In the hall where the 60 or so participants meet each week for St. John Vianney Parish’s youth ministry, in Goodyear, Ariz., the atmosphere goes well beyond learning about Jesus, the Blessed Mother and the sacraments.
“It really is a place where you can be yourself without worrying about anyone judging you,” said Abigail Navarro, a teen who has been involved with youth ministry since middle school.
“The friends you make here, you’ll keep for the rest of your life. The people here, you won’t find them anywhere else. You won’t find the faith that they have. You won’t find the love that they have for you,” she said.
The program is one of the more than 70 ministries throughout the Diocese of Phoenix impacted by the Charity and Development Appeal (CDA). The CDA provides Catholic-affiliated agencies the means to continue their missions, such as educating and forming future priests, providing for religious education and Catholic education for today’s youth and adult faith formation through Kino Catechetical Institute, among other initiatives.
“My faith has grown tremendously [here],” said Youth Minister Esmeralda Avila, who started in the program as a 6th-grader.
It was welcome news when Pope Francis declared 2025 a Jubilee Year.
In his Bull of Indiction, “Spes non confundit: Hope does not disappoint,” which announced the Jubilee Year and its themes, the pope wrote, “every effort should be made to enable the People of God to participate fully in its proclamation of hope in God’s grace and in the signs that attest to their efficacy.”
That grace and proclamation of hope can be experienced through the CDA and the many programs it supports, fueled by the gifts and generosity of the faithful.
St. John Vianney’s youth ministry is but one example. It’s made all the difference in the lives of countless young people including Gabe Esparza, who’s taken part for many years and is now a summer camp counselor.
“I really fell in love with the aspect of coming to church every Tuesday,” he said, “setting apart a day to just get away from the stress of the real world and be with people who are willing to grow [in faith] with me.”
To learn more about the CDA impact, visit https://dphx.org/cda/
