Catholic Charities Youth Leadership for Service and Justice

The Youth and Young Adult Ministry & CYO and the Commission on Catholic Community Action, both part of Catholic Charities Health and Human Services, recognized the need to more fully integrate youth ministry and the teaching of Catholic Social Teaching in order to improve the formation of adolescent Catholics and increase the number and quality of future Catholic lay leaders. The result of the collaboration between the two offices is the Catholic Charities Youth Leaders for Service and Justice Program.

The purpose of the program is to integrate the seven principles of Catholic Social teaching (the Human Dignity of every person; the Right to Life, the Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers, the Call to Family and Community Participation, Solidarity with all people, the Option for the Poor and Vulnerable and Care for God’s Creation) into service and justice projects developed and run by Catholic youth who are high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. It is the intent of this effort to imbue Catholic Social Teaching into the participants in the hope of developing future lay Catholic leaders. The project award applications will be reviewed and awarded by a CCYLSJ Commission composed entirely of high school aged Catholic students from both public and Catholic high schools.

The Objectives of the program are:

1. To develop future Catholic lay leaders.
2. To provide for the formation of Catholic high school sophomores, juniors and seniors in Catholic Social Teaching.
3. To provide for opportunities for Catholic high school students to connect Catholic Social Teaching to the activities and programs of Catholic Charities agencies and Catholic health care facilities, thereby learning and practicing in real time Stewardship, Leadership and the Social Mission of the Church.

This page contains:

1. A project application for high school aged Catholics to apply for Catholic Charities Youth Leaders for Service and Justice Project funds. Applications are due November 12, 2008.
2. A list of Catholic Charities and Catholic health care agencies that are eligible for project partnerships.
3. A web link for more in depth information on the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching http://www.osjspm.org/catholic_social_teaching.aspx

For more inn on applying for a Catholic Charities Youth Leaders for Service and Justice Project, please contact Mark Delsander at (216) 334-1261 x25, or mxdelsander@clevelandcatholicharities.org.

Applications

Catholic Charities Youth Leaders for Service and Justice
2008 (Word format)  (PDF format)