Through our many years of operation we have managed to host, or aid in hosting in many conferences, such has the annual Catholic Crusade conference in Copps coliseum in Hamilton Ontario. Also several local conferences for confirmation groups.  We took part in the World Youth Day Ontario the summer of 2001.We also do conferences for or own spiritual development.

Our goal as YEO is to reach out to youth and show them that Jesus is love, and He has worked in our lives. Every member in YEO has a testimony of thier walk with the Lord.  How they came to know Him in their lives, and what He's doing for them right now.  These testimonies show the youth attending our conferences that we are normal teenagers, that have the same struggles and temptations that they may have.  Most important though, is that through God our Father, and His son Jesus, we don't have to live for society and sin, but have a loving relationship with them. Our dramas consist short skits about Jesus and the world.  Our skits are mostly written by youth leaders in the group or the youth.

A message from our founders:

Many of the youth leaders in our churches think that turning from our faith and rebelling going to church is a normal part of teen years. While some rebellion is normal we need to give our youth a chance to experience Jesus, now ! We need to be of the mind that they don’t have to push the snooze button on Jesus for a later time.

Recently the Holy Father ( Pope John Paul II) spoke to Young People at the Kiel Centre in St Louis.  He spoke of the sports and training that would have gone on at that very place. He spoke of how they trained long and hard to compete in different sports.  He then challenged them to “ train themselves for devotion” (1Tim 4:7).  He said “ you can feel the same great enthusiasm as you train for a different goal; the goal of following Christ, the goal of bringing his message to the world.”

He went on to say “ This is a time of your “training” , of your physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual development. But this does not mean that you can put off until later your meeting with Christ and your sharing in the church’s mission. Even though you are young, the time for action is now! Jesus does not have “contempt for your youth”. He does not set you aside for a later time when you will be older and your training will be complete. Your training will never be finished. Christians are always in training. You are ready for what Christ wants of you now.

He wants you - all of you- to be a light to the world, as only young people
can be light. It is time to let your light shine!

I urge you to let His word enter your hearts, and then from the bottom of your hearts to tell him:

 “Here I am Lord, I come to do your will!” (Heb. 10:7)"
Pope John Paul II, Jan 26/99

Over the years we’ve all seen a decline in teenagers attending weekly mass. The youth group approaches of the 70's and 80's, where you put on social activities and slipped Jesus in when they weren’t looking, doesn’t seem to be working. The young people of today have more to deal with than ever before in our history. They don’t want to waste their time on social things as they can get them anywhere.

It is our strong belief that once you cut to the core, that they want is Jesus. No, it doesn’t scare them off. The truth shall set them free. Jesus is that truth. Let’s just bring them to Him, have fun and see what He has in store for them.  It’s the truth that Jesus loves them and died for them that is giving them hope to face the challenges of their day. Let’s not put God in a box. Let Him work in the ways that He knows will touch His children. Some leaders fear “experiential” type prayer, as the teens aren’t ready for it. A wise youth leader responded to this by saying that is exactly why teens sit in their rooms blaring music to experience it. Why not give them experiences of God instead. These experiences can bring them into fullness of life. What a gift it is to see teenagers ‘Fully Alive” knowing they are loved by God.

So let’s stop pushing the snooze button, the time to wake-up is now. Let’s bring our teens to retreats where they will meet Jesus... you will not be disappointed. Let’s set them on fire for the Lord and Watch them take on the world!

Test??