PACK Update!

We are well into our second month of high school youth ministry for the year of 2015-2016!  With over twenty teens enrolled and nearly twenty at each of our meetings, the Holy Spirit is working in overdrive!

So far, we have tackled several topics close to the heart of Catholic teens:  peer pressure, stress, faith-based decision-making, and apologetics (featuring special guest Wendy Karczewski from St. Paul's).  We prayed for the Pope's apostolic trip to the United States and united our prayers with those of the Virgin Mary with a decade of the Rosary.  We've also enjoyed a lot of games such as human foosball!

Last Sunday, we delved into the lives of St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Francis of Assisi, whose feast days were celebrated at the beginning of this month.  The youth chose sides and made their case for which of these saints was the best.  Those who were "For Francis" made the claim that our current Pope is named after the beloved patron of animals while those on "Team Thérèse pointed out that her parents are on the way to sainthood!  It was certainly a passionate discussion!

In a few weeks, we will be joining youth from across the Diocese and across the state for the annual Respect Life Conference.  This year, the event is being held in Tallahassee and is being sponsored by the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee.  Their special youth track is taking place of our annual youth rally.  It will be a great time.  Visit https://sites.google.com/site/ptlittlefloweryouth/trips-and-events/diocesan-youth-rally-2015 for details.  The deadline to register is next Sunday!

The Year Has Begun!

Sunday night, PACK kicked off the year of high school youth ministry with a bang with Respectable Me!  With a scavenger hunt built around the virtues, seven new members joined our faithful PACKers for a rousing night of fun and fellowship.  It all began with a prayer service calling upon the Holy Spirit to endow the youth and the world with the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love as well as the cardinal virtues of temperance, justice, prudence, and fortitude.  Then, the youth had a chance to bond together by filling out Venn Diagrams in groups of three in order to discover what makes them unique as well as what unites them together.

Then, the game was afoot as the group moved outside in three teams and raced across the basketball court to pick up clues to a scavenger hunt.  Some of the clues contained trivia questions about Catholicism and the yellow, cartoon minions who inspired our theme.  Others had QR codes which either lead to stickers hidden throughout the property or challenged the youth to find certain items and take pictures of certain things or certain people.  The competition was fierce, and the winning group earned over 160 points and won a giant jar of candy!  Door prizes were also given out, including glow sticks, minions stickers, stick-on mustaches, a Rosary bracelet, and a Life picture book on Pope Saint John Paul II!

But, it's only the beginning!  This Sunday, we will gather again at 5 PM for Saying No, a night on peer pressure, which comes in both positive and negative varieties.  The youth have decided to focus on advocacy this year, so we are focusing on applying the faith in real-world situations faced by modern teenagers.

There will be no meeting Labor Day weekend, but we will be participating in the Labor Day Fair in the front parking lot of the church on Saturday, September 5 from 9-2:30 PM.  Details to follow soon!

S.A.Y.N.T.S. Everyday Superheroes Lock-In

This weekend marked our fourth trip to St. Anne's for their annual lock-in.  Despite little sleep (no sleep actually), it was a pleasant adventure for eight of our teens.  The theme was "Everyday Superheroes" and focused on the training (prayer), weaknesses (temptations and sins), and equipment (sacraments and sacramentals) associated with being a saint. 

After Fr. George said the 4 P.M. Vigil Mass, over fifty teens from various parishes went to Superhero University and engaged in a variety of activities to gauge their superhero talents including obstacle courses, weightlifting, and intellectual and mental challenges.

On the spiritual side, Fr. George, Fr. Joe, and Fr. Richard offered confessions and a holy hour.  AS the night wore on, both teens and adults engaged in rousing games of Nerf war, dodgeball (a favorite at these annual events), volleyball, and basketball.  By the time we were done cleaning at 8 A.M. on Sunday morning, everyone was ready for a much-needed nap!

Special thanks to the adult and youth team of St. Anne's for coordinating, planning, and leading such a wonderful event!

A Brave New World

As we gear up for a new year, PACK has entered the worlds of Twitter and Instagram.
Twitter: @PACK_LFYouth
Instagram: pack_lfyouth

Plus, we are still using the wonderful capabilities of Remind to send text message reminders directly to our youth.
To Register for Remind Messages:
Text @lfpack to 81010 or (620) 614-9078

While we're at it, did you know Little Flower has a new parish website? Check it out!
Parish Website: http://littleflower.ptdiocese.org/

Finally, our old Facebook pages are still going strong. Be sure to join our group and like our page!
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/303300136370435/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LFPACK

"We should not overlook the fact that those who for whatever reason lack access to social media run the risk of being left behind.”

                  ~ Pope Francis in his Message for the 48th World Communications Day, January 24, 2014