“If only parents would do their job at home and support our ministry better!” Ever since youth ministry and faith formation leaders learned that parents are the primary catechists of their children, we have been trying to get those parents to do a better job. We often responded with more mandatory meetings, more homework, worksheets, family resources sent home online or in handouts, and more expectations for families of children and youth seeking sacraments. This approach has not yielded the results we expected or hoped for.

I am excited to announce an addition to our ministry staff. Angel Barrera will join the Center for Ministry Development as a Project Coordinator for Youth Ministry Services on January 5, 2015. Angel has over 10 years of experience in ministry with youth and families in parish, campus ministry and diocesan settings. He holds a Masters of Arts degree in Religious Studies from University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. He has been serving as the Director of Youth Ministry for the Diocese of Brownsville.

My wife and I were visiting our daughter's at their college football game this month. It was a great 59 minutes of football for the home team, until a Hail Mary pass in the last ten seconds gave victory to the other side. This was a surprising and disappointing experience, but it made me think about why we call it a "Hail Mary" pass.