Passport to the OYM

The OYM has added a new staff member to our family!  Some of you may know her from her days as a core member at Sacred Heart in Valley Park, as a youth minister at St. Francis Borgia, or even seen her on a REAP retreat!  Since some of you might be wondering who this lady is or what brought her to our team, we asked her to introduce herself and share a little about what brought her to the OYM.  Check out what she had to say:

Starting at the OYM in late spring is like hopping on the “Knight Bus” from Harry Potter! 

The pace at which we were working was incredible and the sudden twists and turns make you hold on for dear life! Now that things are slowing down a bit (for the moment) I’d like to introduce myself.  My name is Kathleen McGovern, the newest Youth Ministry Coordinator for the Catholic Youth Apostolate.

During this short “breather” between events, I’ve had a chance to reflect on my journey to the office. A year ago, I was preparing my identification forms for my passport, believing my job at the time was going to take me around the world to fancy and exotic locations! Shortly after compiling all the forms I found myself unemployed with no passport - awesome. What’s a gal to do? God was asking me to take a time of discernment and reflection and I knew in my heart that God was calling me “home” to youth ministry.  Fast forward to this May as I begin working with the OYM and my “world travels” take me to, wait for it, Perryville, MO! Pretty sure you don’t need a passport to go there!

However, my “travels” in the past months have gone so much further than any passport could ever take me.  With a “yes” to the OYM and stepping back into ministry I’ve been on quite a ride, starting with a whirlwind trip to Perryville for Project Life (a service retreat) and immediately afterwards preparing for a Steubenville conference that included over 6,200 people over two weekends! I have seen teens and youth ministers in true service for God and in true worship to God. This witness to their faith has only forced me to look at my own, and I laugh. God has a sense of humor. My life plan had me meeting dignitaries and diplomats driving around in cool Jeeps on Safari and I end up meeting dead mice and dirty things and driving around in a golf cart!

The cool thing is that I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. I mean, seriously, who doesn’t love driving a golf cart? Seeing the joy of the teens.  Feeling the joy of Christ in my own heart.  I know God laid out this plan for me. I also know that I could not have done this without the people that God surrounded me with in my new office.  Rosanne, who sings random tunes from across the hall,  Amy, the “silent ninja” pulling out one-liners, Shippo, who’s always dancing to his favorite song, Tom, using his whole body while talking so that you know he’s got to be Italian and Fr. Brian poking his head in to give us the latest news on the iPhone and “ABC” the one and only Archbishop Carlson.  I have to admit that my new job is better than anything I could have imagined.

My life may have taken some unexpected turns, but I feel so honored and blessed that my journey brought me here.  I look forward to working and praying with you as we all discern and try to follow God’s will for us!

 “For I know well the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans for your welfare not of woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope. When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, you will find me with you, and I will change your lot.”

-Jeremiah 29:11-14