Two weeks ago, I had the great privilege of attending an
ordination ceremony in Syracuse, New York. But this was no ordinary ordination (as if any ordination is). On May 14, my dear
friend and colleague Nathan Gunn became the first Young Life staff person ever
to be ordained into the permanent diaconate of the Catholic Church.
Immaculate Conception Cathedral was packed. The excitement
was palpable as the trumpets blared and the angelic choir sang the processional
hymn, “Christ be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness.” Nathan’s
lovely wife Tammy, his two teenaged sons, and a whole entourage of friends and
family - Young Life staff and volunteers, Protestants and Catholics, kids and
adults - joined Nathan in prayer, song and reverence. Goosebumps flushed
through my skin as the Gloria rang out, “Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace to people of good will.” I glanced over to see Nathan fighting back
the tears only to find myself caught up in the emotion too. The gravity of the
occasion weighed heavy on my heart. This man was about to be ordained as a
permanent sacramental sign of Jesus Christ, the Lord, who came “to serve and
not be served.”
Young Life has been in Syracuse for a long time, but under
Nathan (now Deacon) Gunn’s leadership the Catholic Church and Young Life have
become real partners in reaching kids for Christ. Notre Dame graduate Brigid
Clary is the youth minister at Holy Cross Catholic Church in town. She says, “I
couldn’t do my job well if Young Life was not in Syracuse. They’re already in
the hallways and at the ball games. YL leaders not only set an example of how
to enter into the lives of kids, but they are constantly inviting me into it!”
Further articulating the relationship, Clary comments:
Young Life staff and Catholic ministers have a real opportunity
to be true partners in the mission. It is challenging as a youth minister
to focus both on evangelization and discipleship. With Young Life’s mission of
reaching every kid, evangelization is happening already. New students are
encountering Jesus every day thanks to the passion of Young Life leaders. The
question to ask is, now what? And I think that is where the Catholic Church can
step in.
Stephanie Cawley, a Young Life area director in North
Syracuse, agrees. “Young Life is great at being on the “turf” of adolescent
culture,” she says. “The Catholic Church is great at offering kids a home that
will nurture them beyond their high school years.” A practicing Catholic
herself, Stephanie recognizes the strengths that both Young Life and the Church
bring to the table. “Young Life excels in building relationships. The Church
excels in sacramental and liturgical living. Both are so valuable as we journey
with Christ.”
Part of Young Life’s success in Syracuse has been their
commitment to reflect the communities they serve. In a metro area that is over
62% Catholic, that has meant being intentional about inviting Catholic
committee members, volunteers and staff into the ministry of Young Life. Nathan says, “At the heart of incarnational
ministry is being representative of the community we serve. As a Mission, it’s both a great challenge and
blessing to find ways to integrate into the worship lives of all the churches
we work with.” That integration has led
to many practical and fruitful collaborations:
combined Wyldlife Clubs, extensive sharing of YL Camps for Summer and
Weekends, Catholic Churches hosting Campaigners, a 10-year tradition of taking
high school students to serve in rural El Salvador, the creation of an inner
city summer service opportunity… the list goes on and on.
Leanne Sherwood, YL area director in Syracuse East, believes
that Catholics should be considered as potential partners in Young Life’s
mission in every area:
If we never invite Catholics into the
ministry of Young Life, we’re really missing a whole segment of the Church. We’re
not utilizing a huge part of the body of Christ. By having Catholic staff and
volunteers on our teams, we’re living out the bigger picture of the kingdom of
God. I can’t overstate how valuable this is and how much of an impact this can
have on your local area!
This is particularly true in areas where Catholicism is so
prevalent. In places like the northeast or the southwest where as much as 98%
of the population is Catholic, one can hardly imagine an effective ministry
strategy without the Catholic Church. Cawley says, “Syracuse has a large
Catholic population. At least half of our ‘churched’ kids grew up in the
Catholic Church. Being on the same team as we reach kids makes both Young Life
and the Church more effective.”
Our staff in Syracuse are dreaming the big dream. What if
Protestants and Catholics came together to lift teens up to Jesus? What if the
relationship between Young Life and the Catholic Church was marked by mutual
support and prayer, healthy communication and shared victories, comfort in
suffering and continual growth in love and humility? The dream is becoming a
reality and we tip our hats to Deacon Gunn and the rest of the YL Syracuse crew
who are making it happen.
