by Katie McCague

The combined youth ministry from St. Stanislaus Kostka and Transfiguration parishes, Maspeth, has been growing strong for the past nine years.

Members range in age from seventh to ninth grade. They attend the local public elementary schools, St. Stanislaus Kostka Grammar School, and public and Catholic high schools.

The ministry leaders take a team approach to gain the youth’s trust and respect. Maegan Walter-Garvey, who started the ministry, has assistance from co-leaders Katie McCague and Brittany Madlinger.  Walter-Garvey is a special education teacher.  McCague attends St. Francis College and Madlinger attends St. Joseph’s College.

The three women work together to help youth   become leaders in the church and to equip the “young saints” for the work of service.

Last year, the group adopted a U.S. Navy Seabee in Afghanistan with help from Frank E. Kowalinski, Veterans Post No. 4, Maspeth. The youth supported and prayed for troops while working with and honoring veterans.

Members also attended the Diocesan Youth Day at the Immaculate Conception Center. They participated in workshops and worshiped through music  at a Mass with Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio.

The teens also fasted during Holy Week at their annual “Fast-A-Thon.” This event began with Holy Thursday Mass, when Father Paul Wood, pastor, washed the feet of 12 teens. After Mass, prayerful meditation was led at  three Maspeth churches: Holy Cross, Transfiguration,  and St. Stanislaus. The youth then made their way back to the school gym for a sleepover. They fasted, prayed, played games, said the rosary, and raised money and awareness for the Victory Challenge Games for the physically challenged and spinal muscular atrophy.

The teens finished with morning prayer in St. Stanislaus Kostka Church on Good Friday and participated in the outdoor Stations of the Cross with Transfiguration, Holy Cross and St. Stanislaus churches through the streets of Maspeth.

The teens ended their year with a “Help Feed the Homeless” drive for Project HOPE (Help Our People Eat) with Deacon Art Griffin from Transfiguration parish. The members collected non-perishable food items which helped feed needy people on the streets of Maspeth, Woodside and Elmhurst.

This year, the youth group collected men’s toiletries and socks for the Veterans’ Home in St. Albans and held a Halloween Costume Party, with games and music. The youth also assisted the St. Vincent de Paul Society from  St. Stanislaus parish during Thanksgiving. They carried many heavy bags of donated canned food items from the convent basement to a delivery van in the schoolyard.

Members also donated Christmas gifts for the St. Stanislaus Kostka Church “Giving Tree” drive benefiting a young boy in Brooklyn and a young girl at Bellevue Hospital.

Now, the teens are working with their parish and community in donating and assembling Easter baskets and clothing for homeless children.

Soon, the group will attend the Winter Teen Dance in March and will be partaking in this year’s Diocesan Youth Day at the Immaculate Conception Center in April.

St. Stan’s/Trans Youth Ministry mission statement is to provide a supportive Christ-centered environment where teenagers may develop spiritually, physically, and socially, in order to know Christ as their Lord and Savior.

All youth ministry programs and activities are under the spiritual direction of Father Wood, and Paul Morisi with the diocesan Office of Adolescent and Young Adult Faith Formation.