For both St. Ignatius and St. Willibrord, investing in our kids & teens is very important. Not because they are the church of the future, but because they are the church of now. In many ways, they are leading not only their peers to Christ, but their families as well.
Tweens & Teens
In late 2023, St. Ignatius saw the relaunch of its teens ministry IGNATION. Now, catering to both tweens and teens, it has been renewed with a greater focus on the Eucharist and personal spiritual accompaniment.
“Under the sun, we end up getting a tan. Under the Eucharistic gaze of Jesus, we become Holy!” –Bl. Carlo Acutis (either to incorporate in text or just a graphic on page)
Beyond their weekly Thursday gathering, the teens are actively involved in service as well. They’ve volunteered at St. Will’s Place, St. Willbrord’s soup kitchen. They’ve served in the Hospitality ministry and have started serving as small group leaders for the younger kids at Catch the Wave.
While a teens ministry is not yet formally in place at St. Willibrord, its tweens and teens too help the younger ones on Sundays and are starting to explore service in other parish ministries. They even led the procession through Wellington street on Corpus Christi 2023 [see picture]!
Kids
Our kids ministries, Catch the Wave and the Good Shepherd Atrium, continue to draw young families to both parishes. The Atrium at St. Ignatius, one of the largest in Canada, receives 60 kids weekly, eager to explore the liturgy and scripture using handmade materials designed for them.
Catch the Wave—St. Ignatius’ Sunday experience for kids during Mass— has also been integral to the revitalisation of St. Willibrord. Before the Missionary Partnership, there were basically no children. Now, they make up around 10% of the Sunday attendance!
Families choose our communities, not only because of our kid-friendliness, but also because they recognize the positive impact on their children. They see the fruitful friendships. They see their enthusiasm to learn and to grow. They see the boldness of their young faith extending beyond the parish.
For example, Tyus—featured on the cover—comforted his classmate who was feeling afraid during a school lockdown by praying for him. At St. Willibrord, Ariel biked over 5km, of his own volition, to go to Mass. There are many stories that showcase their eagerness to share their faith. Our young disciples are truly living out the mission in their own distinctive (or energetic or unique or creative) ways.