Religion in the class and spiritual practices

A few years ago, I was visiting my Aunt in Calgary and she was telling me how well my cousin Sarah was doing in school. She had the one of the highest marks in religion. My Aunt was extremely proud.
She went on to tell me that she was concerned with Sarah because she was starting to go to another church and didn't want to go to the catholic church anymore with my Aunt. She had friends at the other church, and the music was upbeat and cool. She told me that they pushed Sarah to go to both that church with her friend and the catholic church. Sarah complained because she didn't understand why she had to go to church twice.
I asked my Aunt, "Well, does she understand the importance of the Mass?" And my aunt was like, "Oh, well yes, she has the highest mark in Religion." And I thought to myself,..well, that's great, but that doesn't mean she understands the faith spiritually.

I think we forget sometimes that we can have all the knowledge in the world, but if we don't feel it, see it, experience it, we won't get it. Alot of people go to church as routine all their lives, not really knowing why, only knowing that if they go, they hopefully will go to heaven.

Our faith is more than routine, it's a relationship.

It's getting to know Jesus in a special way, realizing that the Eucharist is Jesus, physically present for us to experience and to have.

In Youth Ministry, I meet such a diversity of students and staff that come from so many backgrounds. The biggest thing that I feel God calls us to do for one another is to form a relationship with them and meet them where they're at.

The biggest challenge in my ministry is ministering to those who do not know God personally, who don't have that relationship.
St. Francis says preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words.

My desire is that students will choose their faith by seeing the examples of their peers and staff. I'm not saying to not talk about God, but for some students-to start talking about it as if they already know him, would shut out the communication you have with them.

My ministry is not to "Teach" Religion and the aspects of the faith, but to "Show" my love for my religion and the aspects of the faith.