CLIFTON Many believe connecting with teenagers requires text messaging, blogs and social network sites on the Internet. But to evangelize them to know the love of Christ, the National Evangelization Team (NET) follows the lead of Jesus himself — hitting the road to meet with young people face-to-face and giving witness to the faith.
On a journey via a 15-passenger van, 11 NET members hailing from Minnesota, Texas, Washington, Ohio, Florida, North Dakota and Nevada are currently in the Diocese hosting retreats for middle and high school students. The mission of NET Ministries, which is based in St. Paul, Minn., is to challenge young Catholics to love Christ and embrace the life of the Church.
NET began their road trip through the Diocese at St. Cecilia’s in Rockaway March 3. Their tour will end at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Church in Sparta March 23. In total, they will have hosted 10 retreats in the Diocese. Many of the young people NET is reaching, are preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation.
During one of their stops March 11, NET hosted a retreat for more than 50 Confirmation candidates from St. Andrew and St. Clare Parishes in Clifton and Our Lady of the Holy Angels Parish in Little Falls at St. Andrew Church here. The theme of the retreat was “Anchored in Hope,” giving teens insights into Jesus’ ministry on Earth and the pain and suffering he faced to before his Resurrection. At the retreat, the young people enjoyed games, skits, small sharing groups, talks and dinner. The highlight of the retreat takes place in the church, when the NET members pray individually over each retreatant and the Sacrament of Reconciliation is available for each of the teens.
One of the NET members, Lu Guajardo, 19, of Houston, told the young people, “Today we are going to think about why our faith is important. We (the team) are excited to be with you guys and you have an opportunity to have your lives changed.”
The team that is currently visiting the diocese is one of 14 hosting retreats for teenagers. Nine teams are traveling throughout the country and began their journey in September. During the nine months of traveling cross country the NET teams will travel 20,000 miles, serve seven to eight dioceses, facilitate nearly 150 retreats, stay in 125 hosts homes and reach about 8,500 young people one-on-one with the Gospel message.
While that face-to-face encounter is paramount to NET, they still keep in touch with family and friends using technology. In a recent blog found on www.netusa.org, the NET Team in the Diocese shared their encounters and wrote, “The young people we meet each day on retreat inspire us to go after the Lord in the same way that they do. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we put retreats on each day. Every day is different but beautiful. Staying bold in the inconsistency, we place all our trust in God and let him do his work.”
For more than 20 years, NET has been hosting retreats in the diocese reaching thousands of youth. The team serves six days a week giving retreats and each member receives a $100 salary per month. Throughout the Diocese, parishes have opened their doors for the team, providing meals and accommodations for these young adults who rely solely on the hospitality of the parishes in the host diocese.
Elizabeth Lagoe, 23, of Houston, said, “It’s great to be traveling all around the country and spreading God’s Word.”
During their stay in the Paterson Diocese, NET will have also host retreats at St. James Parish in Totowa, St. Matthew Parish in Randolph, St. Virgil Parish in Morris Plains, St. Therese Parish in Succasunna, Notre Dame of Mount Carmel Parish in Cedar Knolls, St. Joseph Parish in Mendham, St. Mary Parish in Passaic, and St. Mary Parish in Denville.
Deacon Rich Goglia, coordinator of religious education at St. Andrew’s, said, “NET does a great job talking to our teens about their faith. Because the team are young adults, teenagers seem to get more out of this retreat than anything older adults can tell them about God.”