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Leader-in-Training

The Leader-in-Training (LIT) Program is the first year of formation for youth who are interested in becoming leaders in pastoral ministry. This program is open to any Catholic teen in 7th or 8th grade. Youth who are enrolled in the LIT Program commit to a year of formation through service, prayer, worship, catechesis, and community building. The LITs are paired with an adult mentor who will accompany them through their year of formation and who can be help them by being a role model in faith. 

LIT Minimum Requirements:
  • 30 hours of service
  • 9 faith formation sessions
  • 9 hours of youth group
  • ​1 retreat experience
  • ​Participation in Holy Fire
  • 10 hours of liturgical ministry
  • 10 Gospel reflections
  • 9 meetings with mentor
  • Reflection of Growth in Spiritual Life

Participants will be awarded a scholarship between $500-1,000 for completion of the program requirements.
Program co-Leaders
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Robin Vicent
847-719-9071 x293
email robin
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Erika Castro
847-719-9071 x283
email erika

Interested in being a Mentor?

LIT Mentors are young/adults who commit to accompanying an LIT through their program. Check the Employment & Volunteering page for mentor openings!

Discipleship Learning

The Discipleship Learning program is the second level of leadership and youth ministry faith formation for teens in 9th and 10th grade. Our missionary disciples are put into small groups with a small group leader who will accompany them on their journey through the program. Missionary disciples learn leadership through participation in parish events, leading at retreats, and more.

Minimum Program Participant Requirements
  • 30 hours of service
  • 18 faith formation sessions or youth group
  • 1 retreat experience
  • 12 hours of liturgical ministry 
  • 12 Gospel reflections
  • 9 meetings with small group
  • Reflection of Growth in Spiritual Life

​Participants will be awarded a scholarship between $500-1,000 for completion of the program requirements.
Program Leader
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Jason McKean
847-719-9071 x298
email jason

Peer Ministry

Peer ministers serve their peers who are in formation. This program is open to any Catholic teen in 11th or 12th grade. ​Peer Ministers are the voice of the youth to the UCYM staff and board. Peer Ministers have gone through a minimum of three years in formation with UCYM before being accepted into the role of peer minister. 

Minimum Program Participant Requirements
  • 40 hours of service
  • 24 hours of youth group 
  • 1 program or event project 
  • 1 retreat experience
  • 24 hours of liturgical ministry
  • 24 Gospel reflections
  • Reflection on Growth in Spiritual Life

​Participants will be awarded a scholarship between $500-1,000 for completion of the program requirements.
Program Leader
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James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB
847-719-9071 x291
email james

Ready to begin?

Registration is open for the 2022-2023 program year!

Contact & Visit Us

San José Sánchez del Río UCYM Center
St. Theresa Building - St. Nicholas Parish Campus
1108 Washington Street
Evanston, IL 60202
(P) 847-719-9071 (E) ​office@ucym.org

Mailing Address
806 Ridge Avenue
c/o UCYM Office
Evanston, IL 60202

UCYM Center Hours*
Monday-Friday 3-8 pm or by appointment
Saturday & Sunday by appointment

*Subject to change

Quick Links

​Covid-19 Vaccine
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Leadership Academy
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Connect with Us


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​WATCH OUT FOR SPAM!

Any email sent from us will either be sent by Flocknote (mail@flocknote.com) or by a member of the UCYM staff or Ministry Team using an email address firstname@ucym.org. Please send other email to Spam and please let us know at office@ucym.org if you receive any spam messages so that we can alert others to a possible scam.

​© United Catholic Youth Ministries. All Rights Reserved.

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  • About UCYM
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
    • Protection of Children & Youth
    • Who We Are
    • Leadership >
      • Our Team
      • Boards and Councils
      • Join Our Team!
    • Renew My Church
    • Calendar
    • News & Updates
    • Donate
    • Store
  • For Youth
    • Start Here
    • Leadership Academy >
      • Start Here
      • Youth Leadership Programs
      • Youth Minister Formation
    • Anti-Racism Pilot
    • Youth Group
    • Youth Council
    • Campus Ministry
    • Retreats >
      • Metanoia
      • Kairos
      • Emmaus Retreat
      • 24-Hour No Phone Retreat
      • Offline
      • Spirit Day
    • Archdiocesan Programs >
      • Holy Fire
      • NCYC
      • Totus Tuus
    • For Children >
      • Religious Education
      • Confirmation
      • Children's Liturgy of the Word
      • Vacation Bible School
  • For Young Adults
    • Start Here
    • 20s & 30s Group
    • Podcast
    • College Outreach
    • Young Adult Council
    • Theology On Tap
    • Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA)
    • Alpha
    • World Youth Day 2023
  • Hispanic Ministry
    • Start Here
    • Pastoral Juvenil
    • Quinceañera Ministry
    • Consejo Hispano
    • Hispanic Celebrations >
      • Day of the Dead
      • Our Lady of Guadalupe
    • Resources >
      • V Encuentro
      • USCCB
  • Prayer
    • Start Here
    • Lectio Divina
    • Click to Pray
  • Service
    • Start Here
    • HER Drive
    • Snack Drive
    • SNAP Gap
    • Care for Creation >
      • Start Here
      • Archdiocese of Chicago
      • Community Garden
  • Sports
  • Resources
    • Synod on Synodality
    • Mental Health Awareness
    • Need to Talk?
    • Covid-19
    • Advocacy >
      • Start Here
      • Catholic Relief Services
      • Immigration Ministry
      • Respect Life
      • Domestic Violence
      • Kolbe House Jail Ministry
      • Amate House
      • Equality for Women in the Church
      • Affirmed–LGBTQ Ministry
      • God Is On Your Side: A State from Catholic Bishops Protecting LGBTQ Youth
      • Exodus World Service
      • Black Lives Matter
      • Interfaith Action of Evanston
      • USCCB
      • St. Kateri Center of Chicago
    • Vocations >
      • Start Here
      • Cava
      • Archdiocese of Chicago
      • USCCB
    • Partnerships >
      • Blessed Sacrament Youth Center
      • Sheil Catholic Center
      • Laudato Si' Action Platform
      • Tyler Clementi Foundation
      • Catholic Athletes for Christ
      • Evanston Latinos
      • Evanston Cradle to Careet
      • Interfaith Action of Evanston
      • Coalition to End Homelessness in Evanston
  • Staff Login