CYO Catholic Youth Organization
JCYO Junior Youth Organization
KCYO Kids Youth Organization

Faith is daring the soul to go beyond
what the eyes can see.

For we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7

CYO for 9th through 12th grades

Our CYO program, Life Teen, is a comprehensive Catholic youth ministry program that speaks to teens on all levels - emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual.

Life Teen provides an opportunity for teens to go deeper in their faith, share their faith with their peers and learn more about issues facing teens today and how to deal with them.

CYO meets every Sunday (except as noted in our schedule) @ 5:30pm for supper, with the program from 6:00–7:00pm. Special events, service projects, social nights, and retreats will also be planned throughout the year.

Parents participate in the program by presenting the program once every month or six weeks (with complete guide provided!), offering to help with the meal, serving as chaperones, and sharing any other gifts and talents they feel called to share.

JCYO for 6th through 8th grades

In many respects, middle school kids are on the edge because so much is going on in their lives physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially. It can be a very stressful and difficult time for them and their parents. As a Catholic community, we are going to give our middle school youth The Edge they need in life: Jesus, The Word, The Eucharist, and the Church.

The Edge is a Catholic youth program created to meet the educational, spiritual, emotional, and social needs of middle-school age young people.

JCYO meets every Sunday (except as noted in our schedule) @ 5:30pm for supper, with the program from 6:00–7:00pm. Special events, service projects, social nights, and retreats will also be planned throughout the year.

Parents participate in the program by presenting the program once every month or six weeks (with complete guide provided!), offering to help with the meal, serving as chaperones, and sharing any other gifts and talents they feel called to share.

KYCO for 3rd through 5th grades

A faith based, fun program for our elementary grades, Journey in Faith, meets weekly to talk - in their language - about the gospel readings of the week, to share food and fellowship through games, hands-on activities, and arts and crafts.

Special events and service projects are also a part of the KCYO program.

KCYO meets on Sunday afternoons (except as noted in our schedule) from 4:00–5:00pm.

Parents participate in the program by presenting the program once every month or six weeks (with complete guide provided!), offering to help with the meal, serving as chaperones, and sharing any other gifts and talents they feel called to share.

• Help them to experience the parish as their church home.
• Develop in them a sense of pride in their Church
• Enable them to grow spiritually.

• To foster a transforming spiritual experience of Jesus through the liturgy, which will allow young people to experience the Word of God and the Eucharist in a deeper and more profound way.
• To create a positive experience of the Catholic Church.
• To assist our youth in gaining an understanding and appreciation of what the Catholic Church teaches and believes.
• To incorporate the Catholic Church's vision of social justice and peace into the spiritual life of our young people.
• To develop an identify in our faith community of our young people and the Youth Ministry as a vital and visual presence within the parish community.

St. Mary Youth Ministry works in cooperation with Cathedral School,
with area parishes, and with the support and involvement of parents.