Reflections of Life
Church youth programs influenced my life greatly. I grew up in the Cristo Rey Church Youth Group. It was officially organized back in February of 1977. We had a couple of meetings to plan out a night of fun. Youth Activity Night brought in about 50 kids mostly from the Northside of Lansing. That night we met Margaret Salinas or better known as Maggie Salinas. One of the games we played was “Balloon Football”. It was the first time I experienced Church in a fun and community type setting away from Sunday Mass. Youth leaders back then were Emily Gonzalez and Elizabeth Hernandez. We would sometimes sit in an odd shaped circle when we came together for meetings and I would position my chair behind Emily and Elizabeth. I was that shy. I can honestly say I don’t remember much about what we did at our meetings, but Maggie kept it fun, social and with scripture.
Car washes to raise money led to Boblo Island and Cedar Point trips. Many of us had fun at Boblo, but that boat ride was awesome. Who can forget the hayrides when we were introduced to the family from Bethel Farms. The deal was they treated us to a night of fun as long as they could “talk to us” about their work. They would take in some kids who needed some guidance. It was a Ministry. Those hayrides were nights to remember. One of the last times we went, Quasi Romero and a few other kids disappeared into the apple trees and well, Maggie let them have it. Bethel Farms would be sold and last I knew the Farm had a different Ministry on it.
Do I dare bring up the YMCA? So many good times there. We had the run of the place and the goal was to stay up all night. Many of us did. One time, we really had the run of the place including the racquet ball courts. Oh the memories. How about Family Nights on Monday night? We would come together for a shortened service at the altar, then downstairs for a meal. And then outside for softball. Some nights we had as many as 35-40 people playing ball. Board games for the older folks and all together we could have anywhere from 50-100 building community.
Going back a little, when the Church moved out of Cristo Rey Community Center and to the Washington Ave address, many of us kids spent a few days a week at the Church cleaning up, painting, and whether we knew it or not, building relationships that would last a lifetime. We were given our very own room that we used for weekly Monday night meetings. The Fiesta came along and we took over the Coke Wagon from my own parents Ben and Hilda Benavides. It became our hangout during the Fiesta. We had a sense of belonging. Maggie had us do Secret Santa a couple times and always seemed to connect with us. She was there for us and really, who didn’t love Maggie?
Stations of the Cross was started in 1980 and back then, it was the Youth Group that performed it at the altar. Ellie Barajas and myself were the narrators of the last one done by the kids in 1982. The following year in 1983, the Stations of the Cross was taken to the streets as it does to this day. Many of us participated in Diocesan retreats. In 1982, our officers, Jerry Singletery as Vice President, Ellie Barajas as Secretary, Tony Singleterry Sargent at Arms, and myself as President, decided we wanted our own retreat. Other than the speakers, we organized and led it ourselves which potentially could have been a disaster as I myself had to deal with a breakup with my girl who found a new boyfriend in the group. I struggled as a 17 year old that day and it was then that I realized that us kids could actually have serious issues to discuss. We weren’t kids anymore.
So many of us students would go to Cathechism on Sunday or Sunday School as most know it. A few of us would go 9:00 Mass, Cathechism, 12:00 Mass and then stay til 2:00pm for pan dulce or whatever the kitchen was selling. You would see a couple hundred people downstairs between masses, getting coffee and something to eat before we hurried to class and leaving about 100-125 people for the Adult Education. Some of us actually helped run the Nursery. Bet most of you forgot that huh?
Maggie would move on and in came the Singleterry’s. Ramiro and Mary would take over. Then Paul and Natalie Tabor. Then some guy named Sein. Next up a Lady named Dominguez. Then Lupe Castillo and present day Josie McCloud. The names changed, but the Youth Program still means as much to the current group of students as it does to the many who came through the Youth Group since 1977. As I have sat in the back of the Church the last few weeks, I can say I absolutely love being “home”. Fr. Fred can still bring a message home each Sunday and Deacon Rogelio can too. Easter is a time of renewal. Lent was always my favorite time of year.
My final couple years as Youth Director, I used an old coffee can with a candle in it. Lights off, and the kids were given strips of paper. We would open with scripture, I would lead in prayer, then each student would write their sins, mistakes, errors on those strips. We would then allow for open prayer and students could offer the things they felt comfortable sharing. Back to prayer for strength and to ask for forgiveness for those things on the strips of paper before placing those strips in the coffee can. The idea was that we would take those things that separate us from Jesus, take it to the Cross as the little fire in the coffee can represented the burning away of those things. And yes, I had several boxes of tissue for the roughly 40-50 students we had.
I am not sure where I would be, or who I would be had it not be for all the different experiences the Church youth program gave me. Much love and respect to all those people who were with me, those who passed, and for all those who have been under the guidance, care and love of Lupe Castillo and Josie McCloud.
Little did we know then, and maybe, just maybe some don’t realize it today, but it really was God who brought us together then. Maybe, he might be calling us today during this time of renewal. God Bless!
