Teen Faith Resource Guide

July/August 2008 Issue | Posted by Tim Drake in Features

With our eldest child on the verge of his teen years, I’ve often wondered what materials are out there to help guide my children through this volatile time in their lives. I was pleasantly surprised to find a vast variety of resources available to help teens retain and grow in their Catholic faith — and maybe even discern a vocation to the priesthood or religious life.

Apologetics

Beginning Catholic Apologetics
by Jim Burnham ($54.95 for full set), from CatholicApologetics.com or (877) 327-5343.

Tackle the tough questions with a question/answer study guide format that works great in small groups.

Defenders of the Holy Trinity

Features many links to teen ministry organizations in New York.

Join the discussion at LandofArthanius.org

Friendly Defenders — Catholic Apologetics Flash Cards

by Matthew Pinto and Katherine Andes ($11.99), from

AscensionPress.com

or (800) 376-0520.

Short, pithy answers to common objections people have to the Catholic faith. They are great for teens, but fun and useful for all ages.

Friendly Defenders 2 — Catholic Flash Cards

by Matthew Pinto and Katherine Andes ($11.99), from

AscensionPress.com or (800) 376-0520.

Each card includes an inspirational verse and a list of relevant Bible verses and Catechism references.

Father McBride’s Teen Catechism

by Alfred McBride, O.Praem. ($9.95),

from OSV.com or (800) 348-2440.

A good guide to morality, prayer, and the outline of a Catholic lifestyle.

Did Adam & Eve Have Bellybuttons?

by Matthew Pinto

($12.99), from

AscensionPress.com

or (800) 376-0520.

Offers today’s Catholic a collection of clear and concise answers to crucial questions.

Questions From Seventh Period: Doc Pennock Answers Teens’ Questions on Life, Love, and the Catholic Faith

by Michael Pennock ($15.95), from

AveMariaPress.com or (800) 282-1865.

Gives clear, concrete answers to the tough questions about love, life, and faith that concern Catholic teens the most.

Catholic Living

Catholic Reluctantly
by Christian M. Frank ($12.95), from

JohnPaul2High.com

or (800) 888-9344.

The John Paul 2 High Catholic teen
fiction series follows seven mismatched teens in a startup school.

Desiderata: A Teenager’s Journey to God
by David P. Eich ($14.95), from Ignatius.com or (800) 651-1531.

Filled with stories of saints and contemporary heroes that show how the lessons and virtues of the Rosary have been put into practice.

Hi God, It’s Me! E-Prayers for Teenage Boys and Hi God, It’s Me! E-Prayers for Teenage Girls
by Catherine DePino ($12.95), from TwentyThirdPublications.com
or (800) 321-0411.

These interactive journals give teens a user-friendly way to interact with God.

The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth
($16.95), from SMP.org or (800) 533-8095.

Teens will appreciate the articles and stories that shed light on issues important to them. Useful sidebars give quick, easy access to Catholicism’s basics.

Did Jesus Have a Last Name?

by Matthew Pinto and Jason Evert

($12.99), from

AscensionPress.com

or (800) 376-0520.

With 200 actual questions from teens, this book offers clear and concise answers to some of the most challenging questions about the Church and its teachings.

Do I Have to Go?: 101 Questions About the Mass, the Eucharist, and Your Spiritual Life
by Matthew
Pinto and Chris
Stefanick
($12.99), from
AscensionPress.com or (800) 376-0520.

Using their popular question-and-answer format, Matt Pinto and Chris Stefanick answer the questions that teens often have about the Mass.

Love One Another magazine

($20 for 4 issues), from

LoveOneAnotherMagazine.org

This Catholic
magazine offers per-sonal stories, current
issues, and topics
of interest to
teens and young
adults and their
families.

Scripture Resources

Prove It! The Catholic Teen Bible

by Amy Welborn ($14.95), from OSV.com

or (800) 348-2440.

Special inserts provide solid, biblically-based teaching about the “hows” and “whys” of the Catholic faith, written to match the other Prove It! books.

The Catholic Youth Bible

Triple Challenge CD-ROM

($19.95), from SMP.org
or (800) 533-8095.

This CD-ROM
Bible trivia game is an exciting new way to learn about the Bible in a fun and engaging manner.

The Catholic Youth Bible

($23.95), from SMP.org or
(800) 533-8095.

This popular teen Bible includes more than 640 lively
articles in youth-friendly language, timelines, full-color photographs, and more.

Ask the Bible Geek:

Answers to Questions from Catholic Teens
by Mark Hart ($10.99), from Catalog.AmericanCatholic.org

or (800) 488-0488.

Gifted youth leader Mark Hart knows teens inside and out, and as the Bible Geek, he asks and answers the real questions that puzzle them.

T3: The Teen Timeline Bible Study

(Study kit: $19.95; 4-DVD set: $99.95), from AscensionPress.com or (800) 376-0520.

Presented by Bible Geek Mark Hart, T3 unpacks God’s Word in a manner teens can relate to by showing them the “big picture” of salvation history and an overview of Scripture.

Teen Ministries

NET Ministries

Minnesota-based National Evangelization Teams (NET) Ministries dispatches teams of volunteer young adults to present youth-centered retreats throughout the U.S. and the world.

NETUSA.org

REACH Youth Ministry

Reach is a Catholic evangelistic traveling retreat ministry across North America leading youth retreats and evangelizing.

REACHym.com

ConQuest

ConQuest is a national network of leadership programs, clubs, and camps for boys and young men 5-16 years of age. ConQuest trains boys to become self-disciplined and confident young men, Catholic leaders who possess moral integrity and are committed to improving the communities in which they live.

ConquestClubs.com

Challenge

Challenge is a network of clubs and camps for girls ages 10-16, to help develop common interests and form a friendship with Christ. Challenge enables girls to discover and develop their natural talents and place them at the service of society.

ChallengeClubs.com

Leadership Training Program

LTP is designed to bring out the best in tomorrow’s leaders. Boys from fifth to eighth grade join together in a positive environment that emphasizes teamwork and a spirit of initiative.

MissionNetwork.com

LifeTeen

LifeTeen serves the Church by
providing resources and faith experiences that help lead teens closer to Christ through a vibrant Eucharistic spirituality.

LifeTeen.com

Movin’ With The Spirit

Headed by national speaker and performing artist Sean Forrest, Movin’ With The Spirit offers retreats, concerts, a teen summer camp, and opportunities for mission work with the poor.

MWTS.org

Young Disciples Teams

For 10 weeks during the summer, teams conduct week-long day camps for grades kindergarten to 6 and evening teen missions.

FargoDiocese.org/YoungDisciples

Youth 2000

Youth 2000 offers Eucharistic-centered retreats for young people.

Youth2000USA.org

Mission Youth

Formerly known as Youth for the Third Millennium, Mission Youth works with bishops and pastors to evangelize by engaging and sending out youth to witness Christ to others.

MissionYouthMissions.com

Dead Theologians Society

Using the saints of yesterday, the Society seeks to inspire the youth of today to become the saints of tomorrow.

DeadTheologiansSociety.com

Totus Tuus Catholic Youth Organization

Offers Catholic virtue-based
programs for children ages 5 to18,
and their parents, includes theology
of the body programs for teens.

TotusTuusCYO.com

Totus Tuus of Denver

College-age young adults put on “parish missions” to teach and inspire the young.

DenverTotusTuus.com

Chastity and Theology of the Body Resources

Winning the Battle for Sexual Purity

by Christopher West (3-CD set: $19.95), from

AscensionPress.com or (800) 376-0520.

In this 3-CD set for men, Christopher West addresses the challenges in the area of sexual purity and lust that many, if not most, men face on a regular basis.

Pure Love Club

Jason Evert’s comprehensive Q&A website for Catholic teens on dating, relationships, and sexual purity.

PureLoveClub.com

Theology of the Body for Teens

(4-DVD set: $99.95; Student workbook: $14.95), from
AscensionPress.com

or (800) 376-0520.

Using a mixture of stories, real-life examples, activities, prayers, and cultural references, authors Jason and Crystalina Evert, and Brian Butler’s 12-part curriculum series makes Pope John Paul II’s theology relevant for teens.

Websites

DisciplesNow.com

Features games, audio clips from Catholic artists, movie reviews, and online chats with other Catholic teens.

NextWaveFaithful.com

An outreach of the Family Life
Center International, this site challenges youth and young adults to be radical followers of Jesus Christ in
the modern world.

PhatMass.com

This website is for Catholics of all ages, but geared toward the younger generation, with music, desktop wallpaper, games, apologetics, and a very active “phorum.”

College Organizations

Association of Students at Catholic Colleges

CatholicCollegeStudents.org

Brotherhood of Hope

BrotherhoodOfHope.org

Cardinal Newman Society

CardinalNewmanSociety.org

Catholic Campus Ministry Association

CCManet.org

COMPASS

CollegeCompass.org

Fellowship of Catholic University Students

FocusOnline.org

National Catholic Student Coalition

CatholicStudent.org

Resources for Parents

Keeping Your Kids Catholic

by Marcellino D’Ambrosio ($17.95), from CrossRoadsInitiative.com or (800) 803-0118.

This helpful 2-CD set helps parents discern how living a faith-filled life will help ensure that their children will
remain Catholic all their lives.

“How to Keep Your Children Catholic”

by Father John Hardon.

This free online article explores what parents can do to help keep their children in the Church.

Find at TheRealPresence.org

Events

Fan the Fire Rally

Fan the Fire is a one-day event designed to reach out to teens and help them to either deepen their relationship with Christ or discover it for the first time.

FanTheFireRally.com

National Catholic Youth Conference

The closest thing the United States has to a biennial World Youth Day, the NCYC attracts more than 20,000 youth and young adults for three days of catechesis, prayer, service, and recreation. The next NCYC will be held in Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 19-21, 2009.

NfCYM.org

Proud 2B Catholic Summer Events

Music festivals, conferences, con-certs, and events for all to rekindle the Catholic faith together as one universal family of God.

Proud2BCatholic.com

Franciscan University High School

Youth Conferences

These events combine music, dynamic speakers, and the sacraments for a powerful experience. 40,000 teens
participate in the conferences held in eight different states.

FranciscanYouth.com

Vocations

NYPriest.com is an exciting new website of the Archdiocese of New York that makes a strong case for the priesthood, using powerful images, text, and video.

Vocation.com is the most popular vocation site, having logged more than 1 million visitors. It is affiliated with the Legion of Christ, but nearly all of the vocations facilitated by the site have been for the diocesan priesthood or other religious congregations.

ReligiousMinistries.com offers an online guide to men and women’s religious ministries within the Church.

USCCB.org/Vocations offers resources from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Office of Vocations and Priestly Formation.

TestYourCall.com is a vocations Internet portal that features a vocational self-assessment survey, an online research tool, inspirational testimonies, and more.

VocationMatch.com is an online resource designed to help those discerning a vocation to match their interests with religious orders that best fit their particular charisms.

Other sites:

ThinkPriest.org

for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee

CalledByChrist.com

for the Archdiocese of Atlanta

Vocations.com

for the Diocese of Joliet, Ill.

SavannahPriest.com

for the Diocese of Savannah

OurMIB.org

for the Diocese of New Ulm, Minn.

IChoseYou.com

for the Diocese of Lexington, Ky.

LiveInBlackAndWhite.com

for the Diocese of Manchester, N.H. C

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