YOUTH CORNER
Welcome to the Beginning By Mark Loyet
opportunity here at the Diocese. Not only has our Diocese been without a Director of Campus, Youth and Young Adult Ministry for some time, my position is brand new and encompasses a broader spectrum of ministry so I am thrilled about the huge opportunity for new ideas and strategies. I want you all to know that my door is ALWAYS open and I very much desire to hear from everyone who has ideas about how we can serve our Heavenly Father and our brothers and sisters in Christ across north Louisiana in all areas relating to pastoral ministry. I always say that the best ideas I have, I have gotten from someone else. In Romans 12:4-6 (NAB), the Apostle Paul wrote “For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ reetings Diocese of Shreveport friends and and individually parts of one another. Since we have fellow laborers, and thank you all very much gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let for your prayers and warm welcome as I begin us exercise them.” Indeed let us collaborate, strategize this new path as Director of Pastoral Ministry for our and work together to build God’s kingdom. diocese. I am excited and humbled by the confidence Over the next year, my initial plan and goals which the administrative team has placed in me. As are to assess the different pastoral ministries that I have visited the Catholic Center over the last few are operating throughout the diocese, network and weeks, I have been very blessed to see firsthand a team establish communication with the many clerical and of people with servants’ hearts whose enthusiasm for Loyet lay pastoral ministers, and develop a comprehensive ministry and our new path breathes life into my own strategy for each of the various pastoral ministry branches in enthusiasm. I strongly encourage everyone to make an effort collaboration with their directors, employed members and to get to know the team members here who are faithfully volunteers. serving our diocese. As a builder, I am less an artist than a pragmatist. I am When I began my work as Youth Minister at Jesus the driven by what works. Clinging to tradition or innovation Good Shepherd in Monroe in August of 2015, if you had simply for their own sakes is not what I have observed to be asked me where I see myself in 4 years, I would have said, effective in ministry, nor have I seen a one-size-fits-all “Still here at JGS hopefully polishing an established youth approach work on a large scale. Generally speaking, ministry program.” Well as the saying goes, “If you want to make God (youth ministry for example) is going to look slightly, or even laugh, tell Him your plans.” I am very proud of the work our vastly different, based on location, population, community youth ministry team accomplished over the last 4 years and I history, etc. Therefore, I am a strong believer that we must can honestly say we have accomplished most of what we set be docile to the Holy Spirit as He works through us to out to do in building a youth program. Now, to my surprise, accomplish His will. He has called me to a new challenge and I look forward to In addition to communicating with many of you beginning a new project. individually via phone and e-mail, I will also strive to provide Without repeating what Randy Tiller said in his article diocesan pastoral ministry related news via this magazine and last month which introduced my new position, I would like social media. to summarize myself with one word: builder. When I came to JGS in 2015, there had not been a youth coordinator or program for many years. The advantage of Mark Loyet is the Director of Pastoral Ministries. that was that I was able to start from scratch and build the You can contact him at mloyet@dioshpt.org program from the ground up without being compared to the past or having to “fill someone else’s shoes,” nor did anyone have any concrete expectations. This was very freeing. In His providence, I believe God has given me a very similar
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