Edge is a Catholic middle school youth ministry program. It provides a safe fun place for youth to find solid Catholic community, to get answers to their questions about faith, and, most importantly, to experience Jesus in a profound and personal way. Edge resources speak to the physical, psychological, cognitive, relational, and spiritual maturation of middle school youth.

We all remember that middle school was awkward and difficult. That hasn’t changed. However, societal shifts have made the middle school years more difficult than ever. Today, middle school youth are having experiences that were common only with high school students just 15 years ago. Threats of bullying and violence, availability of drugs and alcohol, and pervasiveness of sex and pornography are the new norm. They are also faced with more anxiety, social media influence, and their identity is in question. Not only are they faced with these tough realities but they are also in the process of moving from being family-centered to friend-centered.

Peers gain greater influence and parental authority is called into question. As they shift socially, they are also experiencing tremendous changes emotionally and intellectually. As they wade through all the difficulties of this time of life, they have real questions and need real answers. If parish leaders ignore the unique challenges of their middle school youth, they risk losing them forever.

Now more than ever middle school youth need the truth and love of Jesus Christ to guide their lives and they need the faith presented in a way that makes sense to them and is relevant to their lives. Edge accomplishes this and builds a foundation of faith that will guide the youth as they face many difficulties and help them as they begin to make decisions that affect the rest of their teen years.

ALL registered parish families with students in grades 6-8 for the 2021-2022 school year are invited - whether you attend a public, private, Catholic, or home school.

* Active participation in 8th grade is required to participate in the confirmation process in 9th grade.

Each session is divided into four parts:

• Gather - Fun and engaging activity to build community
• Proclaim - A relevant message is shared about the Catholic faith based on the topic and overall theme of the semester
• Break - Divide into small groups for discussion to understand the message and to answer any questions the youth may have concerning the topic of the session
• Send - Close with prayer, music and a weekly practical challenge that brings the message to life in our daily lives

In order for your child to be eligible for confirmation in 9th grade, active participation in 8th grade is required, whether you attend a public, private, Catholic, or home school.

What is Active Participation?

Participation in confirmation is often viewed as a rite of passage and has become something one does solely because that is what you do as a Catholic. If this the mentality or approach to the sacrament, then everything else around the preparation becomes just an item to complete and confirmation is about completing something verses beginning something. Edge participation is an opportunity to grow and prepare to receive the sacrament of confirmation not just an item to "check the box" for confirmation.

So what is active participation? Youth actively participate in sports, drama, academics, and many other activities. Coaches, instructors, teachers and parents understand the importance of commitment and the value of the experience and the participation of the young person in the activity.  Faith formation or sacramental preparation usually doesn't receive the same value or importance in comparison to other activities a child is involved in but is rather seen as something the child has to do. 

We do not want this to be the case for your child. We want them to feel welcomed, that they belong and desire to be present. With that said, any new opportunity can take time to adjust to especially when in an environment with new people. We ask that you make a commitment for the sake of the spiritual life of your child, not just as a requirement for confirmation. We ask that they are present just as if they were involved in their favorite activity. Why? Because we want your child to be fully alive!  We want them to be joy-filled individuals. We want them to be prepared to face the difficulties of being a teenager knowing they are not alone but that they have God, family, friends and a church community as their firm foundation. Ultimately, we are here to support you in forming the spiritual life of your child and know it is a privelege and honor.

There is no fee to participate in regular, weekly Edge activities.   We ask you to prayefully include support of our Youth Ministry in your regular offertory giving.   Our parish is making a significant investment in youth and families, supported entirely through our parishioners' generous stewardship of treasure.  

Camps, retreats, and some off-site events require a participant fee.