Recently I was sitting with a group of diocesan directors when one of them asked, “Where do we find more youth ministers?”
It wasn’t the first time I’ve heard that question. Whether it’s a diocese or a parish, the concern is the same: Where’s the best place to find our next youth minister?
There are some obvious places to look. Certain Catholic universities offer catechetical or theological degrees, and a few provide tracks in youth ministry. Missionary programs like NET Ministries and FOCUS also form strong young leaders, though the transition from missionary life to parish life can sometimes be a challenge.
And of course, our own parishes are filled with potential candidates—people who already know the community and care about it. But even then, stepping into a youth ministry role—especially if one hasn’t existed before—can feel unclear and overwhelming.
So the question remains:
Where and how do you find the next youth minister?
One of the biggest challenges isn’t a lack of candidates—it’s a lack of clarity.
I meet people all the time who step into youth ministry without ever seeing a clear job description. And even when one exists, it’s often layered with additional responsibilities: youth ministry and confirmation and young adults and liturgy support. At some point, the role becomes everything—and therefore, unclear.
If you’re a diocesan leader, this is where you can help. Offer a template. Provide a framework. Give parishes something concrete to work from.
If you’re in a parish, it’s even more direct: you can’t expect to hire someone into a role that isn’t clearly defined. Clarity doesn’t limit ministry—it makes it possible.
Here’s where we can learn from something the Church is already doing well: priestly vocations.
Across the country, dioceses have created clear pathways—discernment events, mentorship, intentional invitation. They don’t wait for someone to apply. They invite, walk with, and form them over time.
We need to do the same for lay ministry.
That doesn’t mean launching a full internship program tomorrow. Start smaller. Start with an apprenticeship.
Invite one person to shadow you.
Let them:
Have them sit in on meetings. Let them take notes. Talk through what they’re seeing.
Not only will they learn what youth ministry actually requires, but they’ll also begin to see themselves in the role. And over time, that apprenticeship can become an internship—and eventually, a hire.
At some point, every parish has to wrestle with this question:
Is a career in ministry sustainable here?
Even if you can’t hire someone full-time today, you still need a plan for how you get there.
If we want someone to build a ministry, stay in it, and grow it over time, we have to understand the real cost. That includes salary, resources, and the ability to build a team—not just run programs.
If there’s no plan, people feel it. And if there’s no investment, it’s difficult to expect long-term commitment.
But when there is a plan—even a developing one—it communicates something important: We’re investing in this, and we’re investing in you.
If you’re asking, “Where do we find our next youth minister?” you’re not alone.
Organizations like National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry and TENx10 are actively working on this question. They’re listening, researching, and experimenting with new approaches.
Staying connected to these conversations matters. You’ll gain insight into what others are seeing, and your experience can help shape what comes next.
They’re not as hard to find as we think.
They’re in our universities.
They’re in our missionary programs.
They’re sitting in our pews.
But more often than not, they’re not stepping forward—not because they aren’t called, but because the path isn’t clear.
We’ve already seen what happens when the Church takes vocations seriously. We build systems. We invite personally. We accompany consistently.
What if we did the same for youth ministry?
Not perfectly. Not all at once. But intentionally.
Because the question isn’t just, “Where do we find them?”
It’s:
Are we creating a Church where someone can see themselves becoming a youth minister—and staying?