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The Theology-on-Tap Report presented to the US Bishops
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On November 10, 2002, The National Catholic Young
Adult Ministry Association presented some "Best Practices in Young
Adult Ministry" from around the country at a workshop for the United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Theology-on-Tap was highlighted
as a long-standing, highly successful program of evangelization and
catechesis to women and men in their 20s and 30s. Below is a copy of
the report submitted to the Bishops regarding Theology-on-Tap.
I. Overview of the program:
Theology-on-Tap is a four-week summer program for
young adults, women and men in their 20s and 30s, married and single.
It is a weekly opportunity for parishes in a particular area to gather
young adults for a speaker, conversation and theology.
Theology-on-Tap began in June 1981 at St. James Parish,
Arlington Heights, Illinois, as a response to a conversation between
a parish priest and a young man from the parish who was graduating from
college. That man was looking beyond his last few months of college
to the real world. He was facing a career, and wondering about the future.
He was concerned about his personal identity and finding meaning in
life. “Will I be more than my job? What will it mean to fall in
love? Where does God fit in all this? What does it mean to be Catholic?”
The purpose of Theology-on-Tap is threefold:
A. To find and invite young adults to gather with
their peers for a great experience of Catholicism (evangelization).
B. To share the rich traditions of our faith with
this generation (catechesis).
C. To create a forum for young adults to address and
discuss their issues, questions, and concerns (faith formation, spiritual
growth, and community building).
Theology-on-Tap is an opportunity for parish staffs
and young adult volunteers to focus some time, attention and resources
on one of the most overlooked groups of people in the parish: people
in their 20s and 30s. Interestingly, the average age of worshipers in
the US is between 50 and 65. The average age of American people is 34.
Over the past twenty-two summers, parishes within
the Archdiocese of Chicago have chosen to use Theology-on-Tap to outreach
and invite various groups of young adults to participate. Some parishes
have a large resident college population; many are home for the summer.
Theology-on-Tap is a great way to gather returning college people. Other
parishes, with many apartment buildings, condos and townhouses in the
area, use Theology-on-Tap to outreach young singles and young couples
who are not as present in the parish as they could be.
Many young adults are the parents of the children
being baptized today, and the parents of the children in the early grades
of parish schools and religious education programs. Many of these parents
received little formation from the Church fifteen or twenty years ago
when they were in their formative years. Theology-on-Tap is an opportunity
to present these young adult parents with the Catholic religious tradition
they missed or took for granted. Also, there are young adults in many
parishes. Theology-on-Tap is a wonderful opportunity to make those younger
parishioners feel welcome and at home in their Church.
July 14, 2002 marked the twenty-second year that Theology-on-Tap
has taken place in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Theology-on-Tap was hosted
in the Diocese of Joliet, IL for the first time during the summer of
1994, in the Diocese of Rockford, IL in 1998, in the Diocese of Gary,
IN in 2000 and in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, WI in 2001. By hosting
Theology-on-Tap in 2002, the Diocese of Madison, WI became the fifth
contiguous diocese to host young adults for this program. During the
first twenty-one years, 1981 – 2001, Theology-on-Tap was hosted
by 184 different parishes, 153 of which are in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
More than 185 speakers have been privileged to address over 40,000 young
adults during the summer sessions.
Additionally, more than 150 clusters of parishes,
universities and dioceses around the country and beyond have contacted
the Young Adult Ministry Office of the Archdiocese of Chicago to obtain
the resource manual and copyright/trademark permission for hosting this
highly successful young adult program. Many of those sites have successfully
used Theology-on-Tap as a means for gathering and supporting the spiritual
growth of their own young adults.
Each season of Theology-on-Tap is brought to an end
with a finale celebration in the Archdiocese of Chicago the Sunday after
week four. Mass is celebrated by Francis Cardinal George in Holy Name
Cathedral at 3 PM for all young adults who have attended the program.
Then, from 4:30-7:30 PM, a lawn party with music, food and dancing and
games takes place at the Cardinal’s residence.
Cardinal Bernardin developed a special relationship
with young adults. He presided at the Theology-on-Tap Mass with young
adults and hosted them at his residence every year until his death in
1996. Also, in his homily at the Theology-on-Tap Mass in August of 1985,
he made this remark, “If I had children of my own, they would
be your age. You are very special to me and to this Archdiocese.”
Cardinal George continued that relationship with young
adults in 1997. As soon as he arrived as the new Archbishop of Chicago,
he enthusiastically agreed to preside at the Theology-on-Tap finale
Mass and host over 1000 young adults at a picnic on the grounds of his
residence. In a letter inviting young adults to attend the Mass and
picnic, Cardinal George wrote, “You are very important members
of the Church. Your energy, talent and faith will give me much help
as together we build up our local Church to be a vital presence in the
Chicago area. Together we can continue the mission of Jesus Christ to
bring the Gospel of love, forgiveness and holiness to all the places
where we live and encounter others.”
II. How Theology-on-Tap works in the Archdiocese of
Chicago:
Once a parish considers hosting Theology-on-Tap, they
carefully review the following expectations:
A. The parish hosting Theology-on-Tap will establish
a committee of no less than ten young adults in their 20s & 30s,
married and single.
B. At least two Theology-on-Tap committee members
will attend an information session conducted by the Young Adult Ministry
Office. At that session, Theology-on-Tap manuals, materials, finale
celebration flyers and tickets will be distributed. Also, a strategy
for hosting Theology-on-Tap will be presented.
C. One Theology-on-Tap committee person will be the
designated contact person with the Young Adult Ministry Office.
D. Neighboring parishes will be invited to participate
in Theology-on-Tap by sending two young adult representatives to join
the Theology-on-Tap committee. In turn those representatives will invite
young adults from their parishes to attend.
E. A parish staff member will be named as the liaison
to the Theology-on-Tap committee.
F. The host parish agrees to follow the procedures
listed in the Theology-on-Tap manual for personally inviting as many
young adults as possible. That invitation will be delivered in person,
by letter, and by publishing weekly bulletin announcements about Theology-on-Tap.
All published information must make it clear that this program is not
open to the general parish population, but is exclusively for young
adults in their 20s & 30s, married and single.
G. One committee person will be designated to receive
and be accountable for the tickets and money for the lawn party at the
Cardinal’s residence. They will communicate to us the exact number
of picnic tickets sold. The parish is then responsible for paying the
full amount of money based on that verbal number of sold tickets.
H. The Theology-on-Tap committee will register each
participant by asking them to complete a registration card similar to
the one found in the Theology-on-Tap manual.
I. The Theology-on-Tap committee member, during each
week of Theology-on-Tap, will read the announcements sent to them by
the Young Adult Ministry Office.
J. The financial commitment for hosting the program
is $800/site. $500 for speakers, and $300 for postage, publicity and
refreshments. The committee will present each speaker with a stipend
check for $125, either in person the evening of the presentation or
by mail within the next week.
K. The Theology-on-Tap committee will submit copies
of all publicity to the Young Adult Ministry Office for possible inclusion
in next year’s Theology-on-Tap manual.
L. The Theology-on-Tap committee will submit the names
and addresses of those who attended Theology-on -Tap to the Young Adult
Ministry Office within one week after the conclusion of the program.
Once a parish agrees to the above expectations, representatives
meet with staff members from the Young Adult Ministry Office to work
through the Theology-on-Tap manual. The manual presents a strategy for
personally inviting young adults to attend the program. The Young Adult
Ministry Office, in collaboration with parish and young adult leaders,
assigns speakers and topics.
III. How Theology-on-Tap works beyond the Archdiocese
of Chicago:
Dioceses beyond the Archdiocese of Chicago interested
in hosting the program need to agree to specific guidelines (attached)
prior to being given permission by the Archdiocese of Chicago to host
the program. They are invited to purchase the Theology-on-Tap manual,
and are given additional support as needed. To date, beyond the five
dioceses contiguous to the Archdiocese of Chicago, 62 parishes/organizations
in the U.S., 4 in Canada, 1 in England, and 1 in the Philippines have
hosted the program over the past two years.
IV. Specific details…
A. Why does Theology-on-Tap work?
Theology-on-Tap is an intentional outreach to women
and men in their 20s and 30s, and nothing is taken for granted. The
program is built upon sound principles for gathering and responding
to the needs of young adults:
1. Assembling a committee of 10-12 leaders whose mission
is to extend direct personal invitations to their peers.
2. Providing quality speakers who can present solid catechesis and insights
into the young adult years in a way that is relevant to contemporary
life.
3. Offering good hospitality.
B. What needs does it address for young adults?
1. The need to feed their spiritual hunger.
2. The need to gather and share their faith with their peers.
3. The need to grow deeper spiritually, and come into greater contact
with God.
4. The desire to understand Catholic rituals, signs, symbols, and learn
how God and their faith are part of their everyday lives.
5. The desire to share their gifts with their peers.
6. The need for a great experience of Catholicism.
C. What elements are crucial?
1. A commitment from a parish or group of parishes
to reach out to young adults.
2. A sympathetic staff person to begin and support the process.
3. A committee of 10-12 leaders to extend direct personal invitations
and gracious hospitality.
V. Who to contact for more information?
Fr. John C. Cusick, Ms. Katherine F. DeVries, Ms.
Judith Black & Ms. Socorro Perez
Young Adult Ministry Office, Archdiocese of Chicago
711 W. Monroe, Chicago, IL, 60661
Voice: 312-466-9473, Fax: 312-466-9474
yam@yamchicago.org, www.yamchicago.org
VI. Resources to help start this elsewhere?
A. The Theology-on-Tap manual was written so that
parishes, regions and dioceses new to the program could learn from and
build upon the success of previous Theology-on-Tap sessions. That manual,
which can be purchased for $25.00, contains the following information:
background and purpose, a step by step planning guide, the organizational
structure, information about the target group, a strategy for effectively
outreaching young adults, a ‘road map’ from the point of
view from a hosting committee member, and helpful hints for success.
It also includes samples of letters of invitation, sessions, bulletin
and pulpit announcements, hints on hospitality, answers to frequently
asked questions, lists of topics that have been addressed, copies of
the Theology-on-Tap logo, and sample publicity.
B. The Young Adult Ministry – Archdiocese of
Chicago’s summer newsletter is dedicated entirely to the Theology-on-Tap
program. Copies are available as supplies last.
C. Additional support for gathering young adults on
a Diocesan, Parish or Regional level can be found in: The Basic Guide
to Young Adult Ministry, Fr. John C. Cusick & Ms. Katherine F. DeVries,
Orbis Books, 2001. Also, the Young Adult Ministry, Archdiocese of Chicago’s
website: www.yamchicago.org.
VII. Final note to the Bishops:
Over it’s 28 years of existence, Theology-on-Tap
has grown to be one of the finest and most successful programs of evangelization
and adult catechesis available throughout the country. Conservatively,
tens of thousands of young adults have benefited from this program of
“Serving the finest in Speakers, Conversation, and Theology.”
Theology-on-Tap is consistent with the vision and values set forth in
Sons and Daughters of the Light, and through Theology-on-Tap, many,
many young adults have come into greater contact with the Church.
It is our hope that Theology-on-Tap will continue
to provide opportunities for young adults to gather, grow spiritually,
and share their faith with one another. In fact, we have a dream: that
for four consecutive weeks during the summer, every diocese in the country
will host the program for its young adults. What an incredible experience
and expression of Catholicism that would be!
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