For New Youth Ministers

Congratulations on your new position!  Our office is here to help you in your new adventure as youth minister!

"...although it is never easy to approach young people, two things have become increasingly evident: the realization that the entire community has to be involved in evangelizing them, and the urgent requirement that young people take on a greater role in pastoral outreach."  ~ Pope Francis, Christus Vivit, 202.

Diocesan Safe Environment Requirements

You and all your volunteers need to do the following:

•  VIRTUS TRAINING CLASS: Register by going to https://www.virtusonline.org.  Click on “First-Time Registrant” on the left side of the page.  Select Cleveland OH (Diocese) and choose a session that works for your schedule.

• CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK: You must complete a criminal background check to volunteer/work with minors. We have two acceptable forms of screening: Selection.com or fingerprinting. We recommend Selection.com, which is a secure online portal that can be accessed directly from your VIRTUS account under the Toolbox tab. But check with your organization’s VIRTUS Coordinator, if they direct you to fingerprinting, then complete it that way. 

• READ AND SIGN the "Policy for Safety of Children in Matters of Sexual Abuse-Revised 2016."  It can be viewed and/or downloaded in English or Spanish.  Print out the last full page, sign it, scan and email it to your parish/school’s VIRTUS Coordinator to enter it into the system.

• READ AND SIGN the “Standards of Conduct for Ministry - Revised 2016.”  It can be viewed and/or downloaded in English or Spanish.  Print out the last full page, sign it, scan and email it to your parish/school’s VIRTUS Coordinator to enter it into the system.

• VIRTUS BULLETINS:  Once you have taken the VIRTUS class, you will receive a monthly online bulletin to read.   You must read and complete AT LEAST 24 of these bulletins.  (You do not have to have them all done BEFORE you start volunteering... you will be sent links to them monthly after you attend the class, so just keep reading them and answering the question at the end of each bulletin.)  You can see how many bulletins you have read and catch up on older ones by logging into your VIRTUS account here: https://www.virtusonline.org.

Questions on this?  Please contact Sharon Minson, Director of the Office for Protecting God's Children.

2024-2025 Training and Formation Opportunities

• First Things in Youth Ministry

  • Launches with First Things New Youth Minister Orientation in Fall 2024 - September 25, from 10am-4pm at Cathedral Square
  • The First Things Cohort is designed for those who have been doing youth ministry for 3 years or less - or who need a refresher on the basics.  It is to help share the practical and important information for starting youth ministry in the Diocese of Cleveland.  Think of it as Basic Training in comprehensive youth ministry.  This includes USCCB and Papal documents on youth ministry, diocesan standards, training on volunteers, safe environment, teen culture, programming, budgeting, fundraising, and more.
  • Online or in-person cohort meetings every 2-3 weeks for 6 sessions, starting in October
  • Cost: $50 and includes all cohort materials and 1-year membership to the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry
  • Registration will be on our events webpage.

• Blessed Carlo Institute for Youth Ministers

  • August 5-8, 2025 at the Center for Pastoral Leadership, Wickliffe
  • Part of the Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd Insitute, the Blessed Carlo Institute is a four-day, three-night experience of formation hosted at the Center for Pastoral Leadership that includes classes each morning taught by seminary professors, afternoon workshops by ministry experts, off-camps excursions, daily Mass, and more.
  • Cost: $490 and includes lodging and meals
  • ALL youth ministers and campus ministers - not just newbies - are invited to this institute!
  • For details about this classes and workshops this year, and to register go to our webpage.

• Fostering a Heart for Teens

  • Saturday, August 24, 2024, 9am-5:30pm, St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Parma
  • This is a day of training for your youth ministry volunteers.  Bring your adult volunteers who minister to middle school and high school teens.  There will breakout sessions and time to pray together,  The more you train and form your volunteers, the better they will minister to your teens and the longer they will stay engaged! 
  • We are going to unpack the Working Genius and how this tool can help your volunteer team be more effect in ministry. 
  • Registration is on our events webpage.

• Pastor and Youth Minister Gathering

  • Tuesday, September 17, 2024, 10am-2pm, Cathedral Square Plaza
  • All priests, deacons, and youth ministers are invited to this gathering!  Join Francine Costantini, Director of Youth Ministry, along with Bishop Malesic and key note speaker Aaron Richards, co-founder of Damascus Mission Campus as we reflect on the state of youth ministry in our diocese and talk about Hope in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope. The day will include lunch and a breakout for priests.
  • Registration will be on our events webpage.

• Desert Day Retreat

  • Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 9am-5:30pm, Jesuit Retreat Center, Parma
  • You are invited to join us for a quiet day of prayer.  We cannot give from an empty cup, so come and be filled. We will start with a talk, then invite you to spend the day with Jesus.  Opportunities for Confession, spiritual direction, Adoration, and Mass will be available.
  • Cost: $50 (or $25 for those who need assistance)
  • Registration will be on our events webpage.

• Youth Minister Bootcamps

  • YM Bootcamps are opportunities to dive into topics with other youth ministers, learning best practices and honing your skills. Often we have experts presenting, but sometimes we crowdsource ministry solutions from
  the experts in the room - YOU!  
  • These gatherings are generally held every 4-6 weeks to cover topics in youth ministry.  We often have an optional lunch before or after the bootcamp.
  • New this year are a few evening bootcamps for those who cannot meet during the day.
  • Registration opens for upcoming bootcamps about 1-2 months in advance on our events webpage.
    • Oct 16, 6:30-8:30pm - Side Hustle Youth Ministry
    • Nov 16, 3-5pm - Retreat Planning and Models
    • Dec 4, 10am-12pm - Sharing Hope with Grieving Teens with Cornerstone of Hope
    • Mar 20, 6:30-8:30pm - Engaging Parents in Ministry
    • Apr 8, 10am-12pm - TBD
    • May 8, 1-3pm - Intentional Planning in Ministry