Coeur d’Alene area Catholic teens flock to youth group in record numbers
COEUR D’ALENE – In Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Catholic middle and high school youth group attendance is at an all-time high averaging about 85 teens weekly. This represents more than a 50% increase over past years.
“The youth are on fire for Jesus Christ, and it’s real,” said 72-year-old Louie Zember. He volunteers as an adult leader on the 24-member St. Pius X Catholic Church ministry team that serves and supports young Catholics on their faith formation journeys. Zember has been involved in youth ministry for over 15 years.
Youth engagement and commitment has been gaining momentum quietly, yet zealously, in Northern Idaho. It generally has gone under the radar to most except those involved in its programming and presentation at the ground level.
“I see a major revival going on,” Zember said. “We pray the youth will bring Jesus from their head into their heart, so they will know him personally and go deeper in a relationship that lasts their whole life.”
In the last several months, these sixth - to 12th -grade Catholics have stepped up to show that what they believe matters, and they are not timid about its public proclamation in community processions or shying away from uniting in local faith rallies.
Undeniably, the data points to a rising trend of spirit-filled passion among North Idaho youth who seek to learn more about their faith and a desire to follow Jesus Christ in their daily lives.
Quantifying the growth
The numbers are staggering, bordering on miraculous, considering youth these days have many options for their after-school time, youth ministry leader Wes Miller said.
Miller, 33, of St. Pius X parish coordinates and leads the youth group ministry program for the region.
“This is the highest youth group attendance we’ve seen in my seven years I’ve been here,” he said.
He provided data to illustrate what he’s witnessed and to offer how “Jesus is leading the success.”
Shedding light on the rise
Miller agreed the growth was “remarkable” and pointed to a few influential factors.
“This is the strongest adult leadership team I’ve ever had,” he said. He commented specifically about an increase in young adult leaders (ages 18-25) that has had a noticeable impact on their mission.
“Their energy, relatability and ability to connect with teens brings a unique and powerful dimension to the ministry,” Miller said, adding that teens in this generation from his experience are “hungry” for two things in terms of faith formation.
“One is authentic community, which means real relationships with both peers and trusted adult mentors, and the second is true intimacy with Christ,” he said.
“They don’t just want to learn about God; they want to encounter him.”
What’s offered and teamwork
The Coeur d’Alene youth group program is based out of St. Pius X parish. This is the regular gathering location on Tuesday evenings that delivers two hours of spirit-filled faith engagement, community and a dose of fun, too.
Miller said the students who participate come from four area parishes that are part of the statewide Diocese of Boise, including St. Pius X and St. Thomas the Apostle in Coeur d’Alene, and St. George and St. Joan of Arc in nearby Post Falls.
“Having one youth group open to all parishes helps us rise above parish boundaries and create unity, especially for our young people,” Miller said.
In addition to the youth group, the Confirmation preparation program is also intertwined into the meeting time, and crossover occurs especially for the high school teens.
“That connection reinforces the importance of working together to support the spiritual growth of our teens from multiple angles,” Miller said.
A youth group night brings a mixture of prayer, icebreakers, dodgeball and karaoke (for middle school students only), Catholic sacrament instruction or covenant talks, small-group topic discussions, time with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration and a home-cooked dinner.
Students fluidly move from room to room at the parish, and middle and high school students have different “tracks,” with adult leaders assigned to these two groups to allow for relationship building and the establishment of trust between students and mentors.
Seven of the middle -school leaders are in their early 20s, which serves as a plus when mentoring and interacting with the sixth - to eighth -graders.
Volunteer and adult leader Ben Lowman, 20, has helped mentor this age group for two years.
“We have a large number of young adult leaders that can match the kids’ energy, be role models closer to the kids’ ages, and provide insight to the struggles of today’s youth,” Lowman said.
He shared that constant adaptations help draw students to the program and keep them excited and involved.
“We are always trying to make small improvements to help the kids have fun and grow in their faith,” Lowman said. “We work with different games, schedules, topics and Adoration lengths – using feedback from the youth and leader observations to constantly tune the way our youth group night is structured.”
The power of partnerships
St. Thomas of the Apostle Director of Faith Formation Carla Loucks is another “trusted collaborator” on-the-ground supporting Miller and the youth. Loucks brings over 30 years of ministry experience to the table and more.
“I have a degree in theology, and I want to pass along a real love of our faith to youth,” she said. “We need to be sure we’re delivering meaningful content, so I ask the question, ‘What is the meat and potatoes of the evening going to be?’”
She emphasized quality communication and instruction are critical in doing that.
“Faith is a beautiful diamond with many facets,” said Loucks. “When you make the message tangible using words that resonate and ask probing questions, then it appeals to all students of catechesis levels.”
Hearts and hands to serve
Miller admitted there are “a lot of moving parts” weekly, but the model of ministry he’s established with his team seems to be working as more students keep coming through the doors to join.
“One reason for the growth is that we are meeting the real needs of today’s youth,” Miller said. “It’s come through prayer, discernment and a deep desire to let Christ lead the way. We’ve taken time to ask, ‘What do our youth truly need right now?’ and we’ve shaped every aspect of our program to respond.”
He deflects any accolades for what’s happening under his watch, and instead gives thanks to his committed volunteers and the youth themselves for their zeal and courage in pursuing their faith.
“Our adult leadership team is amazing and one of the main reasons for our positive outcomes,” Miller said. “Without them, none of this would be possible.”
St. Pius parish member Annie Jones, a homeschool mom of six children, is one of Miller’s key adult high school leaders. She has three children participating. Jones said she was “called” into youth ministry at her church. Suddenly, one day, she just decided to reach out to Miller, asking how she could help.
“I love young people, especially if they resist,” she said. “I’m willing to connect with youth, and youth are willing to connect with me. I’m willing to serve and grow in mission.”
Connections create fruit
Young adult leader Sawyer Fude, 21, of St. Thomas Parish, said his friend Lowman invited him to join the ministry program two years ago. They volunteer together. He’s been coming ever since, serving the team and the teens.
He said it offers him a consistent Catholic community to be a part of.
“I really like being here and helping,” Fude said. “It’s nice also to be around my professional Catholic friends in this ministry and share my faith beliefs. We hang out and are friends outside of what we do here.”
Gavin Rhodes, 18, is a member of both St. Pius and St. Joan of Arc parishes. He has seven younger siblings. He started in the youth group himself as a ninth -grader at St. Pius and said he’s now “rolled into this helping role” joyfully.
“I really get so much out of being part of this ministry,” Rhodes said. “I’ve been trained in setting up Eucharistic Adoration, so I have the honor of bringing this spiritually-intimate focal point of the evening to our youth, which means so much to me.”
Good food shared
Joanie Young, who has been a parishioner at St. Pius for over 30 years, is also a valued member of the ministry program. At 62, she shops, plans, cooks and serves about 115 home-cooked dinners to students and the ministry team each week.
“There are not many leftovers,” Young joked. “I say a prayer over the meal every week, ‘Lord, please make sure there’s enough for everybody.’ ”
She takes much pride in the food she makes the students and loves what she does
“If the kids see someone who cares, who wants them to have good food and is joyful about serving it, that goes a long way for their youth group experience here,” Young explained.
Sustaining the synergy
What happens next with the St. Pius youth group is a step of faith and a waiting game, but more hands can only further spread God’s mission.
“I’m not the youth ministry guru,” Miller said. “I’m trying to offer space for others to use their gifts. It’s astonishing what happens to people when they do this. They come alive.”
Miller added that the rising number of youths choosing to prioritize and pursue faith shows that Jesus is intimately touching their hearts and transforming their lives.
“That’s what matters most here,” he said. “It’s a reason to praise God and be hopeful in terms of Catholic faith development. You just need to trust God with all of it.”
This story was written in partnership with FāVS News, a nonprofit newsroom covering faith and values in the Inland Northwest.