The Youth Office In order to respond to these challenges and opportunities, the Church's ministry with adolescents needs to enter a new stage in its development. Renewing the Vision is a blueprint for the continued development of effective ministry with young and older adolescents. Its expanded vision and strategy challenges leaders and their faith communities to address these challenges and to invest in young people today. We are confident that the Catholic community will respond by utilizing our considerable creativity, energy, and resources of ministry with adolescents. We are writing to inspire parish, school, and diocesan leaders to continue the fine tradition begun by A Vision of Youth Ministry—a tradition that continues to give birth to effective ministry with new generations of young people.
(Renewing the Vision, USCCB pub, 1996)

We believe that Ministry happens in the parish and we in the Youth Office are here to assist the Coordinators of Youth Ministry (CYM'S) in this endeavor. We do this in various ways:

• Advocate for CYM'S with the pastors, and other parish leadership by meeting with them, sharing information pertinent to the ministry and by offering assistance that supports the comprehensive good of the young in the parish.
• Equipping the Coordinators of Youth Ministry and their teams with education and skills pertinent to the ministry, through, Basic Formation classes and through the Certificate in Youth Ministry Studies.
• Publishing the Policy and Procedures Manual for clarifying and assisting the pastor and CYM in their responsibilities in the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
• Work with the CYO Team Ministers on the evangelization aspect of the CYO program.
• We publish the bi-monthly newsletter Newsnotes and the weekly e-updates to help the CYM'S stay current and network with the opportunities and events, (parish, deanery-wide, regionally and nationally) within our Church.
• Youth Ministry Connect Gatherings take place four times in a year. These gatherings are opportunities for youth ministry leaders to be formed and to network with other leaders in the profession.
• Sponsoring the Middle School Spectacular in October and the High School Spectacular in February allows the Catholic youth of the Archdiocese an experience of the universal church.
• Archdiocesan youth leadership council(login required) to equip youth in leadership skills and empower them to help us remain grounded in what will motivate the youth in our faith communities. Application
• Assisting people to understand the healthy development of youth and the differences between Young Adolescents and Older Adolescents