Youth Ministry

Youth Ministry (also called adolescent catechesis) involves a mix of classroom curriculum, service projects, retreats, events and formation that moves young people from simply learning about their faith to living their faith everyday.

This page will serve as a resource for youth ministers as well as volunteers in youth ministry to have up-to-date access to resources for any Diocesan events or initiatives.

Questions? Contact Jessica Pancho 

Confirmation Retreats

Below is the list of confirmation retreats planned across the Diocese. If you have a student who needs to attend a different parish retreat, please reach out to the contact for that retreat to make arrangements.

 Parish(es) Location Date Contact
Our Lady's Immaculate Heart, Ankeny Our Lady's Immaculate Heart, Ankeny, IA Sunday, September 24th, 2023
1 PM - 6 PM
Randy Henderson 
St. Boniface, Waukee St. Boniface, Waukee, IA

Saturday, October 7th, 2023
9:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Julie Schell
SS Peter & Paul, Atlantic  Creighton Retreat Center, Griswold, IA 

Sunday, October 8th, 2023
10 AM - 4 PM

Julie Williamson
St. Mary's (Avoca) & St. Patrick's (Walnut)  Creighton Retreat Center, Griswold, IA Saturday, October 14th, 2023 Kathy Denning
St. Francis of Assisi, WDM St. Francis of Assisi, West Des Moines, IA  Saturday, October 21st, 2023 Claire Sevenich
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Glenwood  Glenwood, IA Saturday, November 4th, 2023
10 AM - 3 PM
Carie Finnegan
St. Patrick's (Neola) & St. Columbanus (Underwood)
Cost is $15
St. Patrick's, Neola, IA Sunday, November 5th, 2023
9:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Shannon Nye 
All Saints, Stuart
Retreat 1 of 3: The Catholic Mass 
All Saints, Stuart, IA Sunday, November 12th, 2023
10 AM - 3 PM 
Jill Gerling
 St. Mary's, Hamburg St. Mary's, Hamburg, IA  Sunday, January 14th, 2023  Beth Phillips
Corpus Christi, Council Bluffs Corpus Christi, Council Bluffs, IA Saturday, January 21st, 2024
10AM - 5PM 
Kendall McGrath
Shelby County parishes
Freshmen retreat
TBD  Saturday, February 10th, 2024 Rhonda Buck
St. John the Apostle (Norwalk) with St. Anne's (Logan) & St. Patrick's (Missouri Valley) Conception Abbey, Conception, MO Saturday/Sunday March 2-3, 2024 Jessica Pudenz
All Saints, Stuart
Retreat 2 of 3: Prayer, Saints, & Service
All Saints, Stuart, IA  Saturday, March 23rd, 2024
10:30 AM - 2 PM 
Jill Gerling
 St. Elizabeth Seton, Carlisle Conception Abbey, Conception, MO TBD, Spring 2024 Sarah Clayton 
Assumption, Granger  Assumption Church, Granger, IA Saturday, April 6th, 2024
9 AM - 6 PM
Cathy Davidson
Shelby county parishes
Sophomore retreat
St. Mary's, Portsmouth, IA  Saturday, April 6th, 2024 Rhonda Buck
St. Ambrose Cathedral, Des Moines St. Ambrose Cathedral, Des Moines, IA Sunday, April 21, 2024 Theresa Lewis
Our Lady of the Americas, Des Moines St. Thomas More Center, Panora, IA Saturday/Sunday April 27-28, 2024 Erika Mendez
 SS John & Paul, Altoona SS John & Paul, Altoona, IA Sunday, April 28th, 2024
12 PM - 5 PM
Maria Haas
Corpus Christi, Council Bluffs   Corpus Christi, Council Bluffs, IA Sunday, April 28th, 2024
2 PM - 5 PM
Kendall McGrath
All Saints, Stuart
Retreat 3 of 3: Confirmation 
All Saints, Stuart, IA  Sunday, June 2nd, 2024
6 PM - 9 PM 
Jill Gerling
Additional Resources

Framework for Adolescent Catechesis -- a vision for adolescent catechesis from the USCCB

Lifeteen -- an approved program for youth ministry in the diocese