A
History of WWCCR
Youth and the Spirit
by Sharon Fox and Tammie Stevens
Catholic Charismatic Renewal got its start with young people.
During a Duquesne
University retreat, many college
students in their twenties experienced what we now call baptism in the Holy
Spirit. Because those college students told their friends, and they told
their friends, we now have thousands and thousands of people who have
benefited from their witness, and Catholic Charismatic Renewal was born.
In Western Washington, young people
have been involved in the Renewal from the beginning. Of course, we were all
younger back then. You may have been a young married couple when you first got
involved. You could have been a teenager who got involved first and had your
parents investigate to see what you “were up to now.” You may have had your mom
bribe you with something special to get you to attend a youth retreat. You and
your siblings might have watched your parents as they experienced new life in
the spirit (you may have thought that they were strange at the time, but it did
positively affected your own spiritual life). A youth minister may have inspired
a deeper relationship with Jesus in you, after his or her own participation in a
Holy Spirit seminar. There are many ways that Charismatic Renewal has influenced
and built up the young people in our area and vice versa.
Early Conference Youth Tracks
Looking through our annual conference archives, we have found
that a youth track or workshops have been offered at least 20 times. In 1979,
two people from Franciscan University of Steubenville presented the youth
workshops. Since then, ministry to youth has been done usually by local
Washington
people. Jack and Mary McCann and Jay DeFolco (before he was ordained)
coordinated the youth track for the conference in 1980 & 1981. For the next few
years, Reach Youth Ministries with Tim Briffett or the Catholic Youth Renewal
Team (CYRT) with Randy and Theresa Anderson provided the youth ministry.
CYRT was an independent ministry in the beginning, born out
of a desire to provide something distinctively Charismatic for Catholic youth.
Collaboration between CYRT and WWCCR was evident from their early formation and
eventually it seemed reasonable for them to come under the umbrella of the WWCCR
organization. Randy and Theresa Anderson were the founders of CYRT, but this
ministry continued even after they left the area due to a job change.
In 1988-89, the ministry to youth underwent a transition of
leadership and vision. For a year, a group of young adults met monthly and
prayed and discussed what kind of Charismatic youth ministry we could offer to
the Archdiocese that would complement and supplement regular parish youth
ministry. These discussions led to the beginning of monthly youth rallies and
offering occasional retreats. Tim Briffett, who started the Reach Youth Ministry
in Yakima, WA,
was invited to help train the interested youth and adults who would help at the
rallies. The youth rallies lasted three hours and included praise and worship,
dramas, teaching and small groups presented in a way in which young people could
relate.
During the summer of 1991, the steering committee discovered
that they were spending as much time and energy preparing for the rallies as
they did for retreats. They found that retreats were more effective because they
were better attended and there was more time to build relationships and share
the gospel. The decision was made to focus on providing retreats and team
development.
Since then the YMT has been offering quarterly retreats and
the youth track at the annual WWCCR conference. During a typical retreat,
members of the YMT present five teachings: “Coming to Know Jesus,” “Choose
Life,” “Lord Change Me”, “Spiritual Gifts/Baptism in the Holy Spirit,” and
“Equipping for the Journey.” Between teachings, there are personal testimonies,
dramas that relate to the teaching, small group sharing and discussion time.
There are also other planned activities, meals, and some free time. Mass is
usually Saturday night, with prayer time (and prayer teams) following. If the
priest has time available before or after Mass, he will be invited to do one or
more of the teachings and/or be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The schedule is always packed, and there is plenty of fun and fellowship.
The people involved on the Team change from year to year, as
would be expected as young people go off to college or get jobs. Inviting
and training new Team members is an integral part of the work of the Team. The
youth who participate in YMT events often express interest in becoming part of
the Team themselves. There are certain criteria that have been established over
the years to help us incorporate new members onto the YMT. These same criteria
are applied also to young adults and even parents who indicate an interest. Team
Members see their own faith grow as they learn to trust and share the love of
Jesus with others. They learn to trust the Lord in new ways as they pray and
prepare to give a talk or act in a drama. Often the younger team members begin
to recognize how much they have grown when they notice new retreatants being
disruptive or trying to sneak out of a retreat cabin like they used to do. They
are an effective witness because they can relate to the desires, needs and hopes
of their peers.
In addition to its regular ministry, the YMT has been invited
to offer retreats for local parishes. They have offered workshops at the annual
ACCY (Archdiocesan Youth) Convention. During the Jubilee year, five members of
the team were able to participate in the Youth Arise Conference and World Youth
Day, both in Italy
and Toronto. This summer another group is planning to go to
Germany, again for the Youth Arise Conference
and World Youth Day.
The future is bright with promise as people of all ages are
being invited into a deeper relationship with Jesus and the Church. Together,
may we bring God glory as we serve His people.
