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Fasting as
Prayer
by Laurie Delgatto,
St. Mary's Press
 The
season of Lent is commonly associated with
"giving something up," in the same way Jesus
did in his forty days in the wilderness.
Fasting had a central role, a reminder that
"One does not live by bread alone" (Luke
4:4). Fasting is a practice that affects our
entire being--heart, soul, and mind. Like
any spiritual discipline, it should be
entered into prayerfully. Jesus says in the
Gospel of Matthew: "when you fast" (vs.
6:17), not "if." This Lenten season why not
encourage yourself and the young people and
families you serve to consider some of these
fasting possibilities.
- Fast only on
certain days of the week.
- Fast only
during daylight hours, as Muslims practice
during Ramadan.
- Give up one
meal a day. Spend that time in prayer and
donate the money you would have spent for
that meal to a hunger-related cause.
- Estimate the
weight of the food you eat at each meal and
set aside a penny for every pound. Send a
donation to a hunger-related cause, and
remember those in need during table grace
when you do eat
Nexus and YLI: Don't Miss Either!
Have you
thought about who your parish or school is
sending to the upcoming
Youth Leadership
Institute (YLI)? If not, download
all the information (or wait by your
mailbox) and pass the info along to the
leaders - or potential leaders - in your
community. YLI will be held from
March 30th (evening arrival) to April 3rd
(mid-afternoon departure)
at St. Thomas More Academy in Magnolia, DE
(near Dover). CYM is pleased to welcome back
the Center for Ministry Development (CMD) as
partners in offering the program. Sign up
soon, as a limited number of spaces are
available. For more info, click
here.
Limited scholarships available.
The other
great event coming next month is
Nexus,
our annual high school rally. This year's
theme: Forgive. The keynote for the day is
Bud Welch. Bud's daughter, Julie
Marie, was killed in the Wednesday, April
19, 1995 blast that destroyed the Murrah
Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK. He
talks about his journey from rage and
temporary insanity to seeking forgiveness.
For a brief biography on Bud, click
here. Our musical guest for the day is
Sarah Hart. Sarah has been entertaining
folks with her amazing talent for years. For
more information on Sarah, click
here.
For all the Nexus information, click
here.
Spring Formation Day
Registration Open
CYM is pleased to continue our partnership with
the Office for Religious Education in offering
personal and professional development
opportunities for adult leaders in ministry. The
next formation day will be held on Saturday,
March 12th at Holy Family Parish’s Religious
Education Center from 8:30am-1:30pm. All sessions
are open to adult leaders in youth ministry, but
CYM is particularly pleased to offer workshops on
these formation days that are designed for adult
leaders in youth ministry. For more information
and to register for the session, click
here. Please sign up as soon as possible.
CYM Sports Results
Immaculate Heart of Mary
athletes won the CYM Diocesan Cheerleading title
at the St. Mark’s High School Cheerleading
Competition on Saturday February 5th. This was the
first varsity cheerleading title for IHM. Way to
go! St. Polycarp
won the CYM Diocesan Wrestling Championship at St.
Mark’s High School on Sunday February 20th.
Congratulations! And thanks to Resurrection parish
for welcoming so many to Mass!
Varsity Girls Basketball
Championship games will be played on
Sunday February 27th at Archmere Academy at 1:00
PM (Y2 Division), 2:15 PM (Y1 Division) and 3:30
PM (C Division). Varsity
Boys Basketball Championship games will
be played on Sunday February 27th at Delaware
Technical & Community College Stanton at 12 Noon
(Y2 Division), 1:15 PM (Y1 Division) and 2:30 PM
(C Division).
Got plans for Thursday? Try Theology on Tap
 The
popular Young Adult event
Theology on Tap (ToT) will be
canceled for February 24th due to snow, but will
return next week. ToT
is held at Catherine Rooney’s Irish Pub and
Restaurant at 1616 Delaware Avenue, Trolley
Square. Doors open at 7:00pm, and the evening’s
program begins at 7:30pm. Free parking is
available on street and in the Trolley Square
Shopping Center. Food and drink are available for
purchase Be part of the fun and meet great
people—while learning more about the faith! For
more info about ToT contact
CYM. Click
here to read about the first week's session
(as reported in the News Journal)
Recognition Dinner Nomination Deadline Fast
Approaching
Have you
submitted the nominees from your parish for
the Recognition Dinner yet? If not, download
a form and get to work! The deadline is
March 15 and the event is set for April 12
at Christiana Country Club. For complete
information, click here.
It's
Academic, After All
It's Academic,
the middle school scholars' competition, if
off and running, The current standings for
the week ending February 19th (in order):
Holy Cross, IHM, St. Edmond, St. Mary
Magdalen, St. Catherine, Corpus Christi &
Holy Rosary (tie), Good Shepherd, St.
Elizabeth & St. Anthony (tie), St. Ann, St.
John, St. Peter, St. Hedwig, St. Thomas, St.
Matthew, St. Helena.
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Letter Requested after Nun Murdered
DOROTHY STANG,
SNdeN, who was murdered in Brazil
on February 12th, worked tirelessly on
behalf of local farmers to help fight off
attempts by loggers and large landowners to
expropriate lands and clear large areas of
the Amazon rainforest. Sr. Dorothy was shot
to death while walking near the town of
Anapu less than a week after she met with
Human Rights Secretary Nilmario Miranda to
report that four farmers had received death
threats from loggers and landowners. At this
time, her community encourages letters to
the Brazilian Ambassador in Washington DC to
assure that a full investigation is
conducted. After speaking with their sisters
in Brazil, the Notre Dame Sisters in
Baltimore said that the situation is far
from stable and that it is imperative for
letters etc. to keep coming in order to keep
pressure building. PLEASE WRITE TO:
Ambassador Roberto Abdenur, Brazilian
Embassy, 3006 Massachusetts Avenue,
Washington, DC 20008.
Looking for a
Tournament?
There are several tournaments currently
listed in the
Tournament Time
webpage. Check for the latest in parish and/or CYM
sponsored tournaments and clinics. Use the
page to submit your own information as well.
Easter Baskets
Last year CYM and
its partnering organizations sent Easter Baskets
to more than 1,000 young people and families.
There is still time for your parish, school, scout
troop or community organization to get involved.
Click
here for more information.
NCYC Emcee & Keynoters Announced
Steve
Angrisano has agreed to serve as the emcee
for the 2005 National Catholic Youth
Conference in Atlanta. Bishop Gordon D.
Bennett of Mandeville, Jamaica, formerly
auxiliary bishop of Baltimore, and Jesse
Manibusan have also accepted invitations to
be keynote speakers. The final keynote
speaker is expected to be confirmed next
week. Additional program information will be
made available by the end of March.
CRS Food Fast
There’s still
time to offer this thought-provoking program
for young people in your parish or school.
For more information, visit the Food Fast
webpage.
Rwanda Reflections
Reflections
from the participants in the Called to
Witness trip to Rwanda in September 2004 in
which Patrick and Anthony participated is
now online. To read Anthony's reflections,
click
here.
Education for Justice Website
Take a moment
to check out a new resource to promote the
Church’s social teaching with high school
students. The Education for Justice website
offers an online educational library with
thousands of pages of materials and also
features a bi-monthly newsletter. (Please
note: this is a fee-based website, and
requires a signup/payment of a membership
fee). For more information, click
here.
Did You Miss Something?
Announcements
in Ladders Online aren't always repeated, so
if you think you might have missed
something, visit the
Ladders Online
Archives.
Suggest a Quick Quiz
Do you have an
idea for a Quick Quiz Question? If so, email
it to CYM. If we use your suggestion, you'll
receive a t-shirt!
Quotable
The arrogance of power must
be countered with reason, force with
dialogue, pointed weapons with outstretched
hands, evil with good. - Pope John Paul II |
Chess:
The Game of Kings
Students in
Delaware Catholic elementary schools or in
Delaware Parish Religious Ed programs are
eligible to participate in the 2nd Annual
Knights of Columbus Catholic Youth Chess
Tournament. Sat, April 2, 2005, St. Pius X
Council Home, Lancaster Ave. & Scott St. in
Wilmington Please contact Felix Spitelle,
302 658-2713, for more information.
Hurricane Hummy and Super Sue!
On Sunday
February 13th,
Hummy Pennell and
Sue Leonard
were awarded the 2005 Sportsmanship Award
by the Delaware Women's Alliance for Sport
and Fitness at a luncheon at the Trabant
Center of the University of Delaware. The
program noted the following concerning the
award. "The DWASF Sportsmanship Award honors
a Delaware female athlete of any age who has
demonstrated either an outstanding instance
of sportsmanship and the ideals of ethical
conduct in sports. The nominee serves as a
positive role model and leader."
Denise Rosaio nominated both for this award
for their work as coordinators and officials
in the CYM program including volleyball,
basketball, softball and baseball and wrote
the following about Hummy and Sue: "Both of
these individuals deal with a very
precarious time in development of young
girls in enjoying athletics and fitness.
They possess a calm demeanor, which is
essential in creating an atmosphere to learn
and enjoy the sports not only for their
girls but for the parents and officials as
well"
Congratulations to Hummy and Sue. CYM is so
proud to have then in the family.
Deadline
Extended for Youth Awards
Nominations for the Governor's Youth Service
Awards will be accepted through Friday,
February 25, 2005, at the State Office of
Volunteerism (SOV) in Delaware Health and
Social Services' Division of State Service
Centers. Award recipients will be honored at
a special dinner ceremony with Gov. Ruth Ann
Minner on April 20, 2005, at the Modern
Maturity Center, Dover. For more information
or to nominate a young person for the award,
please contact Tami Golt at the State Office
of Volunteerism at
tami.golt@state.de.us.
St. Mary Magdalen Invites You to
Steubenville's Conference
Don't forget,
St. Mary Magdalen youth ministry is once
again organizing a trip to the
High School Youth
Conferences at Franciscan University
in Steubenville, Ohio. The group has
received spots for one charter bus full to
attend the July 8th-10th session, so reserve
your spot soon. They will be having an
informational and sign up meeting Tuesday,
March 8th 7:30-8:30pm in the Parish Life
Room (use the gym entrance). Students
interested in the trip are asked to come
with their parent/ guardian to find out more
about the trip, see a promotional DVD from
the conference, and ask any questions they
may have. You may also
download the forms and turn in your
deposit to reserve a space. Please contact
Alison Szczerba-Coordinator of Youth
Ministry with any questions 652-6800x39
youthsmm@comcast.net.
Quick Quiz
No one guessed that Angelo Roncalli
chose the name John XXIII because he wanted
to restore dignity to the name so I guess
we'll try an easier question. Just so you
know, one of the anti-popes during the Great
Western Schism was named John XXIII, so in
an effort to restore dignity to his name,
Angelo chose it too! His dad's name was
John, so that would have been a good answer
too.
This week -
What great event is expected to happen in
the life of a CYM staff member between March
27 and April 2? Be the first to
email CYM with the correct answer to
win. (Previous winners must wait 90 days to
win again!)
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