Joy Lang is the Youth Minster at Little Flower Parish in Mobile, AL. She grew up at Heart of Mary Parish and attended McGill. She really encountered the Lord in a new and life changing way a couple years back when she took her youth group to ACYC. Learn how the Lord brought Joy to this moment and how it has affected her entire life moving forward. 

Dig In Further:

1. Do the teens in your youth group have somebody to minister to them who “looks like them?” If not, might there be ways of inviting speakers, guests from other parishes, leaders of other ministries to come and visit your youth group from time to time? As Joy shared, listening to another Black Catholic preach at ACYC was a decisive moment in diving deeper into her Catholic faith, realizing her was capable of diving all the way in. 

2. What is one of the more profound encounters with Christ that you have ever had? What was involved in that moment? What were the aspects of the environment and the setting that the Lord used to “lower your defenses” and allow him more clearly touch your heart?

3. How might your parish be able to collaborate with other parishes nearby to enhance your teens’ experience of faith formation? Are there ways you can have youth group together? Go on retreats together? Service projects? Mission trips? Adoration nights? Shared speakers? Shared fun activities? 

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