Frequently Asked Questions

What is a missionary and why go on missions?

A MissionYouth missionary is a person who is compelled with the mission to love and serve mankind.  Missionaries are active in going beyond themselves to help others and to share the love that Christ and his Church has for everyone.  They go out with two primary purposes:  to provide humantarian aid to those in need and to share the message of salvation to the people they meet.  MissionYouth goes on missions because people need our help.

Why Evangelize?

The inspiration behind MissionYouth and the need to evangelize came by hearing the words of Pope John II, who said to young people at World Youth Day in 1993, "Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into public places like the first apostles, who preached Christ and the Good News of salvation in the squares of cities, towns and villages. This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel. It is the time to preach it from the rooftops."  While it is good to meet the temporal needs of people, this is not enough.  People are spiritually starving for lack of knowledge of Christ.  MissionYouth wants to get the "Word" out to everyone.  All are called to union with Jesus Christ. 

What type of missions does MissionYouth offer to parishes and youth?

Humanitarian missions introduce young people to the corporal works of mercy while fostering a deeper awareness of the physical needs of others. As the name suggests, "humanitarian" activities involve close contact with people who our youth are less likely to have daily contact with i.e. the poor and elderly. The missions take youth away from their normal sheltered environment and give them a sense that they belong to a much larger world.

Evangelization missions focus on the spiritual needs of those in your community. Just as the first apostles were sent out to "preach the Good News," we are also called to be missionaries for the world. The mission will challenge your young people in a practical way to meet others, share, and build their faith.

Most MissionYouth missions incorporate activities with a balance of both humanitarian and evangelization work. For example, on a mission trip to Mexico, missionaries will roof homes (humanitarian) in the morning and visit with families (evangelization) in the afternoon.

Why are young people generally separated by gender on MissionYouth Missions?

MissionYouth missions are life-changing, character-forming events in the lives of young people.  Our experience has shown that we can better cultivate environments for spiritual and personal growth when young people are separated by gender, especially during the evangelization and humanitarian work.  

While in the company of the opposite sex, high school students in particular, fall somewhere between the extremes of being distracted or insecure around the opposite sex. Removing these distractions enables teens to keep their focus more completely on Christ and their missionary work. The MissionYouth activities also foster deep discussions that eliminate superficiality and competition. The mission creates bonds of friendship and an atmosphere where missionaries can come together and talk about the challenges, struggles, and joys of following Christ. By the end of the mission, the groups have established a strong sense of sisterhood or brotherhood.

On any given mission day there may be a MissionYouth male and female team at one location, however training and mission work should be set-up so that each mission team follows their own schedule.

What is a MissionYouth Team?

MissionYouth Teams are groups of students, friends or parish youth that get together once or twice a month, once for training and once to do either a humanitarian or evangelization mission. An adult Mission Director serves as the organizational head of the group throughout the course of the mission. The Mission Director works directly with a core team of young people to oversee preparation, logistics and mission operations. MissionYouth Missionaries would like to multiply themselves as many times as possible in order to support the Church's mission to re-evangelize the World!

How do I form a MissionYouth group on campus, in a parish or in my local community?

All you need is to identify a group of friends (minimum of 6) to get together one or twice a month. Depending on the interest level at a local high school, college, or parish, you may have several groups made up of 6-15 people. There are four basic approaches you can take in your area:

• Campus Catholic Center: Most colleges have a Campus ministry or a Newman Center that provides activities and projects for the Catholic students. You can approach the coordinator of these campus centers and explain the MissionYouth concept.
   
• College Community Service Office: This office coordinates volunteer work on campuses. Contact the office and ask how MissionYouth can register a booth for the fall or winter volunteer fair. Bring sign up sheets, flyers, brochures, business cards, picture-boards, etc. Make sure your exhibit booth is dynamic and professional.
   
• On Campus: If you have student contacts they can visit the campus center or cafeteria and start talking with students or professors. Be sure that you have necessary approval from appropriate authorities. With approval of the campus office, you can put up flyers to advertise the program throughout the college.
   
• High School Students: You may know high school students organized in either a formal or informal group that would be interested in doing MissionYouth missions. These groups could include:
  • Private High School Clubs
  • Catholic High School Groups or Clubs
  • Parish Youth Groups
  • Home schooling Group

How should I recruit and select the core team members?

Recruitment of your core team should be person-to-person. The Mission Director acts as a mentor for core team members, therefore it is important from the beginning for the Mission Director to establish a rapport with the young people. The Mission Director could either begin with a few select young people, or hold an initial interest meeting at a parish or school and see who shows up. Core Team Members receive a personal invitation through a letter or conversation with the Director. The Director points out qualities which the individual demonstrates and challenges him/her to make the most of this opportunity, growing in personal holiness and bringing others to the knowledge and love of Christ.