Angela Young and Rachel Fenwick of St. Dominic Church in Springfield, Ky., have been an inseparable force in their parish community since 2007, when they began working as a team to provide youth ministry.
“We are the best of friends and our boys are the best of friends,” said Young.
After growing up and rooming together at the University of Kentucky, their sons served as “best man” in each other’s weddings.
Young, who began working for St. Dominic School in 2001, has been the director of religious education at St. Dominic Church since 2007. Fenwick is a lifelong member of St. Dominic, the youngest of seven children who attended St. Dominic School. She has taught health and physical education at St. Dominic School since 2002.
Together, they host a monthly high school youth group for St. Dominic, typically composed of a catechetical lesson followed by time for fellowship and dinner.
“Our motto is, ‘If we feed them, they come,’ ” said Fenwick.
Students look forward to senior year, when they earn “senior privileges” — going first in the dinner line and leading the youth group in opening and concluding prayers.
Approximately 30 high school students are in attendance at the monthly gatherings.
The biggest obstacle to student participation, the duo said, is competition with sports schedules. If students aren’t at practice or a game, they’re at youth group, they said.
“When they have to miss (the monthly gathering), they are upset they are missing,” said Fenwick.
In a recent interview, they said the small-town charm of Springfield allows for a particularly close-knit youth community.
Most of the participating students attend the public high school, but previously attended St. Dominic School. Young boasted that Fenwick’s presence in the school attracts students to the gatherings; she has built their trust as a teacher.
Students often come to them looking for service opportunities, they added.
Each year, students participate in service to their parish and community through activities such as a cemetery cleanup and a youth-led Mass, where youth serve as altar servers, extraordinary ministers of holy Communion, lectors and cantors.
Students from the youth group are also active in the parish outside of youth ministry.
“They are there on Sunday with their families,” said Fenwick.
The duo also prepares students for Confirmation. They focus on involving the students in service to the community during that preparation, too.
“We just do everything together,” said Fenwick. “A lot of people tell us, ‘I want a friend like that.’ ”
