Christus Vivit – Christ is Alive!Young people preparing for Confirmation need to know this now more than ever.Christ is alive and seeks to walk with youth in this moment. Confirmation should be a strengthening and the start of renewed zeal for discipleship. Too often, the sacrament is the end instead of the beginning. The end of catechesis; the end...

Get Ready for a New Year of Youth Ministry! Middle School Welcome Back! A Fun Evening for Youth and Parents by Ann Marie Eckert (high school and middle school)Welcome to YOUR Youth Ministry (one-day retreat) by Susan SearleWelcome to Middle School Youth Ministry: Your Passport to New Adventure by Patty SpearWelcome to Middle School Youth Ministry b...

As an artist, I am often inspired to try and imitate or reproduce the beauty I see in nature. With my paint brush, I can sweep colors of paint across a canvas to try and portray the splendor of a brilliant pink, yellow, orange, and purple sunset. Yet, try as I might, my paintings never fully capture the magnificence of the actual sunset. My artistic attempts cannot duplicate the real thing. It’s like traveling to a stunning location and wanting to freeze the moment in a photograph. A picture, even taken with the most expensive camera, still is not as satisfying as being at the location yourself. Of course this begs the question, does art imitate life or does life imitate art? For those who believe in a God of “All Creation,” the answer is always art imitates life. God is the original master or "artist" and humankind might try to replicate the original, but we cannot fully duplicate the master's handiwork. All the natural beauty and mystery that surround us is something we as humans cannot recreate. I can paint a sunset but I cannot originate one. But I can however, look upon a sunset with reverence and honor for the incredible gift of the fleeting beauty it offers. I can stand before a sunset and feel amazed in knowing that I am part of all that is God’s glorious creation. It is humbling to consider that the care of all this mystery and magnificence has been entrusted to us. Our vocation from God is to care for the very creation that inspires us.