MYO Mission | Leading Teens to Encounter Christ

by Peter Harb

The Maronite Youth Organization (MYO) is the official national group for all youth between the ages of 12-18 in the United States for both the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon and the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn. With annual regional and national retreats, the MYO was launched in order to gather our Maronite Catholic teens in the United States, focused in bringing them to Christ in the Eucharist, and leading them to be formed in the Maronite Catholic faith. Teens and their families are led to a deeper encounter and relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.

At the local level in each Maronite parish, MYOs focus on service to their church and community, forming lifelong friends, and praying and growing in the faith together. At the annual regional and national retreats, what the teens have experienced locally is taken to a whole other level by gathering hundreds of youth in one room to worship our Lord together through mission services, adoration, confession, and Divine Liturgy. The teens are also able to meet fellow teens from around the United States and form unbelievable bonds that last forever. Adolescents crave something more, something outside of the norm. Thousands of Maronite youth are transformed each and every year largely because they were able to encounter the love of Christ and truly experience Him through MYO retreats.

So, if you’re a teen between the ages of 12-18 and seek to experience something more, join your local MYO. As a Maronite young adult, I encourage you to support your local teens in any way you are able to. Help them fundraise, become an advisor, or keep them in your prayers. Every little bit helps, and your support of the MYO causes a ripple effect throughout the United States when your local youth interact with their fellow Maronites at the retreats throughout the year. Let’s give our teens the tools to rise up above what society throws at them, and instead lead them to deeper encounters with Christ.

Upcoming Regional Retreat Dates:

MYO/MYA Regional Retreat

March 15-17 | Pleasantville, NJ

MYO West Coast Regional Retreat

March 15-17 | Las Vegas, NV

MYO Southern Regional Retreat

March 15-17 | Glen Allen, VA

We invite you to save the date and attend the 2019 MYO National Retreat July 7-12 at Walsh University, North Canton, Ohio.
Registration information can be found at www. maroniteyouth.org

Follow MYO on Social Media:
Facebook: National Maronite Youth Organization
Instagram/Twitter/Snapchat: @maroniteyouth