Diocese of Joliet

Young Adult Ministry

Paul Jarzembowski, Director

St. Charles Borromeo Pastoral Center

402 South Independence Blvd.

(located at Rt. 53 at Airport Road)

Romeoville, Illinois 60446-2264

(815) 834-4047 (ph)

(815) 834-4067 (fx)

pjarzembowski@dioceseofjoliet.org

www.dioceseofjoliet.org/yam/

Our mission to help connect young adults to Jesus Christ, the Church, the mission of the Church in the world, and to a peer community (from "Sons & Daughters of the Light") in area parishes and throughout the Diocese of Joliet.

About the Diocesan Director

Paul Jarzembowski

Paul has been the Director of Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Joliet since 2006. He is also the Executive Director of the National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association (NCYAMA), a national network of dioceses and parishes and a resource provider for young adult ministry best practices across the country. He also serves as an advisor to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC, on issues of young adult ministry and evangelization.

Paul is a popular speaker on faith and film and is the author of the forthcoming book, Spiritual Popcorn: Finding God in Your Favorite Movies. He also reviews secular films from a Catholic Christian perspective on his blog, www.spiritualpopcorn.blogspot.com.

He speaks and writes to adults of all ages on a number of topics and issues, especially young adult culture and evangelization, leadership in the church, young adult enpowerment, the Bible (especially the prophets), Catholic social teaching, faithful citizenship, Ignatian spirituality, parenting young adults, and of course, film.

Paul is also a graduate student at the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University Chicago, and lives with his wife Sarah in their home in Plainfield, Illinois.

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Diocesan Young Adult Ministry Advisory Council

Formed in early 2009, this is a consultative body of professional church workers from around the Diocese of Joliet with expertise and interest in working with young adults in college and in their 20s and 30s, single and married.

The mission of the Advisory Council is to advise and discern the vision of the diocesan office; represent the needs and concerns of local parishes, campuses, and clusters around the diocese; regularly evaluate the work of the diocesan office; and assist the diocesan director in planning, implementing, and communicating the efforts, programs, and initiatives of the Diocese of Joliet Young Adult Ministry Office.

The current Diocesan Advisory Council includes the following individuals:

Deacon Jerry Christsensen, Permanent Deacon & Young Adult Coordinator

St. Scholastica Parish, Woodridge (and Southeast DuPage County Cluster)

Susan Francesconi, Communications & Welcoming Coordinator

St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Naperville

Fr. Becket Franks, O.S.B., University Minister & Theology-on-Tap Coordinator

Benedictine University (University Ministry), Lisle

Peni Heffernan, Director of Adult Faith Formation

Holy Family Parish, Shorewood

Fr. Peter Jarosz, Pastor

Christ the King Parish, Lombard

Matthew Krumdrick, Director of Jr. High & Young Adult Ministry

St. Jude Parish, New Lenox (and Will County Cluster)

Sr. Barb Kwiatkowski, O.S.F., Vocations Director

Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate (Joliet Franciscans)

David Miserendino, Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry

Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Aurora

Doug Muir, Director of Adult Faith Formation

St. Walter Parish, Roselle (and Northwest DuPage County Cluster)

Margaret Pinas, Director of Adult Faith Formation

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Darien

Adam Setmeyer, University Minister for Retreats & Social Justice

Lewis University (University Ministry), Romeoville

Fr. Dennis Spies, Pastor

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Gibson City

Vince Zaprzal, Director of Pastoral Ministry & Young Adult Coordinator

St. Philip the Apostle Parish, Addison (and Northeast DuPage County Cluster)

The Diocese of Joliet is grateful for the service of these tireless ministers and Church leaders who give so much of their time and energy to the work of evangelizing and ministering to young adults in the parishes and campuses of the seven counties that make up the Diocese of Joliet.

For more information about the Diocesan Advisory Council, please feel free to contact Paul Jarzembowski at pjarzembowski@dioceseofjoliet.org.

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Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

Who are young adults?

Young adults are persons in their late teens, twenties, and thirties who represent diverse cultural, racial, ethnic, education, vocational, social, political, and spiritual backgrounds. They are college and university students, workers, and professionals; they are persons in military service; they are single, married, divorced, or widowed; they are with or without children; the are newcomers in search of a better life.

(from the "National Directory on Catechesis," pg. 195)

What is Young Adult Ministry?

Young Adult Ministry is an intentional ministry and outreach to those in their late teens, twenties, and thirties, with the goals of connecting young adults with Jesus Christ, the Church, the mission of the Church in the world, and a peer comunity in which their faith is nurtured and strengthened.

(adapted from "Sons & Daugters of the Light," pgs. 25-26)