The Mission of Youth Ministry Virtually Connects Teens in Faith During COVID-19

Members of the St. Anselm youth group replace their weekly in-person meetings with Zoom calls and online retreats as they learn to adapt to worshiping at home.

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, the St. Anselm Youth Group attempts to continue to connect with each other and their faith life, in a time where people have become disconnected from normalcy.

The program allows high schoolers to gather with each other along with the leaders of the youth group. Courtney Rockamann, the St. Anselm Youth Minister will be completing her fourth year of working there next month. Prior to her current position, she worked as a Youth Minister at Our Lady of the Pillar for five years. The Core Team consists of a group of adult volunteers who help lead in discussion, worship, and assist Rockamann in youth group activities.

Rockamann and the members of the Core Team gather six feet apart to start virtual youth group.

Due to COVID-19 and the shelter in place order, weekly youth group meetings at all local parishes have halted. St. Anselm, located on the Saint Louis Priory School’s campus, has continued the effort to spread ministry to local teens. They have adapted to mandated isolation and use Zoom to meet virtually during the Coronavirus. 

“We meet on Sundays and Wednesdays still, but via Zoom, and there is a 3 o’clock prayer opportunity every day on Zoom” said Rockamann. She explained how it is a “heavy effort” but they are making their best attempt to continue the ministry to allow the teens to receive a bit of normalcy during these uncertain times.

On a typical youth group night months ago, there were about 30 teens attending the weekly gatherings. Now, less than 10 tune in for Zoom youth group. There has been a sharp decline in attendees, but Rockamann and the Core Team continue to draw teens through different programs. Core Team member Michael Lally, who is a theology teacher at Saint Louis University High School, said they will be holding a retreat next week for the youth group members. Lally explained how they’re going to conduct a virtual retreat. “It’s going to be they join the Zoom group, we play a game, they hear a talk, they go into small group to discuss what they just heard, and a lot more.” On Sunday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. the teens can pick up their “Retreat In A Box,” which will contain snacks, game materials, a journal and other supplies for the retreat. It will allow the teens to escape from current events, the stress of school and other worries to reconnect and worship.

Rockamann struggles with the current circumstances related to the pandemic. “It’s hard to hear people refer to this time as the ‘new normal.’ None of us know what that is, and I don’t want it to be normal, even if it lasts two years, it’s not normal,” said Rockamann. She wants to remind the teens of this, and reconnect them to what “truly matters," especially at a time like this.

Rockamann has even made time to make sure the college students who attended St. Anselm youth group in high school have the opportunity to engage with each other again. On Thursday nights, they gather on a virtual Zoom call to discuss their troubles, what is making them happy and how they are able to or not able to connect to God during this time of disconnection. Rockamann leads the group of students in Bible verses, worship music, religious blog posts, and more. It is another way Rockamann and the leaders of the St. Anselm youth ministry team continue their mission.

Rockamann leads four college students in a Zoom call to discuss faith life during a pandemic.

To discover more about the St. Anselm youth group activities, check out their Instagram page! @anselm_yg

For more information on the latest Coronavirus updates in St. Louis, visit: https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/covid-19/