Jesus Christ is RISEN!… A joyous Easter season to you and those you serve!

CYX Season is Upon Us! Quick status update on prep work for the 2008 Catholic Youth Xperience (July 18-20): registration book for group leaders is being compiled currently and should arrive in mid-April, but you don’t have to wait to start getting the word out to teens! A complete rundown of the pricing, registration deadlines & new policies, etc. are posted at catholicyouthx.com under "Registration." • Registration fee went DOWN!: $150 per person (standard rate) • No deposits required this year! While no deposit money will be collected, air conditioned dorm priority will once again be assigned based on when you turn in complete packet of forms, and deadline is still June! • Highlight of weekend is pilgrimage walk to World Youth Day celebration at Camp Lawrence in communion with WYD pilgrims in Australia at the same time, featuring unforgettable prayer experience and more • former British punk rocker-turned Catholic artist Sal Solo will entertain, minister and inspire • Bishop Melczek returns for closing Mass • All parishes/youth-serving organizations attending receive one full year of CMD’s YM Access for free, as well as training for adult leaders at CYX, allowing you to do LOTS of great YM back home!

CYX speaker preview: Kendall Ciesemier, a freshman at Wheaton North High School in IL and founder of "KidsCaring4Kids", a nonprofit organization that raises money to support children in Africa where AIDS has severely impacted their lives, will be the honored guest speaker at St. James the Less in Highland this Sunday, April 6th at 6:00 pm. While Kendall is unable to attend CYX, but her and her charity will be featured. Meet this wonderful young lady in person! For more info, visit www.life-ministry.org

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 received one already!

Pope Visits USA: Pope Benedict XVI makes appearances in Washington DC & New York later this month. Our diocesan YM community will be represented, as a group from the Youth for Truth YM program in La Porte will attend a rally for youth on April 19th. Please pray for their safe travels. The Pope’s visit gives us a timely opportunity to provide catechesis on the papacy. The Archdiocese of Washington & the USCCB has posted free Resource Guides for Teachers, Catechists and Youth Ministers at uspapalvisit.org . Pflaum has also posted some free resources for Jr. High youth and younger at pflaum.com/popesvisit .

OYYA goes WIKI: We now have a place to connect online: the Diocese of Gary YM Forum, from Wetpaint. It's a new "Sharing" site YM leaders in the diocese. The purpose is to share events, resources, suggestions and ideas. You don't just read content, you PROVIDE it: you can start e-mail threads, create new web pages, etc., with users encouraged to contribute material at the site, post threads, upload photos and videos, create new pages, and edit pages that are already there. Best part: it's free and to the best of my knowledge spam-free. If you haven't joined yet, visit catholicymforum.wetpaint.com .