Kairos – The Grace-filled Time of God
Kairos – An opportune time for the youth of St. Anthony of Padua

Kairos – Now is a crucial time in the lives of our children.
Now is the time for them to fall head over heels in love with their Savior.
Youth is a God-given time for children to learn,
To learn the purpose for which they were created,
Childhood is not a time for wasting.
Our goal is the Sanctification of Their Time.

What is Kairos?

Kairos is the Youth Formation Program for all school-aged children and high school youth of the Church of St. Anthony of Padua, Cody, Wyoming. Faith Formation for youth embraces the whole person and is effected through catechesis, service, socialization and spirituality. Our program is integrated and structured and requires a commitment from the individual, the parents, the parish and the parish staff. If our commitment to our children is total, our parish and our community will receive tremendous spiritual and temporal benefits.

Mission

Our goal is to engender and nurture a knowledge and a love of our Creator and Savior in our young men and women, who, with their idealism and high energy, become dynamic disciples, deeply in love with the Lord, eager to evangelize their peers, their families and their community.

Objectives

• To catechize our youth, giving them a knowledge of Our Lord and fostering in them a burning love for Him.

• To empoower our youth to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today.

• To draw our young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community.

• To foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person.

Click image to enlarge.

Means

• The Ministry of Advocacy

• The Ministry of Catechesis

• The Ministry of Community Life

• The Ministry of Evangelization

• The Ministry of Justice and Service

• The Ministry of Leadership Development

• The Ministry of Pastoral Care

• The Ministry of Prayer and Worship

ORGANIZATION AND ACTIVITIES

1. Membership

   1. Eligibility
      Kairos is open to all teens and children in our religious education program. There are three levels in our program.

      • Kairos Kids: Kindergarden through Fifth
        Level 1: Kindergarten through Second
        Level 2: Third through Fifth
        Begin Altar service

      • Kairos Juniors: Sixth through Eighth

      • Kairos (Seniors): Eighth through Twelfth. (Eighth is a transition grade).

   2. Requirements

      • Catechetical: All members must be regular and active participants in our Religious Education Programs.

      • Liturgical: All members must be regular and active participants at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days.

      • Service: All members must be regular and active participants in Kairos service activities according to their level.

      • Social: All members must be regular and active participants in Kairos social activities according to their level.

      • Initiation: Eighth grade will have an initiation into Kairos during the summer after eighth grade. Prior to that they will be able to participate in some of the high school activities. Initiation will include spirituality, team building, leadership training, and Christian behavior, dress, and manners.

      • Contract: Kairos (Senior) members will have a contract with the Church.

   3. Joining: Sign Registration Form and receive Membership card.

   4. Distinction: An outward symbol(s) of membership will be given to Kairos members in good standing.
      
      

2. Leadership: Kairos & Kairos Juniors

   1. Officers

      1. President

         • Conduct Planning meetings according to established rules.

         • Conduct Business meetings according to established rules.

         • Provide leadership and example to all members.

      2. Vice-president

         • Assist president in all activities

         • Act as president in his absence at meetings

         • Provide leadership and example to all members

         • Succeed the president at the end of the school year

      3. Immediate Past president

      4. Secretary/Treasurer

         • Take minutes at meetings

         • Keep records of meetings

         • Keep records of financial records

      5. Clas representatives (Sixth through Twelfth)

         • Each class will have one officer to represent their needs and wishes to the Kairos Council. They will attend business and planning meetings.

      6. Alternate Class represetative Committees

         • Activities

         • Advertising

   2. Elections Kairos & Kairos Juniors

      1. Temporary: temporary appointments of officers will be made by Supervising adults when necessary: i.e. Start-up or loss of an officer due to moving, resignation or long absence.

      2. Elections will be held at the end of the school year in May. Elections will be held for Vice-president, Secretary/Treasurer and Class representatives.

      3. Term of Office will be from May to May.
   3. Adult Supervision: All meetings and activities will be supervised by adults as advisors and chaperones.

      • Responsibility resides with the adults in attendance therefore

      • Final authority also resides with them.

      • There must always be two adults in attendance, preferrably one male and one female.
      • Activities that occur off the Church grounds require one adult chaperone for every six youth. Bus drivers may not chaperone while driving the bus.
      • Parents will be asked to oversee planning and supervision of social activities for one month at a time.
        
        

3. Activities

   1. Meetings: Kairos & Kairos Juniors

      1. There will be regular (monthly) Planning Meetings – officers and adult supervisors.

      2. There will be regular (monthly) Business Meetings – officers, adults and all Senior Kairos members.

   2. Catechesis

      1. Wednesday Religious Education Classes.

   3. Liturgical

      1. Youth Mass

         All Hallows' Eve Carnival Click image to enlarge.
         Kairos' Soup Supper Click image to enlarge.

         • Chior

         • Lector

         • Ushers

         • After Mass activities

      2. Youth Chior

      3. Altar servers (acolytes, servers, and cross-bearers)

   4. Service & Justice

      1. Service to the Parish

         • Children's Liturgy

         • Giving Tree

         • Cleaning

         • Decorating & taking down decorations

         • Maintenance projects

         • Cooking/dishes

      2. Service to the Community

         • Monastery

         • Cody Cupboard

         • Long-term Care

         • Assisted Living

         • Habitat for Humanity

         • Thanksgiving Dinner

         • Adopt a highway

         • LTC

           • Caroling

           • Christmas decorating

           • Christmas cards

           • Valentine cards

           • Letter writing

   5. Social: (varies according to level).

      1. Parish Sponsored

         • Trips to Monastery

         • Camping

         • Skiing

         • Christmas shopping

         • Hiking

         • Biking

         • Picnics

         • Hot Springs

      2. Sunday Night activities

         • Movies

         • Outdoor sports

         • Indoor sports: i.e. Football & Ping Pong

         • Table Games

         • Scavenger Hunts

         • Karioke

   6. Combined Activities: i.e. Social & Liturgical (varies according to level).

      1. Pilgrimages

      2. Retreats

         • Vocation

         • Chastity

         • Eucharistic

   7. Diocesan Programs (varies according to level)

      1. Fall Conference

      2. Youth 2000

      3. Search

      4. Middle School Summer Camp

      5. Leadership Camp

      6. World Youth Day
         
         

4. Parish Involvement

   1. Permanent Committee

      1. Pastor

      2. Director of Religious Education

      3. Youth Minister

      4. Knights of Columbus - Youth Director

      5. Parent Representatives

      6. Volunteers

   2. Funding

      1. Youth fund-raising

         1. Rummage Sale

         2. Coffee & donuts during the summer

         3. Soup Supper

         4. Raffles

      2. Parish Youth Budget

      3. Knights of Columbus Grants