By Sarah Moser
Every year at the Diocesan High School Youth Rally one youth minister and one youth are honored with the DYMC Award.
The DYMC award, introduced six years ago, is used to recognize the outstanding youth ministers and youth participants in the diocese.
The award goes to two involved people from the diocese who have demonstrated their gifts through the eight components of comprehensive youth ministry, set by the U.S. bishops.
The eight components are advocacy, community life, catechesis, evangelization, justice and service, leadership development, pastoral care, and worship and prayer. The bishops state that each quality should be equally possessed and put into practice by the persons nominated for the DYMC Award.
The youth minister being nominated should do the following in his or her parish: (1) empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today, (2) draw young people to participate in the life, mission, and work of the faith community, and (3) foster the personal and spiritual growth of each young person.
So now I encourage you to nominate someone, be it a high school youth or the youth minister from your parish. There are so many great youth ministers in the diocese who deserve to be honored with this award. Youth ministers work extremely hard to help shape the future of the church.
There are also many great youths in the diocese who are constantly involved with the church and who deserve to be nominated as well. Youth can nominate their youth ministers and youth ministers can nominate their youth. Anyone in the Diocese of Davenport can nominate a deserving youth minister and/or youth. I challenge you to nominate someone you believe deserves this award!
To find the nomination application, please go to www.davenportyouth.org. The nomination forms are due Sept. 18 to Pat Finan either by e-mail at finan@davenportdiocese.org or by mail to 1286 82nd Ave., Knoxville, IA 50138.
(Sarah Moser is a senior at Clear Creek Amana High School and is a member of St. Mary’s Parish in Oxford.)
