June 17, 2026

By Deacon Garry Stevens
Diocesan Vocations Coordinator

The Diocese of Ogdensburg will host a Youth Service Picnic on Saturday, July 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Camp Guggenheim, honoring the young people who serve faithfully in parish ministries across the North Country.

The day will begin with a cookout lunch at noon, followed by an afternoon of games, activities, music and a Vocation Panel.

It will conclude with Mass celebrated by Bishop Terry R. LaValley.

This diocesan gathering is designed to celebrate the many youth who give of themselves as altar servers, lectors, musicians, greeters and parish helpers.

Their quiet, steady service strengthens parish life week after week and forms habits of leadership, responsibility and faith that shape their futures.

“Youth who serve at the altar or in any parish ministry learn early that their gifts matter,” said diocesan leaders involved in planning the event. “They discover that the Church trusts them, needs them, and believes they can make a difference. That experience stays with them for life.”

SERVICE THAT FORMS DISCIPLES
Parish ministries offer young people more than a role on Sunday. They teach:
• Confidence – standing before the community, reading Scripture, or assisting at the altar helps youth grow comfortable using their voices and talents.
• Commitment – showing up, preparing well, and serving consistently builds reliability and maturity.
• Belonging – ministry connects youth to their parish family, giving them a place where they are known, needed, and encouraged.
• Faith Ownership – serving draws young people deeper into the liturgy and the life of the Church, helping them understand their faith not only as something received, but as something lived.

These experiences often become seeds for future vocations, whether to marriage, priesthood, religious life or generous lay leadership in the Church and community.

CELEBRATE AND ENCOURAGE
The Youth Service Picnic is meant to be both a thank you and an invitation: a thank-you for the countless ways young people already serve and an invitation to continue growing as disciples who bring their gifts into the world.

The afternoon’s Vocation Panel will feature lay ministers and clergy who will share how service in their youth shaped their sense of purpose and direction.

The day will close with 4 p.m. Mass with Bishop LaValley, giving thanks for the young people who help animate parish life throughout the Diocese.

All youth who serve in parish ministries - and their families – are warmly invited to attend.

For registration, visit: www.rcdony.org/ya or use the QR code published on this page.