We are proud of our Parish Youth Programs. There are many opportunities for the youth of our parish to join together in Christ and in fun! Our youth programs include:
Our Middle School Youth Ministry program includes Middle School Game Nights held on one Sunday evening per month from September until May. The game nights are open to all students in grades 6–8. Each game night is based around a particular theme with games relating to the theme followed by a brief reflection and refreshments.
Middle School Youth Group: A Middle School Youth Group has been formed and meets on the first and third Mondays of the month in the parish hall from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. The MSYG will be doing things such as icebreakers, skits, games, bible study, small group discussions, service projects, etc.
The parish also sends students to the Archdiocese Middle School Rally held one Saturday each fall. Each summer, many of our students attend the Middle School Boston Harbor Cruise, also sponsored by the Archdiocese Office for Youth Ministry.
Our High School Youth Ministry program currently focuses on our retreat program, our service program, and leadership training. The retreat program consists of three overnight retreats for grade ten Confirmation candidates. Students participate in a series of witness talks, small group discussions, large group discussions, ice-breakers, and games. Mass and a reconciliation service are also part of the weekend. A team of adults as well as youth leaders from grades 11 & 12 direct the retreat. Through the service program, ninth graders perform a class service project in the spring. Adult volunteers and youth leaders assist with each project. In addition to ongoing training of youth leaders, our parish sends up to twelve students each year to the Catholic Leadership Institute, a leadership training program sponsored by the Archdiocese Office for Youth Ministry. The parish also participates in the High School Boston Harbor Cruise each summer.
Growing in Faith Together: The GIFT group is a teen ministry group and is open to any high school student and meets on the Sunday evenings of high school religious education at 5:00 P.M. in the parish hall. Please visit the GIFT Web Site
View excerpts from the Parish Visitation Report: Youth Leadership Training, Youth Service Program, 10th Grade Retreat Program, and Middlle School Game Night.
Scouting:
The
parish sponsors both a Cub Pack and a Scout Troop. Both are blessed with
many teachers and interested parents who help the young people learn the
skills of scouting which will help them be better citizens in the city
of man and of the city of God.
Currently Troop 20 has almost fifty scouts registered and another twenty
registered leaders. The troop meets weekly in the Parish Hall and goes
camping about once a month. Almost all the boys who participate in the
Cub Scout program through Pack 20 have earned the Arrow of Light, the
highest honor a Cub Scout can achieve. Approximately half of these boys
continue onto Boy Scouting. In addition, five boys have also earned their
respective religious awards, including two scouts who have earned the
Light of Christ, two scouts who have earned the Parvuli Dei and one scout
who has earned the God and Me. Cub Scouting Pack 20 had approximately
seventy registered scouts and twenty-eight registered leaders this past
year.
The pack meets monthly in the Parish Hall for advancement ceremonies and major activities like the Pinewood Derby, while smaller groups of boys meet weekly to work on achievement. Leader position training is provided for all registered adult leaders in both units through Annawon Council. In addition, the BSA Youth Protection Training program is also provided to inform all leaders of BSA policy in this area and on how to provide a fun but safe program for the boys.
Troop 20 Meetings are held on Thursdays from 7-8:30 pm at the Sacred Heart Parish Hall from the beginning to the end of school year (except during periods of school vacation).
Visit BSA Troop 20's homepage (new window).
Drum Corps: In 2000 a small group of boys and girls, under the enthusiastic leadership of Pastor Crowley, formed the Sacred Heart Parish Drum Corps. By all accounts, they seem truly proud to represent our parish by marching in local parades, and they’ve been a positive reminder to the general community that our parish’s youth finds support and camaraderie at Sacred Heart. Of course, the dedication of our pastor in leading the corps along the entire parade route also usually manages to bring along an audience of adult parishioners who love to join in some good natured kidding along with their honest support of “our fearless leader” and his group’s presence within the community of Middleborough.