New director for diocesan Youth and Young Adult Ministry Program

Intermountain Catholic

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Samantha Almanza, who holds a master's degree in organizational leadership, is the new director of the Youth and Young Adult Ministry Program.

SALT LAKE CITY — The Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City has been without a director for the past 16 months, but with the new year came a fresh start: Samantha Almanza will hold this position.

"Almanza has a bicultural understanding; she is very good in that area," said Susan Northway, Director of Religious Education, who supervises the youth ministry.

After graduating from Juan Diego Catholic High School, Almanza lived in a Lasallian Brothers community while attending the Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn., intending to keep up with her Catholic education.

"They [the Christian Brothers] have dedicated their lives to education, especially of the poor. I went to college there and I got involved with the service ministry, especially with the service projects," said Almanza.

That gave her the opportunity, she said, to continue with the serving ministry that she loves.

"She has a heart to serve an eagerness to develop her ministry skills," said Northway.

After her graduation Almanza studied elementary education and joined the Lasallian Volunteer program, which connects volunteers with the poor in Lasallian missions throughout the United States. She was a teacher in Rhode Island, where she taught math and science. The combination of these experiences is one of the required skills for the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry position.

"She has the experience with all kinds of age groups and a solid commitment to build our young adult ministry," Northway said. "She, as well, has a big vision for the ministry. Everyone on the search committee thought she was the perfect candidate."

Almanza continued her education at Lewis University, a private Roman Catholic and Lasallian university located in Romeoville, Ill., to get her master’s degree in organizational leadership, which she completed in December.

Now back in Utah and as part of the Pastoral Center, Almanza has many expectations waiting. Northway said that they hope to be able to build a solid program of resources for forming youth ministries in the parishes; for Almanza to be out in the parishes a lot as a resource person; to provide opportunities for education for youth ministries; and to enlarge the whole aspect of evangelization and catechism in the youth ministry program.

"I need to listen to what the needs of the diocese are, and what the needs of each parish are, and what the needs of the youth of the parishes are," said Almanza. "I need to listen to what they need from me and what they think the needs are for their youth groups."

Almanza said that among her goals as the Youth and Young Ministry director is to build a collaborative network and a solid community where people can learn from each other and "I can provide opportunities for them so they can provide quality formation for the children that they serve. We have a very beautiful and diverse Catholic community in Utah and I am excited to be able to work with them. I want to build a community where people are comfortable in sharing their faith and have opportunities to learn more about their faith and discover the way that they communicate with God," she said.