St. Andrew’s youth and young adults: a legacy of faith

By Gigi Fontanilla - Mary Help of Christians Church

CORAL SPRINGS | Celebrating the past and looking forward to the future, the Youth 4 Christ ministry at St. Andrew Church kicked off a new year in September.

About 200 teens, young adults and parents gathered with St. Andrew’s pastor, Msgr. Michael Souckar, and the new youth minister, Tadeo Castro, for a kickoff night full of food, fun, faith, fellowship and worship music by the band Cefas.

Over the summer, St. Andrew’s youth center got updated with new state of the art multimedia equipment. Throughout the year, the youths and young adults stay busy serving food to the homeless, visiting the elderly, gathering for Bible study, and volunteering in ministries.

“There was a time when I never really understood what I was doing or felt like I was just going through the motions,” said Giovanna Castagna, a junior at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale. “Going into the youth ministry at St. Andrew has completely changed my outlook on my faith. I go to Mass full-heartedly every Sunday, adoration on Wednesday nights, and have integrated faith into my everyday life.”

She added that joining the youth group “was the best thing that has ever happened to me” and encouraged her peers to do the same, “because it will honestly change your life.”

Other youth group members shared similar testimonies.

Longtime parishioner Michele Conte said since her son, Nicholas, joined the youth program, “In everything he does, he knows God comes first. It made him a more caring person to those in need.”

“Learning about my faith has been fun and I get to make new friends,” said seventh grader Amalia Hernandez, who is an altar server along with her twin brother, Martin.

Ashley Witherow, 26, who graduated from St. Andrew School in 2003, also started serving at the altar in seventh grade, and continued doing so through high school. “I grew to love being a server, and learned so much about the Church and our Catholic faith,” she said. “I felt so close to Jesus during those six years.”

Witherow now volunteers in different ministries and also works part time in the parish office.

“St. Andrew is a parish with countless ministries that enable you to be the hands and feet of Christ,” said Virginia Gacharna, 32. “St. Andrew has molded and helped me become a better music minister. The support for the youth by our priests and staff is admirable.”

Julie Gonzalez, 23, an alumnus of St. Andrew, recalled participating in a high school retreat at her mother’s behest. “It was life changing. I finally understood what it really meant to know God intimately and to feel him pulling at my heart.”

She is now coordinator of religious education at Mary Help of Christians Church in Parkland.

Dale Mattice, Jr., 29, also shared his story during the kickoff night. He became involved with the youth program in high school.

“I’ve also learned that the Church as a whole, can be a bit dysfunctional, but under the power of love and guidance of the Father, can never be torn apart,” he said. “The Church is like my family, a place I know I can go and be loved for who I am.” 

Mattice and Gacharna have volunteered in the youth program, served as music ministers on retreats and events at parishes throughout the archdiocese, and gone on two mission trips to Nicaragua.

In his talk, St. Andrew’s parochial vicar, Father Bryan Garcia, encouraged the youths to “be courageous.”

“Give God a chance to be a part of your life. Let him into your heart, and do not be afraid of what He is asking you to do and be,” he told them.