From the Diocesan Youth Office

July 31, 2023

CYM 101 Training Scheduled
A Comprehensive Youth Ministry 101 training will be offered Saturday, Aug. 26, beginning at 10:00am at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 4512 NE 24th Ave.
Those who are contact people to the Diocesan Youth Office are highly recommended to attend this meeting, and if possible, to bring the full core team from their parish as well, according to Diocesan Youth Director Oscar Guzman.
“This workshop helps parish leaders come to a fuller understanding of comprehensive youth ministry as outlined in Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry (USCCB, 1997). The workshop explores the ways that a parish can effectively minister to young people within the context of the parish, including the family and wider community,” said Guzman.
The workshop is open to pastors and associate pastors, deacons, youth ministry coordinators, prospective youth minister leaders, directors of Religious Education, youth ministry teams, youth ministry leaders and volunteers.
Deadline to register is Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 5:00pm and there is no cost to attend. Online training is also available on the diocesan website, amarillodiocese.org/comprehensive-youth-ministry-training-course.
For additional details or to register for the Aug. 26 gathering, please contact Guzman at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 806-383-2243, ext. 118 or via email, [email protected].

Come And See IDENTITY Camp Trial Run
A trial run for the IDENTITY Camp will take place Saturday, Sept. 2 from 10:00am to 7:00pm at Ceta Canyon, 37201 FM 1721.
Cost of the Come and See IDENTITY Camp Trial Run is $20 per person and includes lunch and dinner. Registration can be completed at stannsofcanyon.org/upcoming-retreat.
For more information, please contact Angela Asbill at 806-726-7758 or via email, [email protected]. Asbill added that the launch of IDENTITY Catholic Camps and Retreats is set for the summer of 2024.

Deanery Retreats Being Booked NOW
The Diocesan Youth Office continues to book Deanery Retreats for the 2023-24 school year, according to Diocesan Youth Director Oscar Guzman.
“The time to book these thematic retreats is now,” he said. “We are budgeted for one retreat per deanery, but we can offer two if needed, as long it is in a different cluster.”
The theme of the retreats is Heaven Meets Earth.
“This retreat seeks to teach how this is accomplished for us through the Liturgy of the Word and through the Liturgy of the Eucharist,” Guzman added. “Liturgy unites us in the here and now, with those around the world, as well as with those who have gone before us. Liturgy brings heaven to earth for us. The celebration of the Liturgy is the source and summit of everything we do as a Christian community. It is in the Liturgy that our life as Christians begins and ends. (CCC 1071; Lumen Gentium 11).
“We want to remind deanery youth directors that they can book Deanery retreats through other retreat teams, if that is their intention,” Guzman said. “This is a good opportunity to remind our youth directors that the Diocese of Amarillo encourages all four deaneries to host two retreats for its youth, or one per cluster, each school year. Each deanery is welcome to invite a team to assist with the retreat or put a group together from within its own parish. The Diocesan Youth Office continues to assist parishes that would like to host a deanery retreat with $350 for promotion and general assistance.”
To learn more about youth activities and thematic retreats in the Diocese of Amarillo, please go to the diocesan website, amarillodiocese.org. Go to the Ministries header and click Youth Ministry. Once on the Youth Ministry page, look for the sub menu’s for Deanery Youth Activities and/or Deanery Retreats. For additional information on hosting a retreat, please contact Guzman at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 806-383-2243 ext. 118; via text at 806-670-5278; or via email, [email protected].