By MARY STADNYK
Associate Editor
Matt Zabrosky is totally OK with saying that the two youth ministry groups in St. Joseph Parish, Millstone Township, do not have any “members.”
That’s because when a person is baptized, he or she automatically becomes a member of the Catholic Church. “They’re already in, they’re already here,” he said.
So Zabrosky’s youth ministry approach is to emphasize discipleship, that the young people are called to be disciples of Christ, and participating in the youth ministry can be a way for them to live out that call through fun, fellowship, service and faith.
The Middle School Youth Group is open to youths in grades six through eight, and the High School Youth Group is open to those in ninth through 12th grades. Each program has its own dedicated coordinator, with Zabrosky overseeing the entire program and serving as the liaison between the groups and the pastor, Father Michael Lang, “who give us his total support.”
The program has 30 adults, a mix of catechists, parents, empty-nesters and retired parishioners, “who have been called by the Holy Spirit to get behind us and help make this work.”
Because the parish’s Men’s Guild and Ladies of St. Joseph provide the financial support needed for both groups, the young people do not have to deal with fundraising activities, Zabrosky said.
He explained that the middle school group – which has 60 registered youths, of whom 18-24 regularly participate – has an advantage over the high school group, since the parish’s “very strong” religious education program serves as a natural pool from which to draw middle schoolers. The high school group has contact information for 30 youths, but only eight to 12 of them participate regularly. However, the youth ministry has been working hard to expand the High School Youth Group as the middle-schoolers feed into it.
“A lot of times the thinking is that once a youth is confirmed [in eighth grade] and they go on to high school, they’re done with going to church,” Zabrosky said, “and we want to change that thinking.”
The offerings the youth groups have organized and enjoyed the most are those that involve the entire parish. The “All Saints Candy Swap,” which takes place after Mass on All Saints Day, Nov. 1, is open to all, no matter what their age, and participants are invited to bring their trick-or-treating candy and swap their treats with others. The Living Stations of the Cross during Lent also has been successful, with the support of the entire parish.
People also enjoy the annual “Outdoor Family Movie Night,” which this year was scheduled for Aug. 9, Zabrosky said. The evening begins with games and activities for the entire family at 7 p.m., with the movie starting at sunset. A large screen is set up outdoors, and everyone is asked to bring lawn chairs or blankets and snacks.
“You don’t have to be a parishioner or even Catholic to attend the Family Movie Night,” Zabrosky said, noting that the mantra he tries to emphasize is “Come as you are, come when you can.”
“We are Catholic and are open to everyone,” he said.
Youth group members pause for a photo before entering Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson for the New Jersey Catholic Youth Rally in May.