By Angela Pometto
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 9/25/03)

"Youth Ministry is a ministry of presence. You evangelize by who you are and how you live," said Kate Bergman, the new assistant director for the Office of Youth Ministry.

Two years ago, the Arlington Diocese Office of Youth Ministry hired Kevin Bohli as the first full time lay person to work in the office. Before that, the office had been run by Deanna Andrew, the administrative assistant, and a part time director, traditionally a priest. With the diocese expanding this office, Bohli sees that Bishop Loverde is putting an emphasis on youth ministry by letting his actions speak louder than words. Now, the office is growing again as it takes on Bergman, another full-time employee.

Bergman grew up in Kentucky and received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1999. She realized through her studies that just psychology was not enough. "In order to truly help someone, you need to speak to that person about their relationship with God," she said. For this, Bergman decided to continue her education at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family in Washington, D.C.

Throughout her past jobs and adventures, Bergman kept coming back to the youth. One such job was with the Senate Page Program. The program was designed for high school students interested in politics and gave them an opportunity to help senators during the day. Bergman held a residential position and lived with the students. It was this job that helped her realize the power of evangelization through the witness of her life. The students, she said, knew how she lived.

"It was the little things, a constant presence that wasn’t part of the job description," she remarked. Following her witness, the students would often accompany Bergman to adoration and they loved singing. According to Bergman, youth ministry, in its essence, is a "being with. It is incarnational, a coming down to be with the other," she said.

She graduated from the JPII Institute last May and was recently hired by the diocese. "At this job, I am the support for the support for the youth ministers," she explained. Bergman realizes that as assistant to the director one of her main responsibilities is to help Bohli. Bergman explained, "I only wish to stand with him to help complete his vision."

Bohli already has several projects on the table. The first is creating a more family-based youth ministry. Seeing the parents as the primary educators of their children, Bergman and Bohli hope to create programs that integrate the family and the youth.

Another project is their work with the Spanish Apostolate. After spending some time in Nicaragua, Bergman has a place in her heart for the Hispanic culture. In the encyclical, "Ecclesia in America," the pope does not make distinctions between North, South and Central America. For him, it is just "the Americas," and this is what Bergman hopes to imitate — seeing the diversity in each culture while also realizing that we are one and each needs the other. Holding a copy of the encyclical, Bergman said, "This is what I want to do." There is still more to do in Arlington, but Bergman hopes to have the pope’s vision put into concrete action within the diocese.

Bergman will also work with the Arlington Catholic Youth Board (ACYB). While she’ll enjoy doing behind the scenes work in the office, she also desires to stay involved with the youth. The ACYB will provide this connection as she conducts five or six meetings a year with a group of 10 juniors and seniors. The group will work on outreach, faith development, at-risk issues, justice education and community service throughout the year.

Bohli is excited to see what he and Bergman can do. He hopes not to add more programs, but to improve the current ones. "We want to educate the diocese of the vision of youth ministry and get the youth involved in their parishes," Bohli stated. He explained their job is to support the youth ministers so they can, in turn, work with the youth of their parish because "youth ministry happens on an individual parish level."

Bergman is excited to begin this new position. There is energy in newness and in forming and implementing new ideas. The vision for youth ministry in the diocese is open to new possibilities, and she will use her artistic license to create a program for which the diocese can be proud.