Parents

Greetings From
Your Edge Team​

Who Are We?

Bill Kraus is the volunteer Youth Minister at OLPH.  I have been a member of the parish for just over 10 years.  In that time, I have been a lector, President of the Pastoral Council, and have otherwise tried to serve the parish as God called me.  I have been married for 15 years to an amazing woman, and have an 11 year old son who every day helps me find God in my world.


Patty Coleman is a long time catechist at OLPH and the Mom of two beautiful girls.

Teens today face challenges most of us never faced before, while some of the challenges are the ones we faced but with a new "tech twist" (like cyber bullying).  Today's teens are more over scheduled and over pressured than ever before.  Families are torn in a whirlwind of sports; after school activities; shopping; chores; homework; and a myriad of other activities without any real recognition of what is being accomplished; without giving teens what they really need.
Most families are caught up in what the world says matters.  Kids are facing pressure in middle school to get into advanced programs that will set them up for major colleges.  They are entered into multiple sports (sometimes in the same season) and they eat something fast in the car on the way to practices/games in the hopes of a scholarship that will cover the costs of college and get no real chance to talk to their most important life teacher -- you!  In reality, while sports will give teens some valuable lessons (teamwork; the payoff of hard work; etc), the vast majority will never play sports in college or won’t play after they graduate and will not get a scholarship.  Less than 7% play college football after high school and only 225 will go pro.  Only 2% will get a scholarship, which will only pay about $11,000 a year for 40+ hours of practice time (on top of classes).  Only .3% will get a full ride -- that is right -- 3/10ths of 1 percent!  Is it really worth all you will give up?
What sports won't teach them are the life skills they will need to survive high school; or to survive life after their college or high school sports careers end -- like how to handle drugs?  How to handle relationships?  How to handle adversity in the family, or health, or financial issues?  In the main, while sports will teach them some valuable lessons, they won't learn the lessons they will need to live life after sports.  There is only one place they can learn those lessons --- from you. Families need time to be families.  They need time to talk; listen to each other; and learn from each other.  Teaching your child the lessons of your faith, and that you have learned in life, is crucial to their success once you drop them off at their college dorm and drive away.  That is where I come in -- I can help you in that goal.  I CANNOT (no matter how much God wants me to) teach them everything about faith, but I can help them open up to you and see that our Catholic Faith can provide them a lifelong relationship with someone who will always be there for them.  Who can provide a moral base for their life that will lead them to success and happiness in what really matters.

First and foremost, we need you to be involved in giving your kids a spiritual foundation for their lives.  That means not just rushing into Mass 5 minutes before, and leaving after Communion (or worse, just dropping them off).  We need you to talk to them and share your beliefs with them through your example and love. 
Second, We need you to help them be involved in their church and their faith.  We need to stop treating our faith as an "option," to be pursued if it does not conflict with sports or other plans. Come to Mass with them.  Bring them inside when you drop them off/pick them up from Edge Nite and say hello.  Ask us what we are going to talk about/have talked about.  Let us tell you what is on their minds -- it might shock you! Better still -- STAY ONE TIME! Participate in the game.  Come to our Upper Room and hear Jesus speak to you. Share your experience and learning.  Give back to God's children what God gave to you. Pope Francis says "without dreams, families are not possible."  You have been given a precious gift -- a gift denied to many people who would love to have a child.  The fact that you are reading this shows you care about who that gift becomes.  Together, let us dream of a world for your child that is richer in love; richer in faith; and richer in hope.  A world that our children can build that is closer to the Kingdom of God than we had dared hope for.  It is TOTALLY within their reach, if we give them the tools to build it.
God Bless ---