Story told to me by a grateful parent.

“Y.L.” was typical teen who always complained and balked over church attendance. One evening, to fulfill a CCD requirement, she reluctantly went to a different church within her parish cluster to hear a particular speaker give a talk, and attended the Youth Mass being held prior to that speaker’s presentation. A band of teenaged musicians, similar to herself, were performing the music for the Mass. That night she went home and told her mother “God spoke to me tonight, and I want to go sing at that church”. That next weekend she came and joined the teen band. She finished her confirmation at her new church. She, along with a number of the band members, is enthusiastically helping with the new Extreme Edge program for middle schoolers. She is, in less than a year’s time, one of the strongest performers in a group of many strong performers, while remaining honestly humble about her own talents and inspired by the others talents. On practice nights, she arrives late, apologizing, as she rushes in straight from her part-time job. She coerced her parents to hurry home from an out-of-state wedding because she “had to get to Mass”. She has taken over role of primary piano player which includes the responsibility of being the sole accompanist during the Mass Parts music – a role that scares many musicians. She enters the room with enthusiasm even when her day hasn’t gone so well. She cheerfully befriends new members who join the band and welcomes them wholeheartedly, as was done to her when she joined.

Not a single person can claim credit for her transformation and dedication, but the entire band individually and collectively, by being true ministers indeed did contribute to her finding her calling. I warned them when we first started this project, and repeatedly remind them of the fact that every one of them was now a true minister, like it or not, believe it or not, and that they might never know the effect that they have on other people – but it is a beautiful thing to discover specific cases were you do know for certain.

And it can have a domino effect. A year after “Y.L.” joining the band, her mother is so thoroughly pleased, impressed and inspired by her daughters compelling witness, she is completing  RICA classes herself to be confirmed this year, wanting to fill a need that she had suppressed for all these years.

16 year old ministers inspiring their peers; children showing their parents the way to deeper faith; amateur musicians unifying, leading, and inspiring an entire parish – just more examples of God working in unorthodox and magnificent ways.