Announcing:
Saint Mary's Press winner for the week of October 11, 2010!
Congratulations to Annette Blascoe!

Annette will receive a copy of The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Second Edition, a $19.95 value.

The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Second Edition is an understandable and down-to-earth guide to all things Catholic. This book is an eye-opener and a page-turner, whether you are brushing up on specific Catholic terms and concepts or learning them for the first time. The Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has found this catechetical text, copyright 2008, to be in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Now Available! Online correlation to the U.S. Bishops' High School curriculum framework Click here!

The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth, Second Edition
ISBN: 978-0-88489-987-7, paper, 480 pages

Training Youth Retreat Leaders
By Steven McGlaun

A few weeks ago, I asked readers to suggest topics for The Servant Leader. In the coming months, we will address topics you have asked for; however, you can still suggest topics at this link. Over the next few weeks, we are going to address the first request submitted: retreats and training students as servant leaders. During my time as a youth minister and campus minister, one of the greatest joys and frustrations I experienced was the training of young people to actively lead retreats. It is an amazing thing to witness a young person sharing her or his faith story with peers. It is truly a sacred moment, witnessing a teen leading prayer or praying one-on-one with another youth. It can also be exhausting to prepare young people to lead retreats. It can be frustrating when the excitement and enthusiasm a youth felt about leading a retreat gives way to indifference or overcommitment when the work of preparing kicks in. So how do you prepare your retreat team to succeed? In this and the next issue of The Servant Leader, we will explore calling together a youth retreat team and how to work with them in their role as servant leaders. This week we will look at the expectations we have for the retreat team, the makeup of the team, and defining roles for the team.

Expectations for Youth Retreat Leaders
As a starting point, ask yourself, "Why are we calling together a youth retreat team?" Perhaps your parish or school has always had young people helping to lead retreats, or maybe this is a new experience for you and your community. Either way, it is vital to be clear about what the motivations are for building a youth retreat team.

The next step in empowering and training your youth retreat leaders is to know exactly what expectations you hold for the retreat team. It might sound obvious, but it is a step that can be overlooked in the rush to gather the team. Do you want a team that plans the retreat from beginning to end (with guidance, of course), or are you looking for a team that steps into a planned retreat and simply follows the steps provided? Do you expect your team to lead small groups, facilitate ice breakers, and plan liturgies? It might be unrealistic to expect a new team with no training or retreat-leading experience to plan the retreat; however, if that is an eventual goal you have for your retreat program, empower your team a little more with each retreat. It is vital that you establish up front exactly what your expectations are for your team and then make those expectations known to youth interested in being on the retreat team.

Makeup of the Retreat Team
One of the best lessons I learned in working with a retreat team is that when pulling together the team, I needed to look beyond the obvious choices. In every school or parish, there are youth that are clearly leaders and are willing to share their faith. These young people are crucial for a retreat team. There are also young people who can be overlooked and need an invitation to be on the team. Often the students who are not extremely vocal about their faith have wonderful faith journeys to share. Additionally, students who might not be comfortable speaking during the retreat have gifts to share in leading small groups, facilitating ice breakers, planning liturgies and prayer experiences, organizing supplies, or creating the environment for the retreat space. No team can succeed when all the members share the same gifts.

When assembling the student retreat team, look to have a balance of extroverts and introverts. Try to include students that are representative of the community. In other words, strive to build a team that reflects the variety of groups or cliques that exist in your community. Look for youth who are comfortable taking the lead on tasks and youth who are comfortable playing a more behind-the-scenes role. In achieving this balance, you might end up with youth who fall into the "obvious choice" category taking a lesser role or even not being on the team. You can look to the example of Jesus in the selection of his Apostles; they might not have been the obvious choices, but they were, without a doubt, the right people for the task.

Clearly Define Roles
No one youth can or should be involved in leading every part of a retreat. Early on in the planning stage for a retreat, work with the team to clearly define the team’s various roles. Who will be giving talks, leading small groups, planning liturgies, and facilitating ice breakers? You can do this either through a process of discernment with the team or by simply assigning roles. Either way, this is a great opportunity to have students take on tasks that relate to the gifts they have. You can also use this as an opportunity to invite youth to take on a role that might challenge them. Once the various roles for the team are assigned, make sure members of your team have a clear understanding of what they are responsible for. For example, if you have a group of youth assigned the task of facilitating ice breakers at the start of the retreat, make sure they know the amount of time they have for the activities, the desired outcome of the ice breakers, and the expectations you have for the ice breakers (for example, nothing that might humiliate someone and nothing that makes a big mess).

Starting Point
By taking each of these steps prior to the actual work of planning and implementing the retreat, you are setting up your team for success. In the "Make It Happen" feature this week, we have provided a resource titled "Preparing Your Retreat Team and Small-Group Leaders." This resource provides practical steps for calling together a retreat team, preparing the team, leading small groups, and giving talks. Next week we will explore training a retreat team as servant leaders and retreat facilitators, roles other adults can play in a retreat, and building continuity over several years with your retreat team. As always, I pray that God will continue to bless you and your ministry.

Peace,
Steven McGlaun

Click Here for More Information

Preparing Your Retreat Team and Small-Group Leaders
From The Practical Guide to High School Campus Ministry

Selecting a Team
One of your first responsibilities is to develop a retreat team. You will benefit from having a team of students, faculty or staff members, and parents to plan and implement the retreat. If retreat teams or campus ministry teams already exist, use them and add other members of your community who will be helpful to the retreat process. The number of team members is up to you. A good rule to follow is one team member for every six to eight participants. You also may want to consider having enough team members to have one student team member and one adult team member join each small group.

Student Team Members
In selecting students to be on the team, consider the following questions:
Are the students mature enough to lead their classmates?

- Do the students reflect the morals and faith you are calling the retreat participants to?
- Do the students represent a cross section of the student body?
- Do the students bring a variety of talents and gifts to the team?
- Do the students include both those who are comfortable in front of people and those who prefer behind-the-scenes work? In other words, are both introverts and extroverts on the team?

In selecting the students for the team, be aware of the variety of tasks required for the retreat. Some students who appear to be obvious choices may not be the best students for the team. Remember that you need students who will be comfortable, and thrive, in doing tasks that the retreat participants might not notice. The selection of team members will convey a strong message to the class about their inclusion or exclusion on the retreat. By inviting a diverse group of students to join the team, you send the idea that the retreat is truly for all participants.

Adult Team Members
Include adult team members who have experience with retreats and are familiar with the students. In terms of faculty and staff members, this means inviting teachers who not only teach but also are involved in extracurricular activities. Ask yourself the same questions you did in selecting the students for the team. In particular, have you invited teachers and staff members whom different groups of students can identify with and who have a variety of gifts and talents? Parents are a little trickier. Before you invite parents, ask their students attending the retreat if they are okay with the parents’ attendance. Consider inviting parents of the students who are not attending the retreat.

Be aware of existing adult-student conflicts. Before placing teachers or other adults in small groups, review the groups with the adults to ensure the adults have positive relationships with all the students.

Getting Started with You Small Groups
Once the retreat has started, you face the challenge of getting the students into their small groups and starting the sharing. In several different ways, such as the following, you can have the students identify which small groups they are in:

- Have the small-group leaders make name tags unique to their small
groups. For example, one group might have name tags that are crosses with the students’ names written on them. When the time comes to get in small groups for the first time, have the students find everyone with the same name tags. If you go this route, have each small-group leader make several extra name tags in case someone was overlooked or needs to change groups for some reason.
- Place a specific designating mark such as a letter or number on each generic name tag. Again, when it is time to get in small groups for the first time, have participants find everyone with the same designations.
- Post small-group lists on the walls in the meeting rooms along with designated gathering areas. Have the students find which groups they are in and go to their designated areas.
- Form small groups from people who share cabins or rooms. This helps conversations continue during unstructured time. The downside is that this limits student contact with others on the retreat.

When small groups meet for the first time, the members should introduce themselves. Also, lay ground rules for the groups. These include the following:

- Respect other members both in and out of the small-group meetings.
This means listening when someone is sharing and respectfully addressing other group members.
- The small groups are places for honest sharing. Acknowledge your own confidentiality (share what you are comfortable sharing). Ask groups not to share with others outside their groups anything group members share in the group.
- Be willing to seek outside advice. If topics come up that you are uncomfortable with or need to discuss with someone outside the groups, contact the retreat director or another adult.

Talk Tips
A talk, or sharing, occurs during each session of a retreat. Often, there are two talks—one given by a student and another by an adult. They are important parts of the retreat and can have a tremendous effect when done correctly. When preparing the students and adults to give talks, stress the following key points:

- No talks should exceed five minutes. This "rule of five" is extremely important to keep the attention of the participants.
- No speakers should just wing their talks. All talks need to be written out, rehearsed, and shared with you before they are delivered. The speakers should not read from their sheets. Writing the talks out beforehand, however, clarifies the talks in the speakers’ minds and acts as a resource if the speakers get off topic or forget what they were going to say.
- Balance heartfelt sharing with confidentiality. Nothing should be shared that would embarrass the speakers or anyone else. Any sharing that involves family or friends should be cleared with those people before the talks. For adults, this is equally important. Nothing should be shared that will negatively affect the adults’ roles in their communities.
- Before the retreat, work extensively with the people giving talks. This includes praying with, offering feedback to, and assisting the speakers with public-speaking skills.
- Be present at all talks on the retreat. Ahead of time, work out signals with the speakers to offer direction and support during the talks. These can include signals to offer encouragement, get back on track when off topic, and wrap up when the talks run long. Intervene if the speakers are severely off track or sharing inappropriate material.

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 17, 2010
Luke 18:1-8

Opening Prayer
Jesus, thank you for showing us the importance of prayer in our Christian lives through the example of prayer you set in your own life. Help us to always be persistent in our prayer. Amen.

Context Connection
In Sunday's Gospel the story's two characters are the main focus: the widow and the judge. We learn quickly that the judge is a person "who neither feared God nor had respect for people" (18:2). He is not exactly the kind of judge that any one of us would pick if we were heading to court. This judge does have, however unfortunate, a reputation that seems to be widely known. All that we are told about the woman is that she is a widow, but to Jesus's audience that term is packed with meaning. First, a woman in the culture of Jesus's time could not speak for herself. She had to rely on her husband to speak on her behalf or, if her husband was dead, her eldest married son. From the story we conclude this woman had neither because she was speaking on her own behalf. She represents the voiceless by speaking out in a culture where she is not supposed to be heard, and she does it on a regular basis each time, saying: "Grant me justice against my opponent" (18:3). We may have been struck by the description of the judge, but the people hearing Jesus speak would have been struck by the unconventional action of the widow.

Another insight we can glean from this passage is that the judge is not Jewish, nor does he subscribe to Jewish norms. Within the Torah are specific instructions that oblige someone like the judge to provide care for the widow. (See Deuteronomy 10:18, 14:29, 16:11, 24:19-21, and 26:12-13.) This judge is not religious and has no qualms about denying her request.

The widow continues to go to him, again and again, asking for justice to the point that she wears out the judge, who says, "Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming" (18:5).

Then Jesus emphasizes to his listeners, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them" (18:6-8). This is the main point of the Gospel, one we need to hear today. God will quickly hear our cries for justice. God, who is love, has no capacity for tolerating injustice.

Tradition Connection
Praying and living a Christian life are inseparable. You cannot have one without the other because they are conjoined. Scripture tells us that as disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to pray without ceasing: "Pray constantly . . . always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father."1 St. Paul adds, "Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance making supplication for all the saints."2 (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2742)

Sometimes we forget how important prayer is, and we become discouraged or lazy. In reality, prayer is love that is humble, trusting, and persevering. This kind of love opens our hearts to three facts about prayer: (1) it is always possible to pray, (2) prayer is a vital necessity, and (3) prayer and Christian life are inseparable. He "'prays without ceasing' who unites prayer to works and good works to prayer. Only in this way can we consider as realizable the principle of praying without ceasing"3 (Catechism, paragraph 2745). For more information about these three aspects of prayer, read paragraphs 2743-2745 in the Catechism.

The Church reminds us that it is necessary to pray without ceasing, with patient faith, for Jesus promised us that he always responds to prayer offered in faith. The Old Testament story of Jacob wrestling with the mysterious figure all night before meeting Esau (Genesis 32:22-32) is held up as a symbol of prayer in our spiritual tradition. From this story springs forth the symbol of prayer as a battle of faith and as the triumph of perseverance. Even though the mysterious stranger never reveals his identity, he blesses Jacob at dawn upon Jacob's instance. Luke reminds us on this Sunday to "Pray always and [do] not lose heart" (18:1).

Wisdom Connection
If this judge--who does not comply with the basic standards of care for the less fortunate--finally gives in to the persistent pleas of the widow, will not our God--who is infinitely more righteous--hear our persistent prayer? This Sunday's Gospel reminds us that we must be steadfast in our prayer. We need to pray always in all ways. Perseverance in prayer, without our becoming discouraged, is a characteristic of a disciple of Jesus. Persistence paid off for the widow, and so will we be rewarded if we persist in our prayers to God. The widow is an example for Jesus's disciples of what it means to remain strong in their faith even when the odds are against them. Persistence in prayer is important but easy during the good times; persistence in prayer is even more important during the difficult times when God seems absent from our lives or deaf to our plea. Swift justice is given to those who persist in calling upon God, the just judge.

Acknowledgments
The scriptural quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition. Copyright © 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

The quotations labeled Catechism are from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America. Copyright © 1994 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.--Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

The Lord's Prayer is taken from Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers. Copyright © 1988 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved.

Endnotes cited in quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church
1. 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Ephesians 5:20.
2. Ephesians 6:18.
3. Origen, De orat.12: J.P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca (Paris, 1857-1866) 11, 452C.

Saint Teresa of Ávila

October 15 is the feast day for Saint Teresa of Ávila.

Saint Teresa, proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1970, was a Carmelite sister who struggled with disease and illness for much of her life. Despite her physical challenges, Saint Teresa maintained a constant devotion to God. She is credited with saying, "Let nothing trouble you, let nothing make you afraid […] God alone is enough."

For more information on Saint Teresa of Ávila, go to http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-teresa-of-avila/