Youth Ministers, Looking for a great fundraiser that will also build spirituality in your parish families? The Word Among Us is the most popular Catholic monthly magazine in the United States. This is a new and wonderful fundraiser for Steubenville San Diego and your Parish Youth needs. We’ve been working closely with the president of the Word Among Us and they have agreed to partner with Steubenville San Diego.

Click here for more information on The Word Among Us fundraiser.

We would like to invite you to consider the Franciscan LEAD program for some of your teens. This program is run through the Franciscan Youth Outreach office and is designed to benefit your youth group by training your teens the week before the youth conference and placing them back with your group to be peer leaders with you for the weekend. Please note that in order for a youth to be involved in this program they will need your recommendation.

WHAT IS IT? - Franciscan LEAD is a five-day, Christ-centered, sacrament-soaked, prayer-fueled immersion in Catholic teachings on leadership, evangelization, and discipleship inspired by the life and witness of St. Francis of Assisi. Our leadership philosophy is based on the foundation that leadership flows from a personal relationship with Christ. Therefore, we first give your teens the tools to grow closer in their relationship with Jesus and then give them the essentials for leadership and evangelization.

“At the beginning of the week I started with this image of me learning how to be this awesome leader. Well, ironically, I learned how to be a better follower than a leader. One of the biggest lessons I learned was that even the pope isn’t the leader. The leader is God. If we want to be good leaders we need to be good followers first. You can’t teach what you haven’t learned. But I know what my values are now, and I’m trusting in God to lead me in the right direction.”
—Taylor Bockhorst, Teen Participant Testimonial

WHEN? - The week before the Conference; beginning Monday and ending Friday afternoon when the participant will join their group for the weekend youth conference.

WHO? – Rising high school sophomores through high school seniors, who…
…Love Jesus and His Church.
…Are ready to take their Catholic faith to the next level.
…Want to learn how to share their love of Christ with friends and classmates.
…Want to go deeper in prayer.
…Want to inspire others to answer Christ’s radical call to love and serve.

COST? - The cost of $375.00 includes training in discipleship and evangelization, resource book, official Franciscan LEAD t-shirt, and lodging/meals for the participant for the duration of the LEAD program. This cost does not include the registration fee for the conference weekend.

HOW? – The application for Franciscan LEAD is online this year. The step by step process and link to the application is detailed at http://franciscanyouth.com/information/content/14. The first part of the application is completed by the teen. After they complete this portion online, an email is automatically sent to their referral person with a link to the online referral. Be sure to make sure your teen has the needed information listed on the application procedure page before beginning the application process.

There is no limit to the number of teens that may apply from each group. Applications are now being accepted.

Contact us at franciscanlead@franciscan.edu if you have any questions.

“I love what Franciscan LEAD has to offer those teens that want to go deeper and become better leaders. They are able to go on a LEAD week and not just learn practical leadership skills, but they learn to pray, to really listen to God and begin to understand the depths of His love for each of them. They come back and know not only what it is to lead, they know what it is to SERVE. I would recommend sending teens on a Franciscan LEAD week to any youth minister - it's worth every minute, dime, and dollar. I plan on continuing to send teens every year and look forward to the love they will find in Christ and the amazing ways they will share that with others when they return.”
—Angie Windnagle, Youth Minister Testimonial