The EDGE is a Catholic middle school youth ministry for early adolescents in grades six, seven, eight. The EDGE is designed to meet the educational, spiritual, emotional, and social needs of young adolescents.

The Edge combines the best of LIFE TEEN:

• Experiential
• The best of religious education program
• Each semester has a catechetical theme
• Small group model-middle school youth are paired with the same CORE members and other middle schoolers for the entire year.

Edge Youth & Parents:
You can browse through the Edge Program Schedules below for dates and reminders:

• 2011-12 Fall EDGE Program Schedule

1. The EDGE Nights meets every Friday evening from 7:30-9:30pm during the school year. The EDGE also has social and recreational activities designed to create a greater sense of community among our middle school youth.
2. Summer programming: we offer various on-site and off-site summer activities topping it off with Youth Summer Camp on Bowen Island in August.
3. The EDGE offers middle school youth occasions to put their faith into action through a variety of service projects.
4. The parents' component is designed to assist parents in raising their middle school youngster.

Goals of The Edge:

1. Foster a transforming spiritual experience of Jesus through the liturgy, allowing early adolescents to have a profound experience the Word of God and the Eucharist.
2. Create a positive experience of the Catholic Church for early adolescents.
3. Assist middle school youngsters in gaining an understanding and appreciation for what the Catholic Church teaches and believes.
4. Incorporate the Catholic Church's vision of social justice and peace into their spiritual life.
5. Develop an identity in middle school youth and in The Edge ministry as being a vital and visual presence within the parish.

The Need :

Early adolescence is a very critical and difficult time in a person's life. The operative word in early adolescence is "change," and lots of it!
Educators, psychologists, and youth ministers have stated that middle school might be the last great opportunity we have to positively impact and assist a child in his or her educational, spiritual, emotional, and social development.

Middle school adolescents are trying to figure out who they are and what they believe. They are struggling to put the pieces of their life's puzzle together.

It is during this "doubting Thomas phase" that many youngsters become leery of their faith, and begin to question as well as doubt what they believed as children.

Those who minister to middle school youth are in the seed-planting business. They are working with kids who still have many significant and important decisions ahead of them, and the ministering adult has the opportunity to plant the seeds of Jesus' love, hope, and peace in the middle school child.

The EDGE provides an unparalleled moment in the life of a middle school youngster to offer guidance, reassurance, and Jesus' love to a group of people who have so many options and choices before them.

Parental Responsibility:

Parental involvement is imperative. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus scolded his disciples and told them: "Let the children come to me and do not hinder them"

Proverbs 22:6 states, "train a child in the way they should go; and even when they are old, they will not swerve from it." The faith foundation a parent gives a child continues for a lifetime. Middle school is not the time to give your child the option of going to mass. It can create a poor standard of expectation.

The EDGE meets once a week. Nowhere else in your child's daily life will there be an invitation and challenge to develop a deeper relationship with Jesus and the Catholic Church than at The EDGE.

What kids say about The EDGE:

"I come to Edge because it strengthens my faith in God. EDGE has a lot to offer. The Youth Ministers make learning about Christ fun. Also everybody is always welcomed at the EDGE and I like the games we play and the songs we sing." - James Ma, 14

"I come to Edge because it is a special and FUN way to learn about God. Edge is AWESOME!" - Donavan Lau, 11

"I come to Edge because I want to learn more about God. I like the educational games at the Edge." - Charity Tam, 13

"I can meet more people and learn more about God at the EDGE. And it's fun, and there are nice people here." - Sonia Zhang, 13

"I like the Edge because it is fun and it leads me closer to God each session." - Nelson Fu, 13

"I like the educational games. I come to the Edge because I want to." - Michael Ma, 13

"Edge is really fun and educational. I come because I really love God and I wanted to learn more." - Thomas Chan, 11

"I come to Edge because I can learn about God and be with other youth at the same time." - Vincent Lau, 14

"I go to Edge because I want to learn more about God and to improve my spiritual health." - Christopher Yim, 13

EDGE Prayer

Good and loving Heavenly Father You are the author of all that is good and holy.
We ask You to send Your Holy Spirit upon our middle school youth
and bless them with Your patience,
inspire them with Your joy,
and nurture them with Your compassion.
In their journey to follow Jesus, encourage them with holiness and peace.
In times of confusion and uncertainty,
guide them with Your wisdom and truth.
May they always look to You
for strength and guidance.
We also ask You to send Your blessing upon
The EDGE,
allow it to always be a source of inspiration, acceptance, and love.
May all those who minister in The EDGE walk always in the light of Christ
and bring our young people ever closer
to Your son Jesus.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen