We know you’re busy, probably busier than you’ve ever been. If your community is like most parishes and campus ministries, resources are limited. Money is tight, staff is stretched, and adding new responsibilities to your job description is not a possibility. Unfortunately, outreach to young adults (20s and 30s) often gets short shrift at a time when – countless studies have shown – ministry to young adults is needed more than ever. Perhaps you’ve been approached by young adults about starting a ministry. Maybe you’ve just seen a new young face in your assembly and realized you don’t have anything to invite them to. Or perhaps your parish has made a concerted effort to reach out to this missing demographic.
The fact is ministry of young adults is notoriously difficult because:
Young adults are still highly transient.
Competition for their time and attention is fierce.
They are not typically engaged in the church.
These challenges are actually an invitation to conceive of Young Adult Ministry in a completely different light.
While other ministries require full-time directors, young adult ministry is about empowering young adults by offering structures, programs, and best practices so they can build the ministry themselves. In 2005 Busted Halo and the National Catholic Young Adult Ministers Association (NCYAMA – now NIMYA) designed this resource that incorporates these elements as well as the experiences and advice of the most talented young adult ministers in the United States. Today, Busted Halo continues to manage this resource. Young Adult Ministry in a Box is an online resource kit that will help you create and sustain a vibrant young adult ministry with minimal staff time at minimal cost with maximum results.
With Young Adult Ministry in a Box your community can:
Become a place where young adults feel welcomed, empowered, and valued
Provide meaningful programs and events that meet the spiritual, social, and developmental needs of the young adults in your community
Benefit from the energy and vibrant discipleship that an effective young adult ministry will bring
Young Adult Ministry in a Box has three major elements:
Comprehensive resources to build your ministry foundation from the ground up.
Regular articles, templates, and practical tips delivered straight to your inbox.
Guides to help you plan events, especially tied to the seasons of the Church
is a writer and speaker who explores faith, creativity, and spirituality through storytelling and reflection.
is a theologian and educator focused on ethics, community, and lived faith.
is a ministry leader and communicator dedicated to formation, accompaniment,
is a Paulist priest, speaker, and radio host who connects faith with everyday life through engaging storytelling.
is a spiritual director, author, and founder of Ignatian Ministries who makes Ignatian spirituality accessible for daily living.
is a writer and retreat leader who blends faith, storytelling, and community building with honesty and humor.
is a national leader in young adult ministry focused on pastoral outreach and leadership development.
is a speaker and retreat leader who creates spaces for reflection, healing, and spiritual growth.
is a writer and speaker who explores faith, creativity, and spirituality through storytelling and reflection.
is a theologian and educator focused on ethics, community, and lived faith.
is a ministry leader and communicator dedicated to formation, accompaniment,
is a founder and the International Director of Bon Secours Young Adults.
is an award-winning author, sought-after speaker and the deputy director.
is a freelance writer based in San Diego, California, where she’s finishing a master’s degree in theology at the Franciscan School of Theology.
is Associate Pastor at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Los Angeles.
began his professional life as a stagehand in theatre, film, television, and music.
is a religion writer and communicator with previous experience in Catholic ministry.
is a freelance writer, a mother of two spunky girls, and a recent graduate of Fuller Seminary.
is the director of Campus Ministry at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia, PA.
has worked at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) since 2013.
is a Catholic nutritionist, freelance writer, wife, and mom. Her writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Shape, Insider, and more.
is the Mission Strategy Officer for the Paulist Fathers. Raised in Kansas City.
is a Catholic writer, reader and teacher. After earning a master’s degree in theology from the University of Notre Dame.
is a doctoral student in Fordham University’s Department of Theology specializing in U.S. Catholic and Indigenous histories.
is a writer and psychotherapist in southern Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband and three children.
holds a bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering and is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Michigan.
is a writer and marketing professional based in Massachusetts, and a proud alumna of Fordham University, a Jesuit university in New York City.
is a devoted cat mom (and Taylor Swift fan) currently living in New York City.
is Editor-in-Chief of Busted Halo.
Nora Bradbury-Haehl is the author of The Freshman Survival Guide from Hachette Book Group. She is a contributing editor at bustedhalo.com and a full-time parish youth minister who has worked in parish and diocesan youth and young adult ministry for more than 20 years. She is the author of ScriptureWalk, and ScriptureWalk: Discipleship, and was a writer for Breakthrough! The Bible for Young Catholics all with St. Mary’s Press.
Jessica Coblentz currently serves as the pastoral minister for young adult ministry at the Paulist Center in downtown Boston. Previously, she was an intern for young adult ministry at the Office of Religious Education in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles where she developed extensive training materials and workshops for young adult ministers. In 2010, Jessica participated in L.A.’s annual Religious Education Congress as a panelist speaker on young adult Catholic experience. Her popular writing on Catholicism and young adult life has been featured online and in print, including the anthology From the Pews in the Back: Young Women and Catholicism (Liturgical Press, 2009) and NCCL’s Catechetical Leader magazine. Jessica holds degrees from Santa Clara University and Harvard Divinity School and she is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in theology at Boston College.
Keara Coughlin Ette serves as the director of young adult ministry at Old St. Patrick’s Church in downtown Chicago. Her role in ministering to and with young adults includes both outreach to young adults, inviting them into an expression of the faith in community, and in-reach – work with young adults whose lives are intersecting with the church in some way as she coordinates and leads the RCIA process, baptism preparation for parents and godparents, adult confirmation, and college ministries at Old St. Pat’s. Keara has a master’s of divinity from the University of Notre Dame.
Father Dave Dwyer, CSP, is a Paulist priest and Executive Director of Busted Halo Ministries. He is the publisher of BustedHalo.com which has been honored with top awards from the Catholic Press Association and the Associated Church Press, and the host of “The Busted Halo Show with Father Dave,” a call-in radio talk show airing five nights a week on SiriusXM radio on which he answers questions of faith for over thirty million subscribers (6-8 p.m. Eastern time on The Catholic Channel, ch.129). On the same channel, he co-hosts the weekly show, “Conversation with Cardinal Dolan” with New York Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan, which also airs on EWTN and other Catholic television networks. Fr. Dave is also the host of the “Sacraments 101” video series on YouTube and one of the creators of “Young Adult Ministry in a Box”, a digital resource for starting up ministry to those in their 20s & 30s. He has been the recipient of The Daughters of St. Paul’s Cordero Award and was featured in the book New York Catholics: Faith, Attitude and the Works! He has offered commentary on NBC Nightly News, Fox & Friends, CNN, The New York Times, ABC News, The Today Show, and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” among others. Father Dave served in campus ministry at the Universities of Colorado and Texas, and worked with the Archdiocese for the Military Services to develop a multi-media young adult peer ministry program. Prior to being ordained, he produced and directed TV programs for MTV, HBO and Comedy Central. He holds a Masters of
Becky Eldredge was the inaugural coordinator of young adult ministry for the Diocese of Baton Rouge. In addition, Becky works with the University of Georgia’s Catholic Center and its campus ministry program. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Louisiana State University and a master’s in pastoral studies from Loyola University New Orleans. She is currently working to obtain a certificate in spiritual direction from Spring Hill College. She is the author of the blog: “Everything is Holy Now” where she invites her readers to connect faith and everyday life. While ministry is one of her passions, her greatest joy is sharing life with her husband and two children.
Mike Hayes co-founded BustedHalo.com in December 2001. In addition to his work at Busted Halo, Mike is the director of campus ministry at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. A frequent speaker on ministering to young adults, Mike is the author of Googling God: The Religious Landscape of People in Their 20s and 30s with Paulist Press and Loving Work: A Spiritual Guide to Finding the Work We Love and Brining Love to the Word We Do with Orbis Press.. In 2002, Mike received a Catholic Press Association Award for his article “Transformation and the 20′s and 30′s Crowd” that appeared in Share the Word magazine. Before working in ministry, Mike produced radio talk shows at WFAN and WOR in New York and also covered major league baseball for NPR and WOR. Mike and his wife, Marion, are residents of Amherst, New York, where they live with their dog, Haze.
Paul Jarzembowski is the Associate Director for Laity and Young Adults at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and serves as the U.S. National Coordinator for World Youth Day. He also served as lead staff for the USCCB document on young people, Listen, Teach, Send. Prior to his time at the USCCB, Paul was the executive director of the National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association, which networked, trained, and resourced church leaders across the country in the field of young adult ministry. He is the author of “Hope from the Ashes” and “Hope for the Holidays” from Paulist Press, two books focused on key moments of return, especially for disaffiliated young adults. He received his M.A. in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University Chicago and is currently a Cardinal Bernardin Scholar and D.Min. student at Catholic Theological Union. Paul is married and lives in Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC.
Nicholas Stein is a founder and the International Director of Bon Secours Young Adults, a ministry to people in their 20’s and 30’s sponsored by the Congregation of the Sisters of Bon Secours of Paris. Since its founding in 2014 in Marriottsville, Maryland, the ministry has reached hundreds of young adults across the United States, Ireland, England, France, Peru, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo through retreats, programming, and relationship-building to deepen their Christian call to compassion, healing, and liberation.
Nick is also the founding chair of the board of directors of the National Institute for Ministry with Young Adults. He has served on several national and international initiatives in ministry with young adults and has been a sought-after speaker and consultant in this field. Nick served as a Consultant to the USCCB Working Group on Youth and Young Adults. He was the founding chairperson of the former USCCB National Advisory Team on Young Adult Ministry and, in that role, helped lead the National Dialogue on Catholic Pastoral Ministry with Youth and Young Adults (www.nationaldialogue.info).
He lives in Catonsville, Maryland, with his wife and 3 children. His family is active in the pastorate of Resurrection/St. Paul in Ellicott City, Maryland. He holds an MA in Theology from Boston College and a BA in Print Journalism/Political Science from the University of Southern California.
Eric A. Clayton is an award-winning author, sought-after speaker and the deputy director for communications at the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. His books include Finding Peace Here and Now: How Ignatian Spirituality Leads Us to Healing and Wholeness, My Life with the Jedi: The Spirituality of Star Wars and more. His writing has appeared in America Magazine, Red Letter Christians, National Catholic Reporter, among others. Learn more at ericclaytonwrites.com and subscribe to his Substack, “Story Scraps.”
Julia Morrow is a freelance writer based in San Diego, California, where she’s finishing a master’s degree in theology at the Franciscan School of Theology. She is also completing a master’s degree in library science at San Jose State University, and previously, she earned a B.A. in philosophy from Wheaton College. Julia’s research is focused on how art engages the spiritual imagination, particularly the Franciscan spiritual imagination. Aside from research, she fills her days with long novels, bright lipstick, and flat whites. You can find her on Instagram @julialouisemorrow.
Fr. Mark Villano is Associate Pastor at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Los Angeles, where he works with VIA, the young adult ministry. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., as well as an MFA from USC. Fr. Mark has served as a campus minister, faculty member, and administrator in universities across the country, including Ohio State University, UCLA and Yale. He has a strong interest in media and filmmaking and was Director of Creative Development at Paulist Productions, a faith-based production company in Los Angeles. He is the author of Journey to Jerusalem: Steps on the Road to Your Soul, published by Liturgical Press.
Fr. Rich Whitney, CSP, began his professional life as a stagehand in theatre, film, television, and music working primarily in Washington, DC. He’s worked for organizations like The Shakespeare Theatre, The Folger Shakespeare Library, Citadel Soundstage, and The Smithsonian Institution. He met the Paulists through drama while stage managing the play Conversations with My Molester in the basement of the Park Street Paulist Center. This experience became a major part of an ongoing spiritual awakening and he was ordained a Paulist priest in 2021. He is now the associate pastor and campus minister at St. John XXIII University Parish in Knoxville, TN.
Heather Kinney is a lay ministry professional based in Washington, DC. She holds a Master of Arts degree with a concentration in Word and Worship from Washington Theological Union. Over the past two decades, Heather has served in campus and parish ministries in Ohio, California, Virginia, and Washington, DC. Since 2016, she has been the associate director of formation at the seminary of the Paulist Fathers. Heather also regularly gives talks, workshops, and retreats on topics of prayer, liturgy, social justice, Ignatian spirituality, and Salesian spirituality.
Céire Kealty is a religion writer and communicator with previous experience in Catholic ministry. She holds a doctorate in theology from Villanova University, and lives in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Alli is a freelance writer, a mother of two spunky girls, and a recent graduate of Fuller Seminary where she achieved her master’s in theology. Cherishing a love of everyday spirituality, women in scripture, and the healing power of connection through words, she seeks to craft essays and prayers that engage and uplift.
You can follow her work through subscribing to her Substack The Pondering Heart or check out her website allibobzien.com.
John Dougherty is the director of Campus Ministry at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in Philadelphia, PA. He also writes about film and faith for America Magazine, including the biweekly Catholic Movie Club column.
Kaitlin Campbell is a writer, living in New York City. She has a bachelor’s degree in theology from Fordham University and is an alumnus of the Office of Ignatian Spirituality’s program Contemplative Leaders in Action.
Sarah Garone is a Catholic nutritionist, freelance writer, wife, and mom. Her writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Shape, Insider, and more. In her years in volunteer ministry, she has served as a worship leader, youth leader, and parenting instructor. She and her husband have been married since 2004 and live with their three children in Mesa, AZ.
Jonathan Lewis is the Mission Strategy Officer for the Paulist Fathers. Raised in Kansas City, he has worked coast to coast in parish, diocesan, and educational ministries for over 20 years, including serving for nine years in the Archdiocese of Washington. Jonathan is a regular writer, speaker, and facilitator in the areas of evangelization and ministry with young people. In 2018 he was appointed by Pope Francis as a member of the 2018 Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment. He is an alumnus of The Catholic University of America and University of Notre Dame. He currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his wife and three children.
Catherine Anne Sullivan is a Catholic writer, reader and teacher. After earning a master’s degree in theology from the University of Notre Dame, she spent nearly a decade teaching religion and English to middle and high school students. She now spends her time caring for her children and writing a newsletter on the Catholic imagination called Wonder & Awe. Come say hi and find more of her thoughts on books and faith at catherineannesullivan.com.
Alex Gruber is a doctoral student in Fordham University’s Department of Theology specializing in U.S. Catholic and Indigenous histories. He has previously worked as a residential education professional in higher education and written for America Magazine, U.S. Catholic, and the Journal of Ecumenical Studies. He is a member of St. Paul the Apostle Church and Out at St. Paul.
Teresa Coda is a writer and psychotherapist in southern Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband and three children. She works at an outpatient mental health agency and previously served as both a hospital chaplain and Director of Faith Formation at a Catholic Parish. Teresa holds a Master’s in Divinity and a Master’s in Social Work and also enjoys occasional freelance writing.
At home, she loves being a mom to Esther (7), Franny (5), and Jude (2). She spends her free time with family and friends, hosting gatherings, taking long walks, and reading whenever she can.
John Oliva holds a bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering and is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Michigan. He began his career as a college professor, where he discovered the love of engaging young minds while in front of a classroom. Upon the birth of his daughter, John made the tough decision to leave the 70-hour workweeks of academia for a standard 40-hour week in industry. He is currently a senior solutions consultant with Siemens Software supporting computational fluid dynamics applications.
John is married to his wife, Lisa, and together they have a college-aged daughter, Bella, and a very sassy miniature schnauzer, Chloe. Aside from spending time with his family, John is involved with a wide variety of endeavors. He regularly volunteers with the Christian Appalachian Project, serving in one of the most economically challenged areas in the United States. He spends two to three weeks in Kentucky each year emceeing CAP’s college alternative spring break program “Workfest” and he serves as an occasional summer mission program emcee as well.
John holds a master’s degree in theology and is an avid writer. He wrote and published his first book in 2012, Washing Cars and Wasting Time, about the misadventures working at his family’s car wash while growing up.
Sarah is a writer and marketing professional based in Massachusetts, and a proud alumna of Fordham University, a Jesuit university in New York City. Inspired by the Jesuit teaching “Go forth and set the world on fire,” she started a podcast called Ignited by Inner Beauty, where she has spoken with dozens of women about how they have used their gifts, talents, and inner beauty to achieve their dreams and live meaningful lives. Sarah has also served as a mentor to students, helping them gain admission to college, secure internships, and achieve their personal and professional goals. In addition to writing for Ignited by Inner Beauty, she has contributed articles to Bustedhalo.com and Amendo.com.
Francesca is a devoted cat mom (and Taylor Swift fan) currently living in New York City. She is pursuing a Masters degree in teaching. In her free time, she loves visiting museums, hiking/spending time outdoors, and reading. Her favorite Starbucks order is a chai latte with almond milk.
Jennifer Sawyer is Editor-in-Chief of Busted Halo. Her work has also appeared in America Magazine, National Catholic Reporter, Verily, Metro, DailyWorth (now HerMoney), New York Post, and Fordham Magazine, among others. She previously produced video for TV and the web, working for the “The Martha Stewart Show,” ABC, Cooking Channel, and Yahoo. She is a member of the Writers Guild of America and has written for “Good Morning America.” Jen is a graduate of Fordham University, and an alum of the Jesuit Collaborative’s Contemplative Leaders in Action program. Originally from New England, she now lives outside of NYC with her husband and two children. She enjoys traveling, cooking, dancing, and playing softball in her spare time. Follow Jen’s writing on her Substack or website Jensawyer.net.
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