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   The Summit

The Summit

The Summit: Empowering Young People Today

This year at the Annual Youth Ministry Summit, join the Archdiocese of Hartford and Region 1 for a Listen, Teach, Send (Escucha, Enseña, Envia) Workshop. This workshop is led by the USCCB’s Executive Director for the Secretariat of Lay, Marriage, Family Life and Youth (LMFLY), Dominic Lombardi and the Assistant Director for the Laity, Maria Parker, EdD. 

The theme of this full day workshop, “Empowering Young People Today“, will unpack the fundamental ways to listen to young people, teach with purpose, and send them out as confident disciples in their communities. By better understanding the Listen, Teach, Send Document, ministry leaders discover concrete wats to foster belonging, discipleship and mission in parish life.

Join us at The Summit!

Event Information 

When: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Where: Cathedral of Saint Joseph, 140 Farmington Ave, Hartford, CT 06105 
Cost: $30 per person 

Questions? Contact Joshua Kay, Associate Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministries, at Joshua.kay@aohct.org 

Workshops Include: 

  • Mission on the Digital Continent: Applying Listen, Teach, Send in Youth Ministry 
  • Foundations of Faith: A Listen, Teach, Send model for Guiding Middle School Youth Toward God 
  • Roots & Realities: Using Listen, Teach, Send to Accompany Hispanic Young People 
  • Rise Up: Post‑Confirmation Pathways for Young Disciples 
  • Awakening the Call: Helping Youth Discern Their Vocation Through Listen, Teach, Send 
  • Listening to Lives in Motion: Helping Young Professionals Find Parish Home with Listen, Teach, Send 
Registration Opens Soon!
Download the Schedule of the Day

Frequently Asked Questions 

  • Who Should Attend This Event? 
  • Where Should I Park and Check In? 
  • Where Should I Stay? 
  • Are There Any Materials I Should Bring/Prepare For? 

There are many hotels in the greater Hartford area to choose from.  

 

Who should attend this event?

Anyone who works with young people! There are a wide variety of adults who minister to youth and young adults and therefore, if that is you, we encourage you to attend!

Some of these roles include: 

  • Youth Ministers (Middle School & High School) 
  • Core Team Members 
  • Campus Ministers (High School & College/University 
  • Young Adult Ministry Leaders 
  • Faith Formation Directors 
  • Catechetical Leaders 
  • Catechists & Volunteers 
  • Catholic Educators 
  • OCIA Leaders 
  • Scout Leaders 
  • Family Life & Marriage Prep Coordinators 
  • Priests, Deacons & Religious 
  • Parents of Youth & Young Adults 

Are children welcome? 

While we love children and are sure they are amazing, this workshop is an event for adults (18+). We do not have space or personnel available to care for children properly. 

Nursing mothers and babies are always welcome!

Where should I park?

The Cathedral of Saint Joseph is located at 140 Farmington Avenue, Hartford.

Parking is available in the rear lot of the Cathedral (enter on Asylum Avenue), on both sides of the street on Farmington Avenue and the Webster Bank parking lot (108 Farmington Avenue).  

And elevator is available at the rear entrance of the Cathedral.

*Please note, at this time, the front entrance of the Cathedral is closed. To enter, you will need to follow the sidewalk around to the side of the Cathedral to one of the side entrances. An email with more information will be sent to you a few days before the event.

Where is check in?

Check in will begin with a networking breakfast in the Lower Cathedral Hall at 8:00 a.m. 

Are there any materials I should bring/prepare?

It may be a prudent read and then bring a bring a copy of the Listen, Teach, Send Document as it will be referenced throughout the day. Additionally, we will provide a program with space to take notes, but should you want more space for reflection, your own notebook or journal may be helpful. 

There are plenty of resources that have already been created to assist leaders in unpacking this pastoral framework. We have provided some optional reading, and resources below should you want to immerse yourself in the USCCB’s vision for ministry with Youth and Young Adults. While none of the materials provided are required prior to the event, we encourage you to learn as much as possible! 

Listen, Teach, Send Resources 

Breakout Sessions

Below are the Breakouts for each Session. Please review these descriptions before registering. If you have any questions, please contact Joshua Kay.

  • Breakout Session One
  • Breakout Session Two

A – Rise Up: Post‑Confirmation Pathways for Young Disciples

This breakout session addresses the critical moment after Confirmation, inviting ministry leaders to reimagine how we listen to, teach, and send young people as active disciples of Christ. Grounded in the USCCB’s Listen, Teach, Send, participants will explore practical and sustainable pathways that accompany newly confirmed youth beyond the sacrament and into deeper relationship, belonging, and mission within the Church. This session offers concrete strategies to help young disciples rise up, claim their faith as their own, and live it out with purpose in their daily lives as active participants in parish youth ministry or similar in their parish communities 

B – Awakening the Call: Helping Youth Discern Their Vocation Through Listen, Teach, Send

This breakout session invites ministry leaders to explore how the Listen, Teach, Send framework of the USCCB can support young people in discerning God’s unique call in their lives. Participants will reflect on the importance of listening closely to youth’s questions, gifts, and desires, teaching a Catholic understanding of vocation rooted in discipleship, and sending young people forth with encouragement and trust in the Holy Spirit’s guidance. This session offers practical approaches for fostering a culture of vocational discernment that helps youth recognize their lives as a response to God’s loving call. 

C – Listening to Lives in Motion: Helping Young Professionals Find Parish Home with Listen, Teach, Send

This breakout session focuses on accompanying young professionals whose lives are often marked by transition, mobility, and competing responsibilities. Rooted in the USCCB’s Listen, Teach, Send, participants will explore how parishes can listen attentively to the real experiences of young adults, teach the faith in ways that connect to their daily lives, and send them forth as engaged disciples who find meaning, belonging, and mission in the parish community. This session offers practical strategies for welcoming young professionals and helping them discover a true spiritual home within the Church.

A – Mission on the Digital Continent: Applying Listen, Teach, Send in Youth Ministry

This breakout session invites ministry leaders to explore how the USCCB’s Listen, Teach, Send framework can guide effective evangelization with young people in today’s digital world. Participants will reflect on the “digital continent” as a real mission field, learning practical ways to listen attentively to young people’s experiences online, teach the Gospel with clarity and credibility, and send youth forth as missionary disciples both on and offline. Grounded in Catholic teaching and pastoral practice, this session offers concrete strategies for accompanying young people where they are and empowering them to live their faith with purpose and joy. 

B – Foundations of Faith: A Listen, Teach, Send model for Guiding Middle School Youth Toward God

This breakout session focuses on nurturing the foundations of faith in middle school youth through the pastoral approach outlined in the USCCB’s Listen, Teach, Send. Participants will explore age-appropriate ways to listen to young adolescents’ questions and experiences, while empowering them to explore the depth of the teachings of the Catholic church. Designed for those working with middle schoolers, this session offers practical insights and strategies to support faith formation during this critical stage of spiritual development along with practical application for parishes and dioceses preparing young people for confirmation in middle school. 

C – Escuchar vidas en constante movimiento: Ayudar  jóvenes profesionales a encontrar su hogar en la parroquia través de

Escucha, Enseña, Envia

Esta sesión de trabajo explora cómo el marco Escucha, Enseña, Envia del USCCB puede vivirse en el ministerio con jóvenes hispanos, honrando tanto sus raíces culturales como sus realidades actuales. Los participantes reflexionarán sobre maneras de escuchar profundamente las experiencias de familia, fe y cultura; enseñar el Evangelio de forma culturalmente pertinente y accesible; y enviar a los jóvenes como discípulos misioneros, firmemente arraigados en su identidad católica. La sesión ofrece reflexiones pastorales prácticas para acompañar a la juventud hispana con respeto, esperanza y una relación auténtica en la Iglesia de hoy.