When I was a teen, my mom saw that there wasn’t anything offered for Hispanic teens and young adults at our parish. Drawing from her experience as a young person involved in Pastoral Juvenil in Puerto Rico, she started the ministry.

It was not until I was in my thirties that I realized just how that experience shaped so much of who I am and planted seeds that prepared me for who and where I am today, and molded my approach to ministry with young people. It is why I believe everyone is invited, why I advocate for the protagonism of youth, and why experiences of Church need to extend beyond our parish walls.

It Is a Group Effort and Age Does Not Matter

Our meetings gathered high schoolers and young adults in line with the age categories of “youth” in Latin countries. A big “rite of passage” was attending weekend retreats called Experiencia Cristo when you turned sixteen. It was held a few times a year and drew Hispanic young people from the Diocese of Orlando. It was the event we all looked forward to!

Everything changed after I attended because I was invited to the leadership team. It was mostly made up of peers aged sixteen to mid-twenties. We gave the talks, served as small group leaders, and guided retreatants as protagonists of pastoral action. Our team also included the music ministry and a few adults – the cooks, marriage talk couple, and coordinator.

I learned that everyone had a role to play. As Pope Francis mentioned in Christus Vivit, “Youth ministry has to be synodal” (CV 206). That included not only adults and youth, but also adults and youth of varying ages, working together as a team to share in one mission.

We Were Trusted to Lead

I was brand-new to the team and given a talk as my first assignment. I was being trusted to speak at a reputable retreat experience where over 60 other young people from various cities in the Diocese of Orlando would attend. To that, add the retreat coordinator and the rest of the experienced team, and you have a recipe for potential major embarrassment.

I mostly remember the moment around the talk. We had to spend an hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament before our talks. I remember going over my index card (I will not be offended if you need to look up what those are) until it was my turn to speak. As I gave the talk, my index cards were rearranged as my mind jumped from one thing to another. It was real-time “Spirit editing”!

I experienced the Holy Spirit in a way I had never experienced before. I felt like my words were being led by something twenty steps ahead of me, and I was just catching up. During our team review that evening, everyone expressed how amazed they were – they didn’t see it coming, and neither did I. Had I not been invited, guided, and trusted, that formative experience of God in us and through us would not have happened.

I learned that young people are capable of real responsibility and participation. Often, leaving everyone amazed at what God can do.

By the time I turned seventeen, my mom left the youth ministry to a group of us teens and young adults. We ran the weekly meetings and continued to be in the Experiencia Cristo team and in experiences across parish, diocesan, and even state lines.

Beyond Our Parish Walls

We traveled to other parishes and participated in meetings and retreats with peers in other cities. Peers we met through the retreats and programs like the Pascua Juvenil. A one-day conference-style gathering on Holy Saturday, where we gathered to conclude our Lenten journey and celebrate the Easter Vigil. We also participated in a Catholic youth rally in Universal Orlando (a perk of living in Central Florida!) and went on a pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Denver, CO.

Through these experiences, I learned what it meant to be a Catholic – universal – Church. I knew I was the Church of my time and that I had a voice within her.

A Path for Ministry Today

Accompaniment, synodality, protagonism, and terms like the “now of God” (CV 178) are not just words. When done with intentionality, they can change the trajectory of a young life.

Invite young people to step into true leadership roles and equip them to do their best. Bring adults and young people of varying ages and walks of life together in shared mission. Give young people opportunities to experience the beauty of the universal Church. Remind them always that they are not in a waiting room, but that God calls them to be his Church now.

A Few Practical Takeaways

1. Trust young people with meaningful leadership. When young people are given real responsibility, accompanied well, and empowered to lead, they often discover gifts they never knew they had.

2. Build ministry as an intergenerational team. Young people and adults each have unique gifts. Ministry is strongest when everyone shares responsibility for the mission.

3. Help young people experience the wider Church. Retreats, diocesan events, pilgrimages, and connections beyond the parish help young people recognize they belong to something much larger than themselves.

4. Accompaniment creates a lasting impact. A single invitation, a trusted mentor, or one formative experience can shape a young person’s faith and vocation for years to come.

5. Remember that young people are the Church today. They are not simply preparing for future leadership. They are called to participate, serve, and proclaim the Gospel in the present.