St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church is honored to be a member of the Young Adult Initiative (YAI) through St. Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary in Indiana.

The YAI is a process of formation and collaboration with St. Meinrad and 15 other parishes.  Over the course of 4 years (2018-2021), we will receive guidance and support from St. Meinrad and work in concert with them and the other parishes to develop our parish into a faith community that can engage with and integrate young adults into our parish life.

As such, we are currently asking any young adults in the parish and area to reach out to Matt Flynn, director of adult faith formation and mission, at matthewflynn5@gmail.com or (618) 632-3562 to share with us about your life and reasons for being Catholic, leaving the Catholic Church, or never feeling attracted to Catholicism to begin with.  These conversations are designed to help us learn who you are and how we can be responsive to your needs and accompany you in your life.  We will also host a few large group conversations as well.

If you are interested in more information about the YAI, what resources our multigenerational core team is currently looking at and discussing, and how you can get involved, please check out the rest of the information on this page or contact Matt Flynn (matthewflynn5@gmail.com, 618-632-3562).

YAI Website: www.saintmeinradyai.org
YAI Facebook: www.facebook.com/saintmeinradyai
YAI Twitter: @saintmeinradyai

Going, Going, Gone: The Dynamics of Disaffiliation in Young Catholics
catholicresearch.smp.org

2018 Vatican Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational DIscernment
Website
Preparatory Document
Pre-Synod Document prepared for the Bishops by Young Adults from around the World
Working Document for the Bishops in preparation for the Synod in October
Video of the Synod Fathers' Letter to Young People
Text of the Synod Fathers' Letter to Young People
Pope Francis' Closing Statement at the Synod

Podcast on Reframing the Youth Question
www.ministrymonday.org/episodes/2018/3/5/reframingtheyouthquestion
(click the link and scroll down to the bottom of the page)

YAI Multigenerational Core Team Members
Sarah Gebke (26)
Jon Harter (30)
Erin Thoman (30)
Matt Flynn (33)
Jeff Harris (41)
Betsy McCarty (42)
Sara Wise (53)

Members of the YAI Core Team (from left to right: Jon Harter, Matt Flynn, Sara Wise, and Jeff Harris) at the YAI Conference at St. Meinrad in August, 2018.  The Conference focused on how to engage young adults outside the Church.

National Speaker Jonathan Lewis presented, among other things, on the importance of relationships, accompaniment, and finding ways to engage young adults in non-traditional ways and spaces.