August 2011
Dear friend of youth ministry,
My name is Angel Barrera and I am the Director of Youth Ministry in our diocese. I would like to first and foremost, thank you for your hard work and commitment to our young people. I know firsthand of the awesome work and fervent passion our diocese has for our young people.
Just for your information, the Office for Youth Ministry has been recently reinstated apart from the Office of Campus and Young Adult Ministry. This means that there are now more resources committed to specifically address the needs of our middle school and high school students. Though ministry to middle school and high school students was achieved under the former Office of Youth and Young Adults, this new model allows for more responsive and effective ministry to our young people and the ministers that work with them.
My role in the diocese is to eliminate and minimize any obstacles that exist to doing comprehensive youth ministry in our parishes and missions. One of the most immediate obstacles is a lack of youth ministry training and development for parish youth ministers. We have been addressing this need by offering training workshops and a youth ministry certification program. We are currently in the process of developing a three level youth ministry certification program within the diocese. More information will be made available as it is finalized.
Throughout the diocese, we have parishes and missions that have been doing youth ministry for years and others that are just starting. In either case, I intend to make myself available to work with your team to develop and grow your ministry. Please feel free to call me at 956.781.5323 or email me at abarrera@cdob.org.
I pray that your work with our young people may be fruitful and rewarding. May God continue to bless you!
Sincerely,
Angel Barrera
About Us
Serving the young people of the Rio Grande Valley
Angel Barrera, Director
I'm a native in the Rio Grande Valley and I am very blessed to be able to serve the people of the diocese as the Director of Youth Ministry. I currently reside in my hometown of Mission and graduated from UTPA with Business Administration. I'm currently attending the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio and working towards a Master's in Religious Studies. I've worked in ministry in different capacities as a peer minister, volunteer parish youth minister, campus minister and musician. My experiences have deepened my appreciation for all our ministers in the diocese. My home parish is Our Lady of St. John of the Fields Catholic Church in west Mission.
Monica Benitez, Pastoral Assistant
Hi! Im blessed to have recieved this oppportunity to grow and learn along side the youth and youth minstry coodinators. I've been passionate about serving the Church all my life. My first exposure to youth minsitry was serving at my home parish in Mcallen, St. Joseph the Worker. I became an altar server as soon I recieved my first communion, served as a leader in our youth group and taught confirmation. I graduated from The University of Texas-Pan American in May 2010 with BA in Communication Studies where I was also very involved in campus ministry. I felt that God was calling me for something greater upon graduation and I answered. In August 2011, I completed a year of service in with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. I worked for St. Francis Mission in St. Francis, SD on Rosebud Reservation. I was an assistant Religious Education teacher, led a faith-sharing group with youth at the Juvenile Detention Center, and was part of the Betty Ford/SFM 12-hr Recovery Workshop staff.
Mission Statement:
The Office of Youth Ministry aims at empowering the young Church of today toward personal and communal transformation. In addition, the Office of Youth Ministry provides continual religious education, catechesis, and faith –formation for parish coordinators of youth ministry, Catholic high school campus ministers, and adult leaders through various spiritual, pastoral, and theological endeavors.