“We are really grateful to the diocese for providing so much hospitality at the pastoral center,” one young adult said. “We enjoy the intimacy of the chapel there; the music is great and we usually have between 50 and 80, which is a great number.”

The Mass, held every Sunday evening at 8 p.m., attracts a combination of young adults, young professionals, college students and a few others not only from Springfield but also from communities including Chatham, Auburn, Sherman and Riverton. Several priests from the area preside on a rotating basis.

The YAM community not only has a weekly Mass, but members also do service projects, several of them in local parishes. Several YAM participants also attended the St. Aloysius Parish Koinonia weekend after receiving an invitation after the Sunday evening Mass. The ministry has also included faith formation programs such as Why Catholic?, and the YAM team currently is looking into starting a Theology on Tap program.

The Sunday night Mass is supported primarily by the collection taken up during the Mass. Kyle Holtgrave, associate director for youth and young adult ministry for the Springfield diocese, provides staff support and often participates with the music ministers.

“I am impressed by the community that has been created around YAM in the past couple of years,” Holtgrave said. “When we started, we didn’t know for sure what would happen. The fact that we continue to attract good crowds every week says that there is definitely a need for the church to do more to reach out to young adults.”        

More information is available at www.springfieldyam.com.