Name: Diane
Phelps
Position: Director of Youth Ministry
Parish: Saint
Ann Catholic Church
Office Phone: 703-528-6276
Email: dphelps@stann.org
History/Resume
In current
position since: 1/20/2014
Active in Youth Ministry
since: 5/1/2008
Youth Ministry
program includes: Saint Ann's Invictus Youth Ministries encompasses a great
many youth groupings. While we do have a few large events for all the youth in
our parish, our regular activities are grouped by age with 6th-8th graders in
Middle School Invictus and 9th-12th graders in High School Invictus. Middle
School Invictus meets on Fridays twice a month, alternating between an activity
night and movie night. Dinner is always served. Middle School Invictus also
participates in our monthly Service Saturday projects. High School Invictus
offers a meeting every Sunday after our parish's 11:00AM Mass, where lunch is
served and opportunities for fellowship and catechesis are offered. Monday
evenings we offer Open Gym, where all high schoolers are welcome to time in our
school’s gym to play basketball, volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, simply hang out,
or even do homework together. Wednesday evenings we offer both Apologetics, a
discussion driven grouping where current events and philosophical and
theological ideas are examined, and d.Group (discipleship group), where we all
share the on-goings of our everyday lives, ask for prayers for personal
intentions, and pray together. Each month we also offer a service opportunity
through our Service Saturday grouping, where we serve at different places each
month to expose the teens to the various ways we can respond to our common call
to mercy. Both age groups participate separately in quarterly off-site social
outings - such as rock climbing, trampoline gyms, paintball, etc., and
overnight Lock-Ins. High School Invictus also offers opportunities for weekend
long retreats, WorkCamp, the March for Life, and other various off-campus
trips. Saint Ann’s is proud to have a long and strong tradition of
participation in CYO sports, including, but not limited to, basketball, track,
tennis, and volleyball. For more information please contact Nick Lucchesi at
stannathletics@gmail.com. Saint Ann’s is also proud to be the home of Boy Scout
Troop 624, and Girl Scout Troops of all ages. For more information please
contact Ted Knight, tnight@erols.com, with regards to Boy Scouts, and Lauren
Machion, lkmachion@gmail.com, with regards to Girl Scouts.
Favorites
Favorite Food(s): Anything grilled outside
Favorite Band: Mumford and Sons
Favorite Pastime: Beach, River, anything around water
Favorite Saint: St. Gemma Galgani, St. Augustine, St. John Bosco, St. Thomas More
Favorite
Scripture: John 6:67-68
Favorite Book: Anne of Green Gables
Why I work in Youth
Ministry: God has lead me to and affirmed this ministry in my life so many
different ways: My former youth
minister, was and continues to be a tremendous model of what it means to live a
ministry, and not simply serve in a ministry. Her influence and role in God's
plan to reveal his vocation for my life is an immense reason why I'm a youth
minister. The youth I've worked with thus far have greatly inspired me, and
taught me so much about love and God's grace. Getting to watch them grow over
the past years, and fall more deeply in love with Christ excites and inspires
me every day to continue in this vocation. God has blessed me with the ability
to read people and empathize with theirs hearts. This allows me to communicate
certain truths to young people that today's society has convinced us don't
exist. Young people need to know that they are important, are good, and are
loved. So, basically, I'm a youth minister because getting to participate in
God's plan to draw his children to Him is pretty much the most boss thing ever!
;)
About Me: I am
a born and bred Southern lady! I was born and raised in Auburn, Alabama. I went
on to attend Auburn University, where I studied history. Growing up in the
South meant often having to defend my faith, which has led to my tremendous
passion for apologetics. Growing up in the South also led to my intense love of
football. WAR EAGLE!!! The South runs deep on my father's side of the family,
with my great-grandparents even owning a cotton farm. But, on my mother's side
I am 100% Peruvian. I grew up bi-lingual, and feel incredibly blessed to be
fluent in Spanish. I have a great passion for traveling and mission work. God
has been kind enough to allow me to participate in various missions in Mexico,
Uganda, and, most recently, in Peru, where I lived for two years. I am now
serving here in Arlington, and am so excited to be a part of this diocese!
Birthdate: September 4