Youth Ministry
St. Mary OTIC is a vibrant, joyful, service-loving parish, and we are blessed to have amazing youth in our community who help to make the Youth Ministry program so strong! Young people, in grades 6-12, are invited to take part in our youth ministry programs. Our doors are always open to helping the youth of our parish grow in their formation of living the Gospel of Jesus through their actions.
We encourage you to share the wonderful gifts God has given you here in our community and are so excited to get to know you! There are tons of opportunities for you to get involved in any way that you can. Whether you are new to youth ministry or are a veteran of the program, there are multiple events, retreats, and mission trips that we encourage you take advantage of. Click on the tabs below to learn more about our many opportunties!
We encourage you to share the wonderful gifts God has given you here in our community and are so excited to get to know you! There are tons of opportunities for you to get involved in any way that you can. Whether you are new to youth ministry or are a veteran of the program, there are multiple events, retreats, and mission trips that we encourage you take advantage of. Click on the tabs below to learn more about our many opportunties!
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Love begins here
Love Begins Here is a mission trip experience that is organized by the Diocese of Madison and provides students from across our Diocese to gather for a week-long mission trip that focuses on service to our communities and growing on your own spiritual path. Each summer, St. Mary OTIC & HOC send students on one High School week ($150/student) and one Middle School week ($110/student). The High School week is open for students who have completed grades 8-12 and the Middle School week is open for students who have completed grades 6-8. Space is limited on these trips, so reserve your spot before they all fill up.
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Vacation Bible School
Vacation Bible School is an opportunity for elementary-aged students to grow in their faith through a week-long day-camp experience. Vacation Bible School is scheduled for the first full week in August every year and is open to all students who will be going into grades K-6. The camp focuses on creating fun experiences for students so that they can grow closer to God in ways that are relevant to them. Another great feature of VBS is that St. Mary OTIC and HOC are only two churches in a large consortium of churches from around the Portage area that work together to create one community in God.
For more information about Vacation Bible School, please contact the Parish Office at 608-742-6998. |
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Shadow Stations
The Stations of the Cross are well-known to Catholic community as we recount the conviction of Jesus Christ in His love for us. Every year, during Lent, the youth of the St. Mary OTIC community create an immersive experience which has become known as Shadow Stations. Shadow Stations incorporates detailed narration, musical reflection, and shadow vignettes to guide the viewer through the Stations of the Cross in an experience unlike any other. In its 11th year, Shadow Stations is a great way for students to get involved in several ways, including as a reader, a vocalist, or as a character behind the screen.
For more information on Shadow Stations, please contact our Director of Liturgical Music, Sam Clemmons, at 608-742-6998 ext. 227. |
Pizza with the pastor
What is Pizza with the Pastor?
It's exactly what it sounds like! The youth of our community are invited to join Fr. Gary in an evening of pizza and discussion about the Catholic Faith. This laid-back feeling provides kids an opportunity to learn more about God in the comfort of an informal conversation. Curiosity gets the best of all of us and this is a great way to ask those questions that we don't always have an opportunity to ask. Registration for Pizza with the Pastor is required ahead of time. For more information on Pizza with the Pastor, please contact our Director of Religious Education Hannah Haseley at 608-742-6998 ext. 217 or email hhaseley@stmaryotic.org. |
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Camp gray
Camp Gray, located in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, is owned by the Catholic Diocese of Madison, and is funded by the generous support of patrons and donors. They have 225 beautiful acres that they love to share. They are a co-ed, overnight summer camp and school-year retreat center. Camp Gray is dedicated to enriching the spiritual lives of youth and combining faith, friends, and fun.
During the summer they offer numerous programs for campers ranging from 2nd through 12th grade. Camp sessions typically last one week (with a couple of two-week sessions available for older campers and a couple of shorter sessions for our younger campers). Camp Gray is also a retreat center and offers a number of programs during the school year. They offer facilitated retreats on confirmation, environmental stewardship, team building, and spiritual growth. |
Food Drives
Every December, the youth ministry program coordinates a food-drive to help the local food pantry at St. Vincent de Paul in Portage. The food pantry is a critical lifeline for many members of our community who have to make tough decisions between feeding their families and giving them a roof over their heads. Jesus calls us to feed the hungry and clothe the poor - we seek to live the Gospel by doing what we do best: serving the community in ways that are small to us, but make an everlasting impact. Your small commitment of time can go a long way for the members of our community. For more information on Pizza with the Pastor, please contact the Parish Office at 608-742-6998. |
