CYO News, by Mary Reilly
Last Sunday’s CYO meeting enabled us to learn about the lives of four people who made it to heaven but are not sure why they were admitted. God never gives up on any of us; and if we do our best and let Him do the rest, we are sure to be there with Him one day. We also acted out Bible stories: Adam and Eve banished from the garden, Moses receives the Ten Commandments, and St. Joseph has two important dreams where an angel spoke to him. Lots of important lessons learned here.
We are about half way through Lent now. It’s very special “desert time” we spend with Christ. His own desert time was His preparation for all the Father was leading Him to do—to ensure our salvation. CYO members—good job—I hope you will all sign up to participate in the Living Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. Rehearsals begins on March 19th (hey, that’s the Feast of St. Joseph!)
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to everyone!!!!!!!!! And especially to Monsignor Sean!!!!!!!!!
CYO Schedule: March 12th-April 7th
March 12th: No meeting (Mrs. Reilly has a family event that day).
March 19th: 7:30-8:45 PM: Rehearsal for the Living Stations the Cross. (Cast, readers and crew only).
March 26th: 9:15-10 PM: Speak to the 8th graders about CYO. Volunteers needed. 7:30-8:10 PM: Stuff the Eggs and CYO confessions. 8-8:45 PM: Rehearsal for Stations of the Cross.
March 27th (Monday): 7-7:45 PM: Speak to 8th Graders about CYO. Volunteers needed.
April 2nd: Easter Egg Hunt after 10 AM Mass. Volunteers needed.
April 2nd: 7:30-9 PM: Dress rehearsal with Spanish ministry for the Stations of the Cross.
April 7th: Arrive at 6:30 PM for final rehearsal of the Stations of the Cross. 7:30 PM: Present the Stations of the Cross.
St. Mark’s High School CYO
St. Mark’s CYO youth group is open to all high school teenagers. Our meetings are typically Sunday evenings (7:30-9 PM) during the school year. We not only learn about our Catholic faith but put faith into action by engaging in numerous service activities including working at an Asbury Park soup kitchen and visiting a local nursing home. We assist at the annual Champion for Life dinner, are servers at the St. Patrick’s Day party at St. Mark’s, and we also present the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday as well as well as run the parish Easter Egg hunts.
CYO is an opportunity to bond with other teens who share our common faith and compassion to serve others. It is also a great social outlet with lots of social events: our Girls and Guys’ Nights, Bowling and Miniature Golf, our annual barbecue, Senior Supper with Monsignor Sean, plus our Thanksgiving and Christmas parties! We have Game Board Night, Leadership Night, Comedy Night and very special guest speakers. If you wish to develop your leadership skills, there are plenty of opportunities for you to lead a meeting or discussion group or design and implement a new CYO activity and then get it organized and completed. Our current and former CYO members have written and directed movies as well as implemented Operation Christmas Child, Operation Cookies for U.S Soldiers in Afghanistan and a charity bike-a-thon into our program. Our annual Christmas wreath sale enables us to donate thousands of dollars to many worthy charities such as Madonna House, St. Denis Doves and the Mission of Mercy– Uganda missions.
Our primary goal in CYO is to make all our teens feel welcomed in our church and to help them realize their special role in knowing, loving and serving God and others through our faith community. CYO members make lifelong friends in our program.