Youth Spectacular reaching young adult status, celebrates 30 years

In 1980, Sister Jude Janecek, IWBS, became the first “full-time paid Youth Minister” for the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Three years later, when Bishop Rene Gracida became the fifth bishop for the diocese, he named Sister Jude Director of Youth Ministry and Young Adults.

Sister Jude pioneered many activities while in the Office of Youth and Young Adults, including retreats, training for youth ministers and other youth gatherings. One important legacy she left for the youth in the diocese is the Youth Spectacular.

“I did not invent Youth Spectacular, I borrowed the idea from the Diocese of San Antonio,” Sister Jude said. “When I saw this work over there in San Antonio, I brought it back here to Corpus Christi.”

Youth Spectaculars are held in many dioceses throughout the United States as a day when all junior high and high school youth can come together for one day to pray, praise and worship, have skits, play games and hear speakers on talks geared towards the youth and their faith. They also are joined by their bishop who celebrates a closing Mass.

Sister Jude did not have any staff members the first few years, so she organized young adults and college students and formed a resource team of youth ministers to help her with Youth Spectacular. The first Youth Spectacular was held on Feb. 27, 1983 at the O’Connor Hall gymnasium at the Pastoral Center, now the Our Lady of Corpus Christi Retreat Center.

“It was only for high school youth when I started it and we had almost 600 youth and young adults in attendance,” Sister Jude said. The theme for the first Youth Spectacular was “We are the Church of Today.” The following year, youth attendance increased.

“We did invite the eighth graders to the Youth Spectaculars to motivate them when they went to high school,” Sister Jude said.

The Second Annual Youth Spectacular was held on Feb. 26, 1984 also at the O’Connor Hall gymnasium. The theme of the Youth Spectacular was “We Shall Be His Witness” and 700 youth and young adults attended the event.

The Third Annual Youth Spectacular outgrew the O’Connor Hall gymnasium and was moved to the Corpus Christi Bayfront Plaza on March 3, 1985 with a theme of “In Giving, We Receive” with 841 youth and young adults in attendance. Music, games, skits, icebreakers and training was a part of the Youth Spectacular and helped draw more people every year it was held.

Sister Jude said that at these three Youth Spectaculars, youth and young adults came from as far away as Laredo. Laredo was part of the Diocese of Corpus Christi then and more parishes were being served with this annual event for youth and young adults.

The Office of Youth Ministry invites all past Youth Spectacular participants, volunteers and leaders to share their pictures, videos, articles and testimonies with the 30th Anniversary of Youth Spectacular scheduled for Sept. 22 and 29. Anyone having pictures and testimonies to share or are available to participate in the 30th Anniversary of Youth Spectacular, should contact the Office of Youth Ministry Director, at (361) 882-6191, ext. 637 or email  [email protected].  

(Editor’s note: This is the fist in a series on Youth Spectaculars that will be featured in the run to this year’s Youth Spectacular in September.)