No, really. Check this out. The National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry holds an annual gathering for youth ministers. This year, the event is being held in Las Vegas at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, home of the Crazy Girls Sexiest Topless Revue, as well as a drag queen show called “An Evening at La Cage,” and Syn City Night Club, whose slogan is “Bring only your temptation.” Nice.
What a recipe for disaster. Think about the hordes of immature youth ministers flocking into Vegas on parish-subsidized trips to the youth ministry convention. (Not all you ministers are immature, of course, but there are enough of them that don’t need the temptations.)
Why Sin City? It’s not just this one hotel; the whole place reeks of debauchery and vice. Is this the best place to have a youth ministry gathering? All it will take is for one youth minister or priest to do something stupid and it will get national media attention, throwing mud on the Church once again. Sheesh, if you must go someplace warm in November/December (isn’t Advent supposed to be a penitential season?), go to Florida or southern California.
Also keep in mind that the NFCYM is no longer affiliated with the US bishops’ conference, but it is still a Catholic organization and subject to ecclesial and moral obedience to the bishops.
Technorati Tags: Catholic, scandal, sexuality, youth ministry
That’s a really bad idea (and I’m not joking).
I found your webcite today. I spent a lot of time tryig to find the Letter of Appointment from the Vatican that was read yesterday at the installation of Bishop Lennon. It is not on the Cleveland Diocese’ web cite and I was told they don’t intend to post it.
I find that strange. Do you know what the letter said
Frances
It is not unusual for a large corporation to choose Las Vegas as a site for their conventions or annual meetings. They have the most convention and meeting space of any major city in the USA, and are often the best-equipped to service large gatherings.
Why an association of youth ministers would need to avail themselves of that large a scale of service provider, however, is beyond me.
You know…that is a very stupid plan, indeed.
Hey, if anyone here a youth minster? Or have any involvement with NFCYM?
Just asking. I know that the leadership of NFCYM is changing,for the better. I know that they are finally more open to solid orthodox types ( a few who are on the team).
I also know that Las Vegas has many great youth ministers and events. NET Ministries goes there, so… does this mean NET is putting it’s young ministers (age 18-30) in the near occasion of sin??
It’s a large Catholic population, it has a great deal of space for conventions, it has hotels and frankly, it’s not really much worse than New York City or San Francisco. There is sin in every city. We can particpate or ignore it. Those who choose to be a part of it probably already practice it without being in Las Vegas.
They’re holding the convention in the hotel that says it has the “sexiest topless revue.” That says it all to me. Are there no retreat centers? No place that isn’t sleazy in and of itself?
There may be sin in every city, but do you have to go to Sin City itself?
“No place that isn’t sleazy in and of itself?”
This is a great point. How old are these youth ministers? Like kids in their early 20s? Seems like even more “mature” individuals, esp guys, can’t seem to go to LV and behave in a way that merits any respect.
If they were staying somewhere else, it might be ok, as long as it was emphasized that they are still Catholics while they are there! And they are expected to behave accordingly. But as Dom said, why even put people in the way of temptation? Even if it were not bad for them, one slip up could paint Christians, once again, as hypocrites.
Yeah, the thought of giving my money to a hotel w a show like that kind of makes me sick.
Take care, all