Almost every parish has talented youth who are musicians by design, and, like us, they best glorify our Lord when praising Him with the talents that He has bestowed on them. So how do we go about engaging youth in music ministry? These steps can help you start a specific youth music ministry program or successfully incorporate youth into your existing ministry options.
Prayer
Everything begins with prayer. Ask the Lord for His inspirations and grace for your parish and particular circumstances as you begin or continue the process of engaging youth in music ministry.
Pastor
Meeting with your pastor is the next step in engaging youth in music ministry. Speak with him about his preferences or goals regarding youth and share yours with him. Perhaps God is inviting you to have a designated youth ensemble or to incorporate them into your adult groups.
Above all, everyone needs to focus on the potential of young musicians. Very few come to us with the confidence or experience of our adult ministers, but with guidance and patience, they can become the best section leaders or musicians in our ensembles! A priest that sees and appreciates this potential will be your greatest ally.
Ask your pastor or office manager about your diocese’s guidelines for working with minors in ministry, which may be called VIRTUS guidelines, safe environment training, or another term depending on your diocese. If music rehearsals take place in an open, public space, the guidelines are often more accommodating regarding mixed youth and adult choirs. Make sure to follow your diocese’s guidelines as you begin engaging youth in music ministry.
Invitation
Since youth often graduate out of our communities, recruitment will be a continual process. Personal invitations often work better than bulletin or pulpit announcements. A good place to start is inviting children of current music ministers and those involved in music at school. Encourage them to join with a family member or friend.
Host a meet and greet after Masses and have brochures or information available. Pizza, candy, or ice cream can help get their attention and keep them around your table. If you can, get information about your music ministry to your local homeschooling networks. Homeschooling parents often use time in music ministry as part of their curricula, and these kids typically have more time to practice at home than their public or private school peers.
Engagement
Once youth are involved, excellence and joy are the two greatest magnets to foster their continued service. Set them up for success by holding regular practices. Even busy youth will make the time if it is worthwhile and recharges them. You may need to stay after practice to help a young singer with their pitches or tone or a young musician with chords or strumming. Do it willingly!
Working with youth is an investment that will take more time and sacrifice, but the dividends are amazing! Ensure that whenever they serve, they are prepared and sound good. This is also your biggest commercial for other prospective youth musicians. Give them a firm foundation in music and liturgy during practices to form them as pastoral musicians. I often tell them, “Pray it! This isn’t American Idol. We never know who is coming through our doors, but the Holy Spirit does and will use our voices and hands to help them draw closer to Him!”
Synergy
Synergy, or group cohesion, brings the joy that makes our groups sound better. In any group, begin and end your practices with prayer. Let them share the needs of their families and friends. Have fun together! Go caroling, hold open mic night fundraisers, host a summer luau with a limbo contest, or sing in a stairwell after practice to hear the great acoustics. At one open mic night around St. Patrick’s Day, we held a whistling contest. The 7-year-old winner received an Irish tin whistle that he used years later when he joined the teen group.
Have a scavenger hunt around your neighborhood, town, or your local Walmart. This is the annual September kick-off activity for our teen ensemble, and they talk excitedly about it all year long. Download this resource for a list of scavenger hunt ideas that you can customize to your group and area.
For youth only groups, let them research and vote on a name for the group. Then order t-shirts for the group with their chosen name and the parish logo — it’s a great recruiting tool.
You do not have to take on the task of youth recruitment and engagement on your own. If you struggle with ideas or planning activities, delegate! Let another music minister or parent who has a natural affinity for this take care of this part of the ministry while you focus on being the mentor who helps them pursue excellence in music.
Mentorship
Most of all, love them. Youth know when somebody really cares for them or not. Pray for them and your ministry daily, entrusting them to the Lord’s greater providential care. Treat them as your own kids that have been gifted to you and they will thrive under your tutelage.
When engaging youth in music ministry in your parish community, be patient with the process as they become pastoral musicians. They will then, hopefully, take these experiences and skills out into the world and become leaders themselves. Our mission as adult music ministry leaders is not just to serve God with our own talents, but also to help others realize and embrace this calling as well, especially our youth.
Who knows, the next Bobby Fisher may already be in your parish waiting for the right mentor to help guide them into becoming a pastoral musician who is not only a blessing to their own parish but an inspiration to thousands of others!
Written by Hannah Masson, the Director of Music at Precious Blood Catholic Church in Culpeper, Virginia where she also serves as the adult mentor for their teen ensemble and as musician with several of their mixed age group choirs and ensembles.
Copyright © 2025 Catholic Liturgical Ensemble Formation
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