Role models

By Steven Polley

Director of Youth Ministry and Adult Education

As I write this column, the number of high school graduation announcements I receive is beginning to increase. For myself then, this always becomes a difficult time of year in the sense that another group of wonderful young men and women who have done so much for the diocese are moving on, which makes a person a little sad. You sit back and realize the difference they have made; you know of the gifts they have brought to the diocese and how these gifts will be missed. It is difficult to say goodbye. However, we do let them know that they are always welcome, and quite often they remain involved in different ways.

But what I would really like to focus on is the difference they have made over their years in junior and senior high school. I have used this quote before, but it is fitting to share it again. The plaque in my office reads, “A hundred years from now… it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove … but the world will be different because I was important in the life of a child.”

As we bid farewell to these seniors, we quickly realize that the differences they have made during their ministry throughout junior and senior high school have made a difference in the lives of many. For myself, it is the seniors who have served on the Diocesan Youth Council that I remember the most. I remember the many council members who have served in this role, and the many lives they touched and continue to touch as they have grown and moved on to other things. I would love to mention all of them by name and add a few words on each of them, but there simply is not enough room in this column.

In general though, each year I am able to watch the underclassmen, kids who have been at summer camps, junior high rallies, high school rallies, etc. with the seniors, and I see the difficulty they have in saying goodbye. These young people realize that the direct contact they have had with the seniors is going to change. I am in awe of how the seniors have touched and changed lives, without even knowing it. They have been role models and disciples and they have brought the light and love of Christ into the lives of many underclassmen. And in most cases they have done this without seeking anything in return. They have been servants of God.

Last weekend we held our final Youth Council meeting for the year. During this meeting we welcome all of the new members of the council and we bid farewell to the outgoing seniors. During this meeting we also had each council member complete an evaluation form. We asked them to simply offer some thoughts on how they feel they did over the year, and years, of ministry. I have yet to look at these in detail, but my sense is that many of them will have graded themselves lower, because they probably feel that they did not do as much as they should have. But isn’t this true, we often are our own worst critics. And I wonder, if we took the time to ask some of the underclassman what their thoughts are, what would they say? My guess is, we would find that these seniors have made them better people and have helped them grow closer to Christ.

So as I conclude this column, I, as always, want to extend an invitation to you. Take some time to say “thank you” to your seniors, and tell them of the good works they have done. And as we continue to see all of our youth grow and mature, help them to become stronger role models.

I thank you for continuing to support each of the diocesan offices in the way you do and especially for your support of our youth ministry efforts. May God continue to guide and bless you in all you do.