TYME OUT Blogs!

It has been two weeks since returning from the National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry in Cleveland, and I continue to reflect back on the many ways I found the experience to be inspiring, challenging and affirming.  I think back in particular to the excellent keynote sessions we experienced and think, more people should have experienced this!   

Well, in a way you can! 

If you haven’t checked out the web site www.mycatholicvoice.com take a look.  You’ll find a site for the NCCYM conference along with many other great events and opportunities.  The NCCYM site has video footage of all the keynotes and audio of other sessions available for download.  In addition, I found a site with sounds and video from a great Catholic musician, Matt Maher, a whole section on preparing for Christmas by Father Richard Rohr, and even a site dedicated to World Youth Day!  Do you remember when Margie traveled to Australia this summer?  You can check out some of the footage from that great pilgrimage, hear our Holy Father’s welcome address or see video from the massive multi-city Stations of the Cross event.

Of course, a virtual experience is just not the same as the real thing – something our culture truly needs to remember.  Virtual reality is fascinating, but certainly no substitute for real human connection: the glance between two people that only they understand, the joke that’s been told so many times at the dinner table but still manages to be funny with each telling, the hand on the shoulder that says, “somehow things will be ok” or the stadium pulsing with energy and anticipation.  For all our modern advances, the human heart, animated by the Holy Spirit continues to amaze and awe me more than anything.  Our God is so very good!

With that said, I hope you’ll still go check out www.mycatholicvoice.com.  I’m sure you’ll find something worthwhile!

Merry Christmas! Ben  

So many times, a confirmation retreat allows young people the time to put all the pieces together about the decision they are about to make.  They certainly are given the time to talk to friends who are going through the exact same process, but then they are also asked to reflect on all the pieces of this decision.  What does it mean to be an adult Catholic in the Church?  What if I don’t agree with everything that the church teaches, should I still be confirmed in the Catholic Church?  What are all the teachings of the church?  These are  just a few of the questions that come to the minds of the Confirmation candidates. 

We have over 60 Confirmation retreats this year that have or will take place at the TYME OUT Youth Center.  The pictures above are from St. Kilian, in Hartford, Confirmation retreat.  The young people who come to us every week, come with real questions.  We pray we are helping them put the pieces together so they can make an educated decision on Confirmation.  We ask everyone to continue to pray for all the retreatants who come to us, so that God will watch over them during this time of discerning.    Thank you in advance for the prayers you send our way.

Peace,

Margie

We often have very busy weeks here at TYME OUT.  You can do a 1 night Growing up Catholic Retreat followed by a one day transition retreat and then a weekend Confirmation retreat.  When that happens, I wonder how am I going to make it through this week?  My drive comes from a speaker/comic strip artist, Jason Kotecki, who has this philosophy of escaping adulthood.  Now, I know you may be thinking we can’t escape adulthood but there are certain ways that kids know how to keep their stress levels down and really enjoy life.  He has a book entitled 8 Ways to Escape Adulthood that outlines the various things we can do to help keep our stress levels down.  8 Ways to Escape Adulthood really helps me make it through those busy weeks.  They remind me to delight in the little things, get curious, dream big, live passionately, play, be honest, have faith, and maintain perspective.   

My favorite is delighting in the little things.  For me that’s what really keeps me grounded and happy.  The other day I went shopping with my husband at Menard’s. While he was looking at snow blowers I wandered over to the Christmas section.  I found the cutest window clings; one was of a reindeer and the other a penguin.  Just seeing those (and buying them) made me so excited for Christmas.  I’m a huge fan of Corey Hart, on the Brewers, and the weekend that they had his bobble head I was going to be out of town.  But Ben, my boss, went to the game and gave me his bobble head.  That made my week and month!!!         

When you’re having a bad day there are so many little things in life that we often overlook in our busyness.  It’s during these busy times of the year at TYME OUT I work extra hard to find or recognize those little things.  They are what keep me going and from not losing my mind.  I just remind myself of the wisdom of the little child, who, when asked to recite the Seven Wonders of the World, thoughtfully replied, “To touch, to taste, to see, to hear, to run, to laugh, and to love.” (Taken from 8 Ways to Escape Adulthood by Jason Kotecki).  So next time you’re stressed just remember those words and delight in the little things!                                                                                                                     Lea                                                                                                                                                                  p.s. I would highly recommend that you check out www.kimandjason.com

(1st picture, Steve Angrisano; 2nd, Matt Maher; 3rd, Candles at the Opening; 4th, the crowd; 5th, the exhibit hall)

This past weekend Lea Romagna and I traveled with Sister Barb Linke, SSND to the National Conference on Catholic Youth ministry in Cleveland, a gathering of nearly 3,000 youth ministers from across the country.  We were welcomed Thursday night with a two hour program including a keynote address by author and researcher Kenda Creasy Dean.  Before the end of the program, we were asked to take “an awareness test.”  You may have seen this on Youtube before. 

 Check it out here… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvKUqmEiA3E. 

You can ask Lea, it took me three tries to actually see the bear!  The first time I was paying too much attention to the basketball players and the second I was looking for a polar bear! 

Is there any point to this all?  As the conference kicked off, hosts Gene and Brad of Apex Ministries invited us to set our expectations aside as we entered into the experience so we could recognize the “moonwalking bears” in our midst.  If one was paying attention, it was easy to recognize God present in surprise interactions between sessions, hugs shared, powerful speakers and presentations, incredible music, the Rock Out Poverty fundraiser Friday night, a beautiful snowfall on Saturday, abundant laughter, and many other unexpected ways. 

When teens come to TYME OUT we invite them to put the outside world on hold for a while and truly enter into the retreat experience.  In fact, as Gene and Brad invited us to do the same, Lea and I looked at each other saying “hmm…where have we heard this before!”  When youth ministers gather from across the states, we need that reminder as well – let go and let God.  For four wonderful days in Cleveland we certainly did!  More from the conference in my next blog.  

In Peace,

Ben Brzeski

Every second Tuesday of the month the halls of TYME OUT, welcome women for their monthly prayer luncheon.  The topics are varied, but always have a spiritual theme.  The second Tuesday of November, the women were allowed to get in touch with their artistic side as Molly Groshek led the women to give Thanks through the work of their hands.

The women took time to embrace the guidance of scripture, silence and art to create a gratitude Mandela or sacred circle prayer.  You can see the fruits of their labor in the pictures.  They prayed together as they began this process, while they were making them, and after they completed their mandelas.  It certainly was a unique experience for the women.  They celebrated with a wonderful lunch prepared by our cook Jen.  It was a lovely morning.

This year during the women’s prayer luncheons, TYME OUT is offering babysitting.  As you can see from the pictures, macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets made for happy little prayer luncheon goers.  The 8 little ones, all 5 years and younger, enjoyed TYME OUT III while mom or grandma got to make her gratitude Mandela. 

Hope to see more of you December 9^th at the next Women’s prayer luncheon!  The topic will be “Living our Vocation: It’s not just for priests and sisters.”

Peace,

Margie