BRIDGEPORT—Back in October, Foundations in Faith announced the continuation of its Youth in Action grant program, designed to be a “by youth and for youth” initiative that encourages young people to step into the driver’s seat when it comes to their faith formation.
Foundations in Faith received a record number of applications this year, and is excited to announce the three ministries that were selected for the Youth in Action grant program in 2022.
First is the St. Ed’s Young Adult Ministry at St. Edward Church in New Fairfield. Their first event in July 2021 drew 70 young adults from the greater Danbury area, and they even had a write-up done in the Fairfield County Catholic. They’re hoping participating in the Youth in Action program will help them plan more events and engage more people.
Next was the St. James Teen Ministry at St. James Parish in Stratford. Unlike St. Ed’s, St. James’ teen ministry appears to be in its early stages of development into what’s sure to be a powerhouse of an organization. The adult leaders of the ministry believe participating in Youth in Action will both increase the program’s membership and longevity,. They also hope to get involved with CONECT (Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut), which is an interfaith organization focused on social justice, and it’s very exciting to see young people get involved in such an organization.
The last grant recipient was the Youth Without Borders Retreat at Our Lady of Aparecida Parish in Danbury. This program stressed the importance of retreats to the young adults in this Brazilian parish, and that making it happen each year is a collaborative, multigenerational effort from everyone there. Our Lady of Aparecida also demonstrated interest in opening up the retreat to young adults in other Brazilian Catholic communities at different parishes, exemplifying the collaboration element we wanted to see in potential programs.
Congratulations to this year’s Youth in Action grant recipients! We can’t wait to see all the great work you do!
By Rose Brennan
