Resurrection Youth Ministry
by Mike Duck
High-LI strengthens leadership and spirituality skills.
They came from all over to the Msgr. O'Dwyer Retreat House. Some were from outside of the Archdiocese. Some weren't even Catholic. But all left, ten days later, as different people. They left as leaders.
Over the course of the summer, 5 young people from Resurrection attended the well-loved and much-talked-of program known as the High school Leadership Institute, or "High-Li". Mike Duck attended session one, and Meghan Casey, Chris Canizaro, Marc Hoffman, and Joe Lombardo attended session three.
As any graduate of the program will tell you, High-Li is an "intense leadership training experience" run by the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Time is spent practicing public speaking skills, working in committees, running meetings, practicing time and stress management, and learning how to function as a leader. However, unlike most other leadership training programs, High-Li's focus is on Christian leadership, meaning that participants study things such as liturgy planning and bringing values and convictions into leadership, and a great deal of time is also spent in prayer services or in liturgies.
Nonetheless, much of the experience involved meeting lots of new people and forming new friendships. Over ten days, as one sweats in the largely un-airconditioned retreat house and constantly interacts with the same people, a great deal of bonding occurs.
A large number of memorable activities were carried out over the ten-day program. As a way of working on public speaking skills, each participant was videotaped as he or she read an oral interpretive reading, and then again as each read a three-minute speech. Participants are also responsible for planning liturgies and prayer services, and for planning three social events. A highlight for many was the overnight camping trip.
High-LI is an annual program which is open to all high school youth going into grades eleven or twelve. For more information about the program, call Amy McClain at 410-461-9111 ext. 206, or talk to any of this year's graduates of the program. They'll be happy to share their experiences!
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by Amy McClain
Last weekend, was one of those weekends. You have all had them, I'm sure. A weekend full of much anticipated events which, when it finally arrives, leaves you full of enthusiasm yet with a fair dose of exhaustion. That was the case for me. The weekend began with the long-awaited Region XIV Youth Conference in Dewey Beach, Delaware and ended with the fabulous performance of the Song of Mark. It was a weekend which confirmed for me the things I value about being Catholic.
The weekend rekindled in me a sense of all that is important about this faith. Too often, it is easy to forget to recharge our batteries, to take time and gather strength from each other. Let me explain.
The regional conference focused on what it means to be Catholic. The theme gave the popular Sprite commercial a new twist: image is nothing . . . Christ is everything . . . Be Catholic! Part of being Catholic is being a valued, as well as a valuable, member of a community. This was brought forth through the many new people I met and in the old friends I caught up with throughout the weekend. I felt truly alive when I was around such talented people who were willing and excited to share their faith. I recharged by listening to the stories shared by Joe Lombardo, Mike Duck, Elizabeth Neidig, and Marc Hoffman during a skill session on understanding, living, and proclaiming God's word. I felt blest to have a chance to share in their journeys.
A little tired, we returned to Resurrection Sunday afternoon to relax and listen to the Song of Mark. After a fast-paced weekend, I was looking forward to a chance to unwind and simply "be". Instead, I found the music energized me and filled me with an awareness I had not anticipated. As I experienced this telling of the stories of Mark's Gospel, I realized that there is a very real passion in there. We, as Christians, are called to be a people passionate about the work of Christ. And so, finding ways of staying charged is invaluable!
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by Pam Bradley
Many local youth spent their summers relaxing, vacationing, or watching TV. Others attended summer school, and still others held summer jobs. However, a group of 12 youth and two adults from Resurrection have spent the week of Aug. 4 - 10 working in a different way: they were attending Workcamp 1996, an intense week full of hard work and prayer.
This year's Workcamp gave participants a chance to put the Christian teachings of social justice into action. Working in Chestertown on Maryland's Eastern Shore, participants rebuilt and rehabilitated homes with a program called Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat for Humanity, headquartered in Americus, Ga. , has over 1,100 affiliates, including 16 in Maryland. Habitat for Humanity is a Christian ministry that "believes that all human beings deserve a simple, decent place to live on terms that they can afford to pay", according to its mission statement. Building and renovating homes is no small task and requires donated material and labor provided by volunteers, such as the members of Resurrection's Youth Ministry who headed to Chestertown this August.
Amy McClain, Resurrection's Coordinator of Youth Ministry, who has volunteered with Habitat or Humanity before, urged Youth Group members to attend Workcamp. To help focus potential participants on the meaning of Workcamp, McClain asked each person who planned on attending to write a letter explaining, among other things, why they wanted to attend and how they would prepare for the trip.
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by Chris Canizaro
"Let me extend a warm invitation and welcome you..."
Hello out there! I hope you enjoyed our first issue of The Word. I also hope that it has encouraged those of you who are not involved with youth ministry to see what we're all about. For those who have not tried a youth ministry event in the past, let me extend a warm invitation and welcome you to participate in the numerous activities which are planned for the year. If you want information about these activities, most of which are covered in The Word, if you have an article you would like to submit, or if you have any questions or comments, please contact Amy McClain at the church at (410) 461-9111 ext.206. She will be able to answer all your questions. For those of you who are regulars, let me say "Hi" and thank you for sharing your gifts with us. Hope you enjoy this edition of The Word!
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Sandwiches for the Homeless
by Joe Lombardo
This past summer, the Confirmation Retreat team embarked on a face to face encounter with poverty in America and what poor Americans go through every day. The project is called "Sandwiches for the Homeless". Besides building team rapport, the project also gave team members a chance to give back to God, if even a small way, in thanksgiving for all God has given them. All who attended were surprised at how quickly we gave away our sandwiches. It is hoped that the program will continue in the coming months. Watch the church bulletin for dates and times.
Make the community a better place. Be a part of Resurrection's Youth Subcommittee on Social Justice. Call Amy at 461-9111 ext. 206.
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by Dan Bradley
"In answer to the sound and fashions of Disco, a new music form came into being. The new Punk music was loud and raucous . . . Punk music was real."
Punk: Just safety pins and razorblades, or something more?
This issue, surprise-surprise, I actually have a topic for Music Box. I'm proud.
What images are conjured up in your mind when you hear the word " Punk"? Do you think of young malcontents, clad in leather; bedecked in chains, spikes, and safety pins? Do you think of the ubiquitous mohawk in liberty spikes? Well, when your mind conjures up these stereotypes, for the most part you're probably justified.
You are not, however, justified in seeing all punk rockers as criminal anarchists, ill-at-ease with doing things the "right way". Some might be, but, more often than not, what punks are ill-at-ease with is the majority of society not doing things the "right way".
Before I go into this though, allow me to digress on the history of Punk Music.
Flashback! It's the early-to middle-70's. Disco is all the rage. Bellbottoms and Polyester clothes fill the racks at the department stores. Platform shoes are in the display windows at the shoe stores. "Star Wars" is in the theaters. The Village People are on the radio. Most teens were content with the sterile, artificial sounds of electronic Disco. However, a lot of teens were not.
In answer to the sound and fashions of Disco, a new music form came into being. The new Punk music was loud and raucous, played with just guitars, bass and drums. Rather than elaborate keyboards producing artificial sounds, Punk music was real. In opposition to Disco fashions, Punk rockers wore denim and leather jackets. Spikes and safety pins, rather than pinkie rings and gold chains. Long hair, and, sometimes mohawks, rather than Pompadours. Some early pioneers of punk were The Ramones, in America, and The Sex Pistols, in the U.K..
Like Disco, Punk Music largely dropped out of sight in the 80's, but it didn't die. Instead, it grew up.
With a great deal of rebelliousness out of its collective system, Punk had an opportunity to take on a bit of maturity. With bands like Bad Religion leading the way, Punk became a little more intelligent, and continues to be so today.
A lot of modern punk bands are more socially conscious than they appear, and deserve more credit than they are given. A large theme in punk music, and also punk society, is that of racial unity. An example of this is the song "Avenues & Alleyways" by Rancid, which describes the friendship of the white singer and his black friend, and how the media subverts, and exacerbates the situation of racial tension in America today. Similar in theme is the song " The KKK Took My Baby Away" by The Ramones. Although, "KKK" is a much less serious song.
In terms of general intelligence, though, Bad Religion shines among the rest. Not only did Bad Religion write some of the most intelligent music of the time (and still does), they started their own label, Epitaph Records, when they failed to find a label that would sign them. Some of Bad Religion's songs that show this drive and intellect are; "Modern Man", the current single " Going for a walk", and " 21st Century Digital Boy".
I'm not going to formally review any albums this column, as I've already taken up quite a bit of space. I will, however, recommend some albums for you to peruse as you wish.
RANCID: And Out Come the Wolves… Featuring the songs: Roots Radicals, Timebomb, Ruby Soho, and the aforementioned Avenues & Alleyways ( Punk in Ska, Man! Can't beat that!)
Ramones: Ramones Mania A "great hits" album featuring: "KKK Took My Baby Away", "Blitzkreig Bop", and "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker"
Bad Religion:: Stranger Than Fiction featuring : "Stranger Than Fiction" and "21st Century Digital Boy"
Bad Religion:: The Gray Race
with new guitarist Brian Baker, featuring: "Going For A Walk"and "Punk Rock Song"
Some other bands worth checking out are, NOFX, Face to Face, and Goldfinger. Next issue, I'll be reviewing the phenomena known as GRUNGE!
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by Matt Horne
Last summer, I participated in a social justice program in the city called Justice Action Week (JAW). This 'week' was actually just four days long, but four days that have changed my life. JAW is a program set up for the Catholic youth of Baltimore and surrounding cities. When I was selected to go I wasn't really excited. I was just going to make Ruth and Joanne happy, but when I got there and started to meet people it changed my outlook and opened my eyes. The first night we did a few ice-breakers and we began to adjust to each other. On the second day we went into the city and saw the life behind the scenes. I met people at the Cal Ripken Learning Center that had changed their lives around to achieve their G.E.D.'s. The will and dedication inspired me to believe that I can do anything. Then on Tuesday, we went to Christopher Place, a homeless shelter for men that are unemployed. We worked by cleaning up and organizing parts of the center. This was a real eye-opener because I met a former McDonald's auditor, a former Baltimore City cop, and heard of many other men that had been through there with various backgrounds. I realized that all the homeless weren't just lazy, they just had other problems.
We also went to the courts and learned how they worked, which may come in handy, and saw what goes into a case. On our final day we helped paint a community in Baltimore that was run-down. The people we helped were very grateful and they showed it in their smiles.
This was definitely an experience I would love to do again and I encourage others to try doing it too.
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