UIHAT IS A DIOCESAIi youth council. A DEFINITION; DESCRIPTION, AND SUGGESTED CONSTITUTION YOUTH COUNCIL YOUTH SERIES NO. ET PRICE 10* Glossary of Terms YOUTH BOARD—A youth board is composed of adult men and women representing adult organizations sponsoring youth work. SUGGESTED PATTERN—It is laboring the obvious to in- sist that the Youth Department cannot impose a rigid organizational pattern on any youth group. The Ordin- ary of a diocese alone possesses that right. APPROVED PLAN—The approval given the plans herein outlined by the Bishops implies nothing other than that they are good and workable. It does not mean that even essential variants may not be introduced when respon- sible local ecclesiastical authorities deem it proper. YOUTH COUNCIL—A council embraces all the youth of the individual groups affiliated with the council. DELEGATES—The parish youth council functions through delegates. Each constitutent youth group comprising the parish youth council elects two delegates to the parish youth council. DEANERY YOUTH COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE—A deanery youth council em- braces all the youth of the constituent affiliated groups. Obviously such an enormous number could not transact affairs efficiently. Therefore the deanery youth council functions through an executive committee comprised of two young men and two young women from each parish youth council. It is advisable to require a mini- mum age of 18 for those selected by the parish youth council as their representatives on the executive board of the deanery council. ' DIOCESAN YOUTH COUNCIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE—A diocesan youth council em- braces all the youth of the constituent affiliated groups. Obviously such an enormous number could not transact affairs efficiently. Therefore the diocesan youth council functions through an executive committeee comprised of two young men and two young women from each dean- ery council. It is"advisable to require a minimum age of 20 for those selected by the deanery council as their representatives on the executive committee of the dioces- an youth council. OFFICERS—Each executive committee selects a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer from its own membership. The parish youth council does the same from the personnel of its delegates. THE DIOCESAN (And Deanery) CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL I—Definition A Diocesan (or Deanery) Catholic Youth Coun- cil is a federation of the approved Catholic youth groups within the confines of a Diocese (or Deanery). It is a unifying and coordinating device the primary purpose of which is to place youth’s forces under the sponsorship of the Ordinary. It is not a separate, distinct or competitive organization designed to destroy or absorb existing organizations but rather a federation of all approved Catholic youth groups within a diocese regardless of labels or particular objectives. A Diocesan (or Deanery) Youth Council makes no provision for individual membership. The only way in which membership can be obtained is through membership in an affiliated organization. Extraparochial Catholic youth groups may secure representation by the appointment of two delegates to the Executive Committee of the Diocesan (or Deanery) Youth Council, depending on the geo- graphical extent of the particular group. The Deanery Youth Council is merely an ad- ministrative mechanism linking parish youth coun- cils to the Diocesan youth council; it facilitates the organizational work of the diocesan youth council and serves as a convenient device for divisional meetings, leadership training courses, etc. I!—Sphere of Activities The Diocesan (or Deanery) Youth Council accomplishes its essential work through the parish youth councils, and exists primarily to encourage, assist and strengthen the various youth groups 2 THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL which comprise the Parish Youth Council. The Dio- cesan (or Deanery) Youth Council must always avoid any direct or indirect action interfering in the legitimate internal sphere of activities of a par- ticular youth group in the council. The easy error of an efficiently staffed federation is precisely to destroy the efficiency and autonomy of the various groups which are federated. Vigilance must ever be exercised lest abuse make odious the use of an ex- cellent administrative device. Here are some sug- gested activities for the Diocesan Youth Council. 1) Materials for discussion and study activi- ties. Most parish councils and their member groups can use the same study outlines, literature, pro- grams, etc. for their educational activities. This is of course particularly true in places where the Or- dinary asks youth groups each year to study one special problem, such as marriage, Christian de- mocracy, etc. The Diocesan Youth Council can be most helpful to parish councils and member groups by working out a general pattern for study and dis- cussion, the compilation of a bibliography, etc. 2) Speakers Bureau. The Diocesan Youth Council can initiate a Speaker’s Bureau composed of priests or laymen competent and willing to pre- sent appropriate subjects to groups asking for speakers. 3) Diocesan Youth Paper or Youth Articles in other publications. The Diocesan Youth Council can do much to popularize a sane and factual under- standing of the sorely-exploited “youth problem” by conscientious and honest publicity either in a pub- lication of its own or by supplying apt articles in other publications. 4) Leadership Training Courses. Leadership THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL 3 training is primarily the task of Parish Councils. However, a more thorough training, through study weeks, camps, etc., can hardly be accomplished in the individual parish. One or two outstanding lead- ers from each parish may meet together on a dioces- an basis for training. The Diocesan Youth Council should play a vital part in the preparation of such leadership training courses. 5) Diocesan Youth Conferences. The Annual Diocesan Youth Conference is an excellent oppor- tunity for the leaders of the youth groups and Parish Youth Councils to meet and to discuss their common problems, on the basis of the directions given by the Bishop and in the light of local experiences. 6) Diocesan Commissions. The Commission set-up is one of the best means for serious training and study, using all advantages of corporate effort. The Diocesan Council set up commissions, assisted by competent adults, which can provide for litera- ture, lectures, etc. 7) Meetings of Officers and Executive Com- mittee of the Diocesan Youth Council. The Execu- tive Committee of the Diocesan Youth Council is comprised of four representatives from each Dean- ery Council. It elects from its membership, a Presi- dent, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasury. The Executive Committee meets at regular intervals. These meetings, as well as those of the Officers of the Council, provide for possibilities of personal contacts, of interchange of experiences, of common discussions relating to all problems which Catholic youth organizations have to face in the particular diocese. Considerable constructive criticism, sug- gestions, and proposals will be the fruit of these periodical meetings. Also, these sessions of all youth 4 THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL leaders of the diocese bring about better understand- ing and more unity in the whole Catholic youth move- ment of the diocese. 8) Evaluating non-Catholic Youth Movements, Agencies, etc. The local council and groups are the first to analyze and evaluate organizations function- ing within the parish or city. But most of these movements or agencies are state-wide or even na- tional ; they have a definite activity on regional bases (like Regional Conventions of the American Youth Congress) and must, therefore, be studied and evaluated for the whole Catholic youth of the Diocese. The Diocesan Youth Council will be a help in this work and an instrument for securing the in- formation needed for making a decision as well as for bringing this decision to the attention of the whole youth of the diocese. 9) Securing Cooperative Action of all Youth Groups. Mention should be made of the value of the Diocesan Youth Council for the activities carried on by Youth-serving agencies and offices on diocesan levels. For example, where the CYO or some sim- ilar youth-serving agency is organizing contests and competitions in the field of sport, dramatics, music, etc., on a diocesan basis, the youth should be invited to cooperate in such projects—and the Diocesan Council is the best fitted instrument for such col- laboration on an inter-parish level. IV—A Suggested Constitutional Pattern for Establishing a Diocesan Youth Council ARTICLE I: NAME The title of this federation shall be the Diocesan Youth Council of the Diocese of THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL 5 ARTICLE II : Nature and Purpose Section 1: The Diocesan Youth Council is a fed- Nature eration of all the approved Catholic youth groups operating within the boundaries of the diocese. The Diocesan Youth Council is not a new organization designed to destroy existing youth groups. It respects the autonomy of its various affiliated groups. Such groups maintain their traditional set-up and carry out their particular programs. Section 2: The Diocesan Youth Council serves the Purpose following purpose: a) To unite, through the medium of this federation, the Catholic youth of the diocese of ; b) To direct the interests and abilities of youth towards the lay apostolate ; to secure a highly trained Catholic opinion as desired by the Holy Father and the Hierarchy; and to develop authentic Catholic Action under the leadership of the Bishop of ; c) To assist, strengthen and coordin- ate the work of the diocesan youth groups so that they may more effective- ly promote the spiritual and material welfare of their members; d) To represent all Catholic youth of the diocese whenever necessary; e) To coordinate youth-led activities and youth-led organizations, and to con- duct common projects organized on a diocesan-wide basis ; 6 THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL f) To facilitate the exchange of exper- iences in order to avoid overlapping or duplication of effort; g) To encourage the various groups by developing leadership training cours- es, conferences, and necessary literature and to assist them in the accomplish- ment of their objectives. ARTICLE III: National Affiliation The Diocesan Youth Council maintains membership in the National Catholic Youth Council by voluntary affiliation in the diocesan section of the N.C.Y.C. (The N.C.Y.C. is the national coordin- ating agency for Catholic youth estab- lished in 1937 by the American Hier- archy.) ARTICLE IV : Headquarters The headquarters of the Diocesan Youth Council is the office of the Diocesan Youth Director, which office serves as the Diocesan Youth Bureau. ARTICLE V : Membership Section 1: No provision is made for individual Group membership in the Diocesan Youth Member- Council. Every Catholic youth secures ship connection with the Council by reason of membership in one of the approved groups affiliated with the Diocesan Youth Council. Section 2: The constituent unit in the Diocesan Constituent Youth Council is the Parish Youth Units Council, composed of the various ap- proved youth groups in the parish. THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL 7 Section 2: Non- Parochial Youth Groups Section 1: Director General Section 2: Section 3: Diocesan Executive Approved youth organizations or youth groups which are extra-parochial are entitled to representation in the Dean- ery or Diocesan Youth Council, depend- ing upon the geographical extent of the organization. ARTICLE VI: Government The Bishop of is the Director General of the Diocesan Youth Council. He appoints a priest to repre- sent him as the Spiritual Director of the Council. The officers of the Diocesan Youth Council are the President, Vice-Presi- dent, Secretary, and Treasurer. They are elected for a term of one year, at the annual Diocesan Youth Conference by the official delegates of the consti- tuent units. These offices should be equally divided between the young men and the young women. No deanery may be represented by more than one officer. Officers may not succeed themselves. The Diocesan Youth Council Executive Committee is composed of four repre- sentatives from each deanery in the diocese. These representatives are elec- ted by the Deanery Youth Council. These deanery representatives on the Diocesan Executive Committee should be composed equally of young men and young women. Special interest groups organized on a diocesan-wide basis are entitled to two CHART SUGGESTING ORGANIZATION, PROGRAM AN ORDINARY oi DIOCESAN YCI N.<; SPONSORSHIP OF A DIOCESAN YOUTH AP05T0LATE he DIOCESE DIRECTOR .r DIOCESAN YOUTH BUREAU tances allow) Contacts Yout/i Bureau of N C IVC arretre/ays malena/s io Deaneries and Parishes 0 DEVELOPS TH COUNCIL TRAINS LAY ADULT MEMBERS ADVISORY BOARDS TH COUNCIL z H COUNCIL HE PARISH Diocesan Deanery Parish CLERGY Diocesan You th Dtrec to r Deanery You th Director Parish Youth Director MEN Chairman of the Youth Committee of the Diocesan Cootna/ of Catholic Hen Cor /ts equ/ valent). Chairman of thy Youth Committee of the Deanery Council of Catholic Men Cor / ts equivalent) Chairman of the Youth Committee of the Parish Council of Catholic Men Cor its equ/ vatent ) WOMEN Chairman of the Youth Committee of the D/ocesan Council of Catholic Women. Cha/rman of the Youth Committee of the Deanery Counctf of Cathof/c Women. Cha/rman of the Youth Committee of the Pansh Counc/fof Cathof/c Women YOUTH Elective Officers of the Diocesan Youth Council Elective Officers of the Deanery Youth Council Elective Officers of the Parish Youth Council Y.C. 10 THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL Section 4: Deanery Youth Council Section 5: Advisory Board Section 1: Officers Section 2: Executive Committee official representatives on the Diocesan Executive Committee. The Deanery Youth Council is a federa- tion of the youth groups in the deanery through the medium of Parish Youth Councils. The Deanery Youth Coun- cils are established to facilitate the administrative and organizational work of the Diocesan Youth Council. The Deanery Youth Council functions through the Deanery Youth Council Executive Committee and representa- tives of non-parochial youth groups operating in the deanery, and through Deanery Officers. These officers are elected at the Deanery Youth Confer- ence. The Bishop may appoint a Diocesan Youth Commission composed of clergy, men, women, and young people to assist him in the evaluation of youth programs and to further the interests of youth in the diocese. If such a Commission is established it will function as an Ad- visory Board for the Diocesan Youth Council. ARTICLE VII : Meetings The officers of the Diocesan Youth Council should meet at regular inter- vals, together with the Spiritual Direc- tor, at the call of the President. Joint meetings of the officers and the members of the Diocesan Executive Committee, together with the Spiritual THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL 11 Section 3: Diocesan Youth Conference Director, should be held at least twice during the year. One of these meet- ings should be held in conjunction with the Annual Diocesan Youth Conference. Special meetings may be held subject to the call of the President of the Dio- cesan Youth Council. When the Ordinary deems it advisable, a joint meeting of the Diocesan Execu- tive Committee and the Diocesan Youth Board may be held as occasion requires. The Diocesan Youth Council shall spon- sor an annual Diocesan Youth Confer- ence. This Conference shall be open to officially accredited delegates of the Parish Youth Councils and represen- tatives of diocesan-wide Catholic or- ganizations, as well as to all other young people in the diocese interested in the project. Four official delegates, equal- ly divided between young men and young women, shall attend this Confer- ence as representatives of each Parish Youth Council. Only these delegates are entitled to a vote in the business meetings of the Conference. At the opening of the Conference, the officers of the Diocesan Youth Council shall ap- point a Nominating Committee and make provision for the annual election of Council officers. Only the accredit- ed delegates are permitted to partici- pate in this election. In certain instan- ces, this Conference may be held in con- junction with a diocesan-wide rally or 12 THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL gathering of all the Catholic youth in the diocese. Section 4: In all such meetings where votes are Voting taken, a simple majority vote of the delegates present will suffice. ARTICLE VIII : Leadership Training Courses Section 1: The Diocesan Youth Council shall pro- Youth mote youth leaders’ training courses by Leaders organizing such courses on a diocesan- wide basis when the need requires it. The Council should, also, cooperate with the Diocesan Youth Board in the devel- opment of adult youth leaders’ confer- ences and training courses, organized on a Parish and Deanery basis. ARTICLE IX. Commissions Section 1 : The Diocesan Youth Council may create Purpose special commissions in order to accomp- lish particular objectives and in order to further the development of special projects. These commissions ordinarily cease to function when their objective is attained. Such commissions could pro- vide literature in order to further the study of particular questions in the various affiliated youth groups. Section 2: Such commissions may be entrusted to Personnel one or to several persons. The commis- and Or- sion personnel may be chosen from in- ganizations dividuals, from the membership of the adult Diocesan Youth Board, or from any other groups in the diocese particu- larly qualified to handle such assign- ments. Commission chairmen are res- THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL 13 Section 3: Standing Commis- sions Section 4: Coopera- tion ponsible for the selection of collaborat- ors. There should be at least four basic com- missions—on religious, cultural, social, and recreational activities. Activities organized under these general headings will provide the essential features of a well-balanced Catholic youth program. The Diocesan Commissions set up by the Diocesan Youth Council function on a coordinating basis and should stimu- late the development of commissions in the parish and deanery Youth Councils. ARTICLE X: Amendments Section 1: Amendments to the present constitu- Voting tion may be voted by the two-thirds vote of the delegates participating in the Annual Diocesan Youth Conference. Section 2: Any amendment to the Constitution Approval must have the approval of the Bishop or his representative. YOUTH DEPARTMENT, N. C. W. C. I. Authorization At the Bishops’ Meeting, held November 13 and 14, 1940, in Washington, D. C., the recommendation of the Administrative Board regarding a Youth De- partment was approved and the Administrative Board was authorized to establish it. The new De- partment was created by the Administrative Board of the N.C.W.C. at its regular meeting, on Novem- ber 15, 1940. II. The Need Youth organizations and youth-serving agencies 14 THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL are not new. Today, however, the trend in the field is assuming a new direction toward greater coordin- ation of youth work and the unification of youth’s forces. The Federal Government has set up the National Youth Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. The activity and the scope of the Children’s Bureau and the United States Office of Education have increased. The American Coun- cil on Education, through its endowed American Youth Commission, has made extensive studies and recommendations on the problems and needs of youth. There are now existing some 400 national, non-governmental youth or youth-servicing organi- zations in the United States. The Church must deal methodically with these new trends and organiza- tions, evaluate them, oppose them when necessary,, and collaborate with them when desirable. III. Statics The Youth Department is one of the eight De- partments in the N.C.W.C. and it functions under the Chairmanship of the Most Reverend John A. Duffy, Bishop of Buffalo, a member of the Admin- istrative Board of the N.C.W.C. Like all Depart- ments within the Conference, it operates as the agency created by the Archbishops and Bishops to serve them in the national field. It executes, under the direction of its Episcopal Chairman, the policies agreed upon by the Bishops. IV. Its Purposes The youth Department has three main objec- tives : 1) To facilitate the exchange of information regarding the philosophy, organization, program- content and methods of Catholic youth work. 2) To promote the National Catholic Youth THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL 15 Council as the federating agency for all approved Catholic youth groups. 3) To contact and evaluate all national, gov- ernmental and non-governmental youth organiza- tions and youth-serving agencies. V. Its Functions Since the Youth Department is a servicing agen- cy, it must be clear that it is not a youth movement nor a super-authority imposed on existing youth groups or organizations. It does not dominate or control agencies set up by Bishops in individual dioceses, nor does it propose to divert the interests of our Catholic youth from local and diocesan pro- jects to works of national significance. On the contrary, the Youth Department pro- vides the framework in which coordination of all Catholic youth work can be achieved. It helps Cath- olic youth leaders and young people better to under- stand the problems centering about youth; it furn- ishes information and documentation adequate for the interpretation of youth work both Catholic and non-Catholic, private and governmental, youth-led and adult-sponsored, domestic and foreign. Finally, it develops, under the Hierarchy, the National Cath- olic Youth Council. NATIONAL CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL I. Authorization The National Catholic Youth Council was in- itiated by the Administrative Board, N.C.W.C., in April 1937. It was approved at the General Meet- ing of the Bishops in November 1937. II. What is the N.C.Y.C.? The N.C.Y.C. is a federation of all existing ap- proved Catholic youth groups in the United States. It was instituted to promote, under ecclesiastical supervision, interchange of information and serv- 16 THE DIOCESAN CATHOLIC YOUTH COUNCIL ices as well as unity and cooperation. This new development does not necessarily imply changes in existing Councils and organizations, but it does pro- vide a framework whereby such existing Councils and organizations can be unified on a voluntary basis. The National Catholic Youth Council is so con- stituted that it leaves unhampered the autonomy and initiative of its affiliated membership and re- serves to each Ordinary full authority over the youth of his diocese. Its underlying principle is substan- tially that on which the National Councils of Men and Women have been developed. On a national scale there is “need for orderly and united action, the op- posite of more individualist and separatist action in things that concern the common good of Church and country.” (N.C.W.C. Manual) III. Relationship between Youth Department and National Catholic Youth Council While they are separate and distinct entities, one is the complement of the other. Both are spon- sored by the Hierarchy. The Youth Department is the official agency of the Hierarchy in the field of youth work; the N.C.Y.C. is the federation of all existing approved Catholic youth groups. The N.C.Y.C. has its national headquarters in the Youth Department, and is subject to the direct control of the Hierarchy represented by the Episcopal Chair- man of the Youth Department. IV. Constituent Units of the National Catholic Youth Council According to the approved plan, the N.C.Y.C. makes provision for two sections—the Diocesan Section, and the College and University Section. The Diocesan Section is designed to include the respec- tive Diocesan Youth Councils which voluntarily as- sociate themselves with the National organization. The College and University Section makes provision for two national student federations, the National Federation of Catholic College Students and the Newman Club Federation. The Youth Department, as a part of the National Catholic Welfare Conference works in sincere collaboration witlu other divisions of the Welfare Conference whose activi- ties touch yopth, notably the Youth Committee of the Na- tional Council of Catholic Women, the Confraternity of Chris- tian Doctrine and the Social Action Department. Each of these have literature and aids most useful to all engaged in Catholic youth work. I. NCCW Youth Publications. Youth Committee, NCCW, 1312 Massachusetts Ave., Washington, D. C. Youth Leader’s Handbook -...$ .25 White Book-Policies Standards and Training .. 10 The Role of Leaders . .. .10 The Whole Youth . 05 Eternal Heroines . N . ....... 1 .25 Youth Today and Tomorrow, I .... 10 Youth Leadership and Catholic Action II .10 Call to Youth III .. .10 Call to Youth IY 10 Call to Youth V .. .. , .25 A v Aids* The Handcraft Notebook ... 1.00 The CYC Song Book 25 Parliamentary Procedure 15 Quantity Prices—25c booklets: 50, $10.00; 100, $15.00; 200, $25.00. 10c booklets: 50, $4.50; 100, $8.00; 200, $15.00. 5c booklets: 50, $2.00; 100, $3.75; 200, $7.00. II. Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. 1312 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, D. C. A Holy War for Knowledge (Fr. Cleary) 2 copies 05 Parts I and II The Life of Christ .. 25 Part III The History of the Apostolic Church .25 Church History Through Biography .30 Ethics of Christianity .30 The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass ... .50 How to Organize and Conduct a Discussion Club 05 Suggestions for Discussion Club Leaders .....— ......... .02 III. The Social Action Department, NCWC, 1312 Massachu- setts Avenue, Washington, D. C. CATHOLIC ACTION PROGRAM SERVICE, Per Year $5.00 (Suggestions for class and club program activities on a different social subject each month. Includes a subscription to CATHOLIC ACTION and to pertinent pamphlet material). Toward Social Justice .... — .15 The American Labor Movement ..... .10 The Obligation of Catholics to Promote Peace 10 Pope Pius XII and Peace - 10 Patriotism, Nationalism and the Brotherhood of Man 10 Citizen, Church and State 10 Making Democracy Work .10 Preparation for Catholic Family Life ..... 30 Rural Catholic Action (Diocesan Director Series No. I) .10 PUBLISHED BY THE YOUTH DEPARTMENT, N. C. W. C 1312 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, N.W. WASHINGTON, D. C. (