Mission Training Academy

(prerequisite: Discipleship Training Academy)

Who: 12 Catholic young adults, 20+ years
When: Sep 1, 2007 – May 16, 2008
Where: Tempe, Arizona / ASU
Cost: $5000 + $550 (DTA)
(fundraising training available)

Do you want to go deeper in your relationship with God? Do you want to understand the truths of the Catholic faith and be equipped to spread the Gospel with boldness? If so, keep reading and learn more about the Youth Arise North America MISSION TRAINING ACADEMY.

Youth Arise North America has established a nine-month formation program to equip Catholic young adults, age 20-30, for a lifetime of leadership for Jesus Christ and the Church. This program will only be accepting twelve participants for this year, preferably 6 women and 6 men.

Listed below are the four main components of the academy.

Catholic Household Living

Participants live together in community. There is one women’s household and one men’s household. Community life consists of communal prayer, daily mass, common meals, household chores, fellowship groups, and community building activities. Each week the community fellowship culminates with a celebration of the Lord’s Day meal on Saturday evenings. This celebration is an occasion of prayer and preparation for Sunday Liturgy, and thanksgiving for the blessings of the past week.

Theological and Spiritual Formation
Sept. 1, 2007 – Dec. 14, 2007

Each week through lectures, readings, essays, and student-led presentations the participants explore different topics related to the Theology of Missions. Some of the topics are the Theology of the Body, Evangelization, Scripture, Catechesis and Doctrine and more. The focus of this academy is the Church’s teachings on mission and evangelization. It serves to equip participants with methods and catechesis so to become a better evangelist and answer their call to mission. There will be a few spiritual formation topics covering the spirituality of a missionary, as well as some practical formation in ministry skills.

Evangelistic Mission Trips

As a means of practically applying the ministry training that the participants have gained throughout the program and to foster an interest in service work and compassion for those in need, this academy includes missionary opportunities.

There will be a few short-term mission trips throughout the academy to places such as Agua Prieta, Mexico (pictured above).

The long-term mission is a two-to-three week experience that takes place at the end of the program. It is the culmination of the experiences and training that has occurred throughout the program and is an opportunity to apply what has been learned. The mission consists of evangelistic outreach to people of every age through retreats, seminars, prayer meetings, and programs given at Catholic schools or parishes, nursing homes, or prisons. These programs incorporate a variety of methods, such as skits, teachings, testimonies, small/large group discussions, dynamic worship and prayer. In the past Youth Arise has traveled to places such as the US Virgin Islands, Mississippi, and Belfast, Northern Ireland for mission work.

Incorporated into their weekly lives, the participants will also have the opportunity to participate in outreach on the campus of Arizona State University, both independently and with other organizations. The campus is the biggest in the nation at 52,000 students.

Ministry Internships
Jan. 14, 2008 – May 16, 2008

Upon completion of the curriculum, each participant is expected to complete a four-month ministry internship. During the ministry internship component of the program, each participant is paired with an organization. The internship centers on the belief that those desiring to grow in Christian maturity and ministry need hands-on experience.

As each participant works under the direction of an experienced minister he or she is trained in Christian formation, ministry methodology, and the application of faith in the work place. Interns are involved in all aspects of ministry and have the opportunity to observe budget and administrative procedures, plan liturgies, lead small groups, conduct retreats and youth meetings, and prepare testimonies and teachings.