"Do You Believe?" - annual high school rally hosted in Nicollet

by Bill Casey

Each year the High School Rally calls hundreds of youth together in 9-12th grade for a day of celebrating and recognizing young Catholics in the church today. This year, they will gather from all over the diocese for the day on Sunday, April 16, at Nicollet Public High School. There will be featured speakers, liturgy, a dance, food and time to meet many other youth.

The featured speakers this year will be from Cultivation Ministries. Their Outbreak Team will provide direction for the day. This is a different type of experience this year in light of RENEW 2000. Through the use of skits, drama, music, live video, computer multi-media, and personal faith stories, the Cultivation Ministries hopes to inspire young people and youth leaders.

Cultivation Ministries is a nationally recognized Catholic not-for-profit organization that has worked with many dioceses and parishes around the country reaching Catholic teens with the gospel message and building dynamic parish-based youth ministries.

The Outbreak Team consists of professional, veteran youth ministers and highly trained and experienced interns and student ministers. Over the past three years, the Outbreak Team has ministered to more that 5,000 high school age teens using a large group format called Outbreak Youth Fests. Most recently, they did a workshop for 2,000 teens at the St. Louis National Catholic Youth Conference.

Rock Your World will be part of the theme for the day when they appear in the New Ulm diocese. The Rally will be facilitated by nine student ministers (Juniors and Seniors), one intern, and staff members, Eric Groth, and Frank Mercadante.

Eric Groth has a B.A. in Christian Education and a M.A. in Christian Counseling. He has worked in campus ministry at Rockford, Illinois, and as a consultant and coordinator with Cultivation Ministries since 1997.

Frank Mercadante is the co-founder and Executive Director of Cultivation Ministries. He has a B.A. in Christian Education and a M.A. in pastoral studies from Loyola University and also a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Youth Ministries from the Center for Ministry Development. He has authored Growing Teen Disciples (Ave Maria Press, 1998) as well as Disciples in Mission Small Group Leader’s Guide for Teens, a series of small group materials for youth (Paulist National Evangelization Association, 1999).

The day will provide many opportunities for youth involvement. Contact your local parish Youth Minister or Director of Religious Education for registration.