“Preparation for Confirmation should aim at leading the Christian toward a more intimate union with Christ and a more lively familiarity with the Holy Spirit - his actions, his gifs, and his biddings - in order to be more capable of assuming the apostolic responsibilities of Christian life. To this end catechesis for conformation should strive to awaken a sense of belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ, he universal church as well as the parish community. The latter bears special responsibility for the preparation of confirmands.”

(CCC, no. 1309)

Teens each year of confirmation preparation are required to attend a “worship” event, or a time dedicated for them to experience beloning to the larger universal church and not just our youth ministry program. The following events count toward this requirement:

STEUBENVILLE san diego

The Steubenville Catholic Youth Conference is a partnership between Life Teen and Franciscan University, designed to provide intense evangelizing encounters for teens. This teen conference sets the stage for a life-changing encounter with Christ. Get ready for three days of fun, faith, and an incredible community-building experience!

This event is a powerful way to show teens at your parish how much they BELONG.

  • Every teen desires to belong – sin and shame convince them they don’t.

  • They’re not alone. others have the same struggles they do.

  • The world says they must change to belong – god meets them where they are.

  • They have an important place in the church. this event won’t be the same without them.

Steubenville 2026 dates are TBD upon release. More info will come via email.

LifeTeen summer Camp

Life Teen Summer Camp is a week-long residential experience for high school teens, focusing on faith formation, community building, and service, all within a Catholic context. It aims to lead teenagers closer to Jesus Christ through Eucharistic spirituality and opportunities for growth in their faith. The friendships forged through course challenges, small group time and prayer experiences offer a unique and unforgettable community that will last for years to come. At their summer camp “home,” everyone has a seat at the table; it’s a family meal where souls are also fed. A week at camp reminds every young soul that family means you never walk alone.

Dates for Summer Camp 2026 are to be released soon.

InspirationLA

Roller coasters. Funnel cake. That sound that’s somewhere between a laugh and a scream.

Today, the Road to Emmaus might look a little different, but the purpose remains the same: to walk with them.

InspirationLA is more than just a day at a theme park—it’s a chance to hang out, have fun, and truly walk alongside your high school teens. The casual, inviting setting opens the door for powerful relational ministry, while the Gospel-centered event creates space for teenagers to encounter Christ. Whether they’re on fire for their faith or just beginning to figure it out, our prayer is that they experience Jesus in a life-changing way.

That’s why we’re excited to continue the tradition of Inspiration LA, now with a new date and location in Spring 2026. More information coming soon.

ENCOUNTER

Encounter was created as a biannual event in 2022 with the intention to create a welcoming, meaningful opportunity for our teens, families, and parishioners to have a close personal encounter with Christ. Jesus has opened the door for you, and through his Church, he invites you into a personal relationship with God, but God won’t force you to choose him.

Christ comes to us in the Eucharist, offering himself to us: Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. He nourishes us, offering himself as “our daily bread.” It is easy for us to overlook this extraordinary gift. Even people who go to Mass each Sunday forget that Jesus is not merely symbolically present, but truly and substantially. It’s time for us to entrust ourselves to the One who gave his life for us and invites us to encounter him in the Eucharist.

When is the next event?

Our next Encounter at SJN will be December 7th, 2025.

RSVPs will be made available in November.

WHAT HAPPENS?

Following the 5 PM Mass, our Youth Ministry provides dinner in the Hall, followed by Praise & Worship, a speaker, and Adoration in the Church. The event will last from 6 PM - 8PM.

Who can attend?

All SJN Parishioners, teens and families are welcome and encouraged to attend. All minors must be accompanied by an adult. We hope for families to get to worship together in a meaningful way. After all, the family that prays together, stays together.

other

If your teen is unable to make it to any of these events, don’t stress! There are tons of other worship events throughout the year hosted my various parishes and events for your student to attend. These are just ones that we recommend, that we know to be moving, and that we attend as a larger youth ministry group.

The teen will be responsible for finding their own alternative event that meet the following qualifications:

  • Event must be at least 2 hrs in length

  • Event must feature adoration, praise & worship, or another form of prayer

  • Event must be open to any parish or teen, and takes place outside of St. John Neumann

Hint: Events labeled “XLT” usually fit the bill! Look at RCBO.org/events for upcoming opportunities in our diocese!

Once the teen has found an event, they should send the information to the Youth Minister for approval.

After attending the event, the teen is responsible for filling out the worship event reflection and turning it in to the Youth Minister in person or via email. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!