The median age of disaffiliation (deciding to leave the Church) is 13 years old.

This means that by the time a teen is in high school, we can no longer assume they believe in the tenets of the Catholic faith. This leaves a question: How do we keep our kids Catholic?

Having a personal encounter with Jesus Christ is what calls people to become disciples of Jesus Christ. Only He can keep our kids Catholic. But He wants us to cooperate with Him. Our kids need three things from us:

1) Prayer- People who will pray and fast for them.
2) Parents- Supportive and faithful parents/role models who will lead by example.
3) Peers- A community of like-minded peers who live their faith.

The third leg of that stool is where High School Youth Ministry comes in, giving our teens a community to live out their faith and ask the important questions about following Jesus.