SALT & LIGHT: Strengthens faith of youth post-confirmation

This article is the first in a series of articles related to faith formation, leading up to Catechetical Sunday that will be celebrated on Sept. 21.

By RENEE WEBB
Content and Design Coordinator

Youth groups in parishes throughout the Diocese of Sioux City serve students in a variety of ages.

The Salt & Light group of St. Mary Parish in Humboldt started several years specifically for students in 11^th and 12^th grades.

According to Deacon Don Evans, the group was established to try to buck the trend of students no longer participating in faith formation upon their confirmation.

“We noticed that after confirmation, we were losing a lot of kids like a lot of parishes so this is an extension of faith formation,” he said. The group meets weekly during the school year, at the same time as the traditional faith formation classes.

Nicole Boyle, who became a leader of the group in 2020, mentioned that Salt & Light provides a nice bridge between confirmation and post high school life outside of living with their parents. Deacon Evans and Katherine Tierney also serve as adult leaders for the group. Other parishioners have volunteered from time to time for specific discussions or projects.

“It helps kids learn about what it means to live out their faith as an adult,” she said.

Sara Carlson, faith formation director at St. Mary’s, acknowledged that with surveys showing many people stop practicing the Catholic faith sometime between middle school and college this youth group for 11^th and 12^th graders is very important.

“St. Mary’s wants to take advantage of this time in students’ lives to walk with them so that they can see all the beauty and truth of Jesus and his one, holy Catholic Church,” she said.

Carlson pointed out that Salt & Light offers Catholic Christian friendship, topics of discussion relevant to juniors and seniors, enriching sacramental and prayer-filled experiences and service opportunities.

Student input
“For years we have been trying to find a way to engage them more,” said Deacon Evans. “What’s different about this from regular faith formation is we have a lot more of the student led types of activities. They dictate what we are going to do for the year.”

On the dates where no specific activities are planned, he said they will fill in with Scripture reflections and/or time for prayer in the church.

“We have created a group that is catered to the desires of the people in the group that is interactive and less focused on teaching new information and more on faith in action and answering questions about their faith,” said Boyle.

Deacon Evans mentioned that when it comes to topics of discussion there are a wide range of issues, many of which relate to moral theology.

Members of Salt & Light fill eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt held last spring.

“We like it to be as much student led as possible, but we are there to make sure the theology is correct,” he said, adding that they share the church’s position.
Service projects range from playing bingo and Christmas caroling with the elderly in long-term care facilities to helping the homebound with household tasks and hosting an Easter Egg Hunt.

Not only do the youth group leaders find out what students want to do and discuss during the year, but Carlson said the leaders also ask the students what would make them not want to come to Salt & Light.

“I think the kids enjoy getting together,” said Boyle. “We’ve had some great discussions and curiosity is encouraged. It’s important to me as a leader that the kids understand why they believe what they do and are not just regurgitating information when they discuss with someone outside the faith.”

Foundation of faith
The youth group leader believes that participating in the Salt & Light group is a good way for the upperclassmen to build up their faith before heading off to college.

“For 18 years kids are taught to listen to their parents. It’s important for kids to understand the ‘why’ of their faith, feel safe and supported as they ask questions,” said Boyle, who added that this approach assists with developing critical thinking skills. “They will encounter people outside their faith in college and it’s important that they are grounded in a strong foundation but also able to live out their faith like Jesus modeled, in a loving, nonjudgmental way.”

Carlson agreed that Salt & Light equips the students to continue living out their faith beyond high school.

“Many participants go on to be actively involved in their college parishes – attending daily and weekly Mass, leading and participating in small groups, serving in parish ministries and boldly inviting roommates, classmates and teammates into a relationship with Christ,” she said.

A topic of discussion, noted the deacon, is what the teens will face when they get to college and how hard it will be to choose faith.

“One of the first things we do at the beginning of the year is as a group we put together care

Dinner and movie gathering with the Salt & Light group.

packages and write letters to all of the seniors from the year before – not only members of Salt & Light but especially for them - so that the first couple months when they are away at college they get an encouraging letter and snacks and treats,” said the deacon.  “It also helps them remember that they made a choice to have a strong faith and continue to practice.”Deacon Evans said typically 10 to 15 upperclassmen take part in the classes each week. 

While the group has only been called Salt & Light for a few years, he estimated that it started about 10 years ago.

Commitment to faith
“Coming back to faith formation is never a requirement, but after you are confirmed it is not the end of the journey either,” he stressed. “You need to do something for your faith and this is a good way to stay connected with everyone. It becomes their choice to attend. They are the ones to say they find it is important.”

Making Christ the top priority in our lives, added Carlson, is a daily, intentional commitment.

“Each day we face competing priorities and distractions that challenge Christ’s rightful place at the center of our hearts,” said the faith formation director. “At St. Mary’s one avenue offered to juniors and seniors in this spiritual battle is the Salt & Light group. Through community, prayer, knowledge, service and leadership rooted in faith, students are equipped not only to grow in their own relationship with Christ, but also to help lead others toward him.”

Since the group has been around the parish for some time now, Deacon Evans said the younger students are aware of the group for the older students.

“They know now that it’s the step,” he said. “It’s no longer ‘I’m confirmed and I’m done.’ It’s, ‘I’m confirmed and now I get to join Salt & Light.’ Some kids take that and run with it and others are still done, but they are always invited.”