Grant Impact Story
Corey Hansen, director of faith formation for Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus Parish in North East, paid attention to what the youth of the parish shared during a listening session for the Synod on Synodality. “The confirmation candidates expressed they wanted opportunities to put their faith into action,” Corey shared in his grant application.
While the parish has sent students to the National Catholic Youth Conference for several years, they wanted to try something new with Catholic Heart Work Camp. This program has locations around the country and incorporates helping those in need in tandem with other Catholic youth. Corey saw this as a great opportunity to take students out of their comfort zone, meet new people, grow in their faith, and help others. “I am looking for opportunities to show them how living out their faith while working side by side with other Catholics can help them grow in their faith,” he wrote. “My prayer is that the youth from our parish grow closer through this experience and bring the excitement back home so that other students can benefit from what they learned and did while on this trip.” With the cost of the trip so high, fundraising alone would not cover the expenses for the 15 parish youth who wanted to attend. Corey turned to the Catholic Foundation for support.
Saint Gregory Parish was awarded a grant from the Foundation to support student attendance at Catholic Heart Work Camp in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The group of over 50 students attending represented several parishes around the Diocese of Erie. This included The Epiphany of the Lord Parish in Meadville, who was also awarded a grant to support their participation. The experience allowed the youth to build a small community of their own across parishes as they worked together to help others.
“One of the participants from our parish stated that this experience showed how living our faith and helping others had a greater impact than he expected,” Corey shared in his grant report. “Being able to work side by side with those we were helping gave the youth an opportunity to see firsthand how much any help given was appreciated.” The trip gave everyone involved, students and adults, time to grow in their relationship with God. Many opportunities arose to grow in their faith, including daily Mass, rosaries, and praise and worship, as well as an open chapel.
Corey also discovered the importance of opportunities like this for young people to come together and live out their faith. “It was amazing to watch some go from not really wanting to be there to fully diving into the work every day and enjoying the relationships that grew from these experiences. As a staff member, it was made clear how much the youth need the attention and support of the adult community of the church.”
Inspired by an event at Catholic Heart Work Camp, Corey shared how the trip motivated him to create a program at Saint Gregory Parish called Cross Court where students could choose how they would like to pray or spend their time. This included opportunities to pray and talk with the adults. “It was eye-opening for me to see how much the youth needed this time and prayer,” Corey said. Inside the gym at the parish, he set up different stations where youth can play games, have discussions, work on homework, or sit with Jesus in a small chapel. “It allows them to come as they are and where they are in their faith. The programming will help us gently challenge them to grow in their relationship with God while building community,” he shared. The youth of the parish will also be attending Catholic Heart Work Camp again this year, hopefully with more participants.
“Experiences like these are vital for the growth of our young people in their faith, relationship with God, and relationships with each other. I watched this group from many different parishes in our diocese go from strangers to great friends over the course of the week together,” Corey shared in thanks. “Your generosity fuels this kind of growth and will pay dividends of a stronger diocese and Church as the youth stay involved and active in their faith. Thank you!”
This project was supported by a grant from the Education Endowment of the Catholic Foundation. Your gift to the Foundation in any amount designated for this endowment increases our capacity to award grants for innovative projects and programs throughout northwest Pennsylvania.
“I watched this group from many different parishes in our diocese go from strangers to great friends over the course of the week together. Your generosity fuels this kind of growth and will pay dividends of a stronger diocese and Church as the youth stay involved and active in their faith. Thank you!”