Meet Joëlle L’Aiguille, the 2022 Youth Ministry Coordinator at Mary MacKillop Catholic College Wakeley.
French and Religious Education (RE) teacher, Joëlle L’Aiguille, joined Mary MacKillop Catholic College Wakeley a year ago.
She was formally inducted as a Youth Ministry Coordinator of Sydney Catholic Schools during an Archdiocesan meeting held earlier this year.
JOELLE’S FAITH JOURNEY
Joëlle has been a teacher for 16 years, and was heavily involved in youth ministry in her local parish in Mauritius before arriving in Australia.
This, coupled with her RE teaching experience, stood her in good stead for her new role as a Youth Ministry Coordinator.
“I think youth ministry made me the teacher, human being and Catholic that I am today” – Joëlle L’Aiguille
Joëlle said she was drawn to teaching because she believed she could “really have an impact” on her students.
She attended World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, in 2005 in her first year of teaching. It was an experience that “really changed” her life.
“Youth ministry has really helped me develop my relationship with Jesus but also to want to bring Jesus to the world and to be more involved in my parish, more involved in my community,” Joëlle added.
“I’m really lucky to be in a school where people are into their faith” – Joëlle L’Aiguille
“It’s important to be genuine with them (the students) and to show that you care for them and to bring them along on the journey, to help them to have a personal relationship with Jesus,” Joëlle said.
“Further to that, you need to yourself be a disciple and have a true relationship with Jesus yourself.”
SCHOOL YOUTH MINISTRY
There is a Youth Ministry Coordinator (YMC) in every Archdiocesan secondary school.
YMCs are teachers within their school who’ve been appointed to their positions of leadership. They work with the schools’ RECs and other staff to engage students in faith-filled activities within the school.
These school based activities may include:
- Organising and leading prayer opportunities in classes and in the school
- Developing opportunities for students to use their gifts and talents in Music Ministry or to become Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Supporting Catechists to teach state school students how to pray with Christ
- Supporting Deanery Youth Groups across the Archdiocese of Sydney
- Supporting the catechumenal journey – or Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process – of students seeking to become Catholics
- Taking part in programs that teach students what it truly means to live faithfully and act justly, by helping people in our community living in poverty and disadvantage.
Qualities needed in a Youth Ministry Coordinator are: deep, genuine faith; a willingness to serve; a real ‘yes’ attitude; and a passion to evangelise, and promote a welcoming, vibrant faith community.
