TAPT Deadline Nears: The standard registration deadline for the Teens Are People Too retreat, March 7-9, is THIS FRI.! While we will accept registrations beyond that date, the price goes up $10. Remember, unlike CYX where teens are required to register with an adult-led group, teens may register individually for TAPT. Have them visit www.garytapt.com and the website will walk them through the details.

More on TAPT: Sometimes I get so caught up in handling the administrative end of TAPT that I forget to really focus on why a teen would want to attend, or why you would want to encourage them to attend! The "heart" of the TAPT weekend is about the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Recent efforts have been made to increase the catechetical content to reinforce the Church’s teaching of the Incarnation. While every retreat provides opportunities for personal faith growth, TAPTsters often comment that their faith grew because of the sense of community fostered on the weekend. Special attention is paid to prayer experiences. Participants experience Eucharist, Reconciliation, and a Prayer of Water and Light that reminds teens of their baptism to Christ. The retreat is a prayerful journey exploring the Incarnation, ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ, paying particular attention to Lenten themes. Previous TAPTsters perform Christian servant leadership roles. TAPTsters are also challenged to continue the faith journey back home, so that the retreat is not lived "on an island," but rather is designed to foster more active, participating young Catholics in parish communities throughout the Diocese. If you ever have any questions about the retreat, give me a call!

NCCYM: It’s not too early to start thinking about the National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry (NCCYM), December 4-7, 2008. The NCCYM is the largest adult conference for Catholic Youth Ministers in the country. It is sponsored biennially on even numbered years by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry in order to help form and transform adults ministering to youth in the Catholic church. Thousands of youth and campus ministers, religious education leaders, performers and artists and volunteers from every level come together for four days of inspiring keynotes, challenging workshops, dynamic prayer and worship, helpful networking, extensive resources, and good-hearted entertainment. This year’s conference will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, close enough to drive! In year’s past some YM leaders have commented that they would have liked to attend but did not submit budgeting requests in time. For your help in this matter, here are some estimated costs, based on the 2006 conference: Hotel- $99 per night (double occ.), Conf. registration: $210. Factor in travel expenses & meals as well. Phil Dietrich (YMC, St. Teresa) raised the possibility of us traveling together via van, etc. I am certainly open to this. Let me know if you’re interested in attending NCCYM so I can begin putting together a list of people that I will contact later this spring. In the meantime you can download a flyer of slated performers & speakers at nfcym.org/nccym .

Source & Summit 2008: If you would like to immerse your teens in a truly Eucharistic-centered retreat, think about bringing them to Source & Summit 2008! This awesome retreat weekend is jam packed with lively talks, inspiring music, celebration of Holy Mass, Reconciliation opportunities, small group workshops, fellowship and more! A presentation of St. John the Evangelist (St. John), Source & Summit 2008 is scheduled for April 25-27, 2008 at Andrean High School. Join the hundreds of other teenagers from our diocese and let Jesus ignite the fire in their heart with love for Him in the Eucharist! For more information, please contact PJ Anderson at (219) 365-5678 ext. 263 or at pandersonATstjohnparish.org and visit stjohnparish.org/sourcesummit . Chaperones are required. Info packets are ready to be sent to you today, if you haven’t already received one! Praised be Jesus Christ...Now & Forever!

Dating violence a problem with teens: Last week marked National Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Awareness Week. To help curb the growing problem of teen dating violence, the Liz Claiborne company of New York created educational materials, compiled statistics and launched a Web site at www.loveisnotabuse.com . At www.loveisrespect.org , teenage couples can read, discuss, print out and sign together the Dating Bill of Rights. A survey of teens age 13 to 18 by Teenage Research Unlimited found that dating abuse via technology is a serious problem. Boyfriends and girlfriends spreading rumors about their partners on cell phones and social networking sites is considered a serious problem by 71% of the surveyed teenagers, and 68% said they considered their partners sharing private or embarrassing photos of them on cell phones and computers a serious problem. Nearly one in four teens who are in a relationship communicate with their partner by cell phone or texting on an hourly basis between midnight and 5 a.m. One in three said they are texted 10 to 30 times an hour by a partner who is engaging in what has become known as cyber-stalking and cyber-bullying. The survey also noted that 67 % of parents are unaware their child is checked on up to 30 times a day, 82% are unaware their child is e-mailed or texted up to 30 times an hour, and 67% were unaware their child is asked to engage in sexual acts by cell phone, e-mail, instant messaging or texting when they did not wish to do so. (Read full story)