Colleen Trevisani

Full Name: Colleen Trevisani

Member Type: Associate

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I love teaching, talking about faith, and working with children, teens, and adults. My dream job is to lead a team of innovative thinkers to build communities that help individuals and families grow in faith. At this time, I am focused especially on how parents raise their children as faith filled people. I believe that I am being called to work with others to unite best practices of Catholic school education, faith formation, and homeschool to build up the domestic church and create missional communities. I want to create communities of formation and mission – connect households within neighborhoods to work for good.

How has being a member of NFCYM helped you and your ministry to young people?
NFCYM is a great asset to all involved in youth ministry. Participating in professional development, especially in these last few months, has enabled me to stay connected to conversations about the best practices in the field. Youth, parents, and volunteer leaders have also benefited through attending NCYC. In addition to the actual conference, preparing for an experience like NCYC helps the whole group to grow spiritually and as a community during the preparation time.

What does accompaniment mean to you and how has NFCYM accompanied you?
To accompany is to walk with. I think of the story of the Road to Emmaus and how Jesus walks with, listens, and discusses in a way that opens hearts. NFCYM has focused on sharing best practices and research to inform action. In this more distanced time, NFCYM has continued to bring people into conversation with one another to share the hopes and struggles of ministry.

Why ministry? Why do you do what you do?
I have been called to use my gifts at the service of the mission of the Church, to help form people in faith and draw them closer to life in Christ.

If you could share one thing with other ministers, parents, families, and clergy, that you have learned throughout your experience ministering what would it be? 
You are the “tool” with which you minister. This phrase from one of my graduate classes became very real to me as I found that it was necessarily to prioritize my own spiritual growth, healthy marriage, and family life in order to best minister to and with others in a professional way.

NFCYM members can ask me about…
Theology, spirituality, curriculum design, long term planning, personal productivity and efficiency, organizational leadership and visioning, social media and web management, fundraising/development