should be at the heart of our ministry in our church today. If we want them to be part of our community we have to give them the chance even to make mistakes. It is valuable to provide exciting and challenging social activities to suit their needs. It is very important to treat them with respect by listening, accepting and supporting them. The universal church is living in a time of change and we are all invited to be part of this process, to be builders of the church we want to belong to, a community where everybody is welcome especially the young people.

Baby Bulldogs

Registration is Now Open!

Baby Bulldogs is a weekly meeting for infants, toddlers and their caregivers.  There will be free play followed by music and movement.

Where: Saint Andrew Gymnasium

When: Thursdays from 9:00 am - 9:45 am

Dates: October 10th through December 19th (no class on November 28th)

Cost: $75.00 for one child, $125.00 for two or more children

Register here​​​​​​​

If you have any questions, please contact Anne Japsen at annejapsen@gosaintandrew.com

We look forward to seeing you there!

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