Youth Ministry

Welcome to Youth Ministry at St. Gabriels Church!

Dear St. Gabriel’s Parish Family,

Grace and peace to you all! My name is Jessika Santulli and I am writing to introduce myself as the new Youth Minister at St. Gabriel’s. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the youth of your parish as they begin their lifelong walk with the Lord in grades 9-12.

I am very excited to dive into a new year with less restrictions and more opportunities to gather for faith, fellowship, and food! We will meet from 7-8pm on Sundays in the meeting room beneath the rectory (right next to the parking lot) unless otherwise noted. Our typical weekly meeting will consist of two parts. Generally, the first half of youth group includes socialization, food, and games, and in the second half we will do a Bible study, video, or faith-based discussion.

By God’s grace, we will be able to do more things in person this year: I am planning to bring in some guest speakers and offer some volunteer opportunities for high school students. We are also hoping to create a leadership team of youth who want to help plan events, drives, and service projects.

A little bit about my background: Growing up, I attended St. Luke’s Church in HoHoKus so I am very familiar with Saddle River and the surrounding area. I attended elementary and high school in Waldwick and graduated from Ramapo College in 2017. I am currently employed as a librarian in Oakland, NJ, and I am almost finished with my M.A. in Theology, which has been extremely transformative in my own spiritual growth and has increased my enthusiasm and ability to bring the Gospel to others. In my free time, I love to have fun, play sports and games, write, and learn about people. Through volunteering in young adult ministry for the past few years, I have met some wonderful, faith-filled role models who may make an appearance as guest speakers in our weekly youth group meetings!

Last year, I was privileged to volunteer with the youth group, where I learned so much and met many of the amazing young people in your parish. This year, we are looking to expand the group even more so that many more youth can find a home with each other, your parish, the Church, and most importantly, with Jesus Christ.

I am eager to get to know more people at your parish, whether it be young people, parents, grandparents, and everyone in between. If you see me at Mass, please say hello and I would be happy to talk with you. If you have loved ones who are in high school, consider telling them about the St. Gabriel’s Youth Group! And if you are in high school, you are invited to join us next Sunday at 7pm.

In closing, I am looking forward to a productive, grace-filled year serving your parish as youth minister. Thank you for your support and prayers. I welcome parents and students to get in touch with me. Please let me know if you have any questions or if I can serve you better.

Please contact me by email at jsantulli@stgabrielsr.org

Thank you and God bless you! May you experience God’s love and peace every day!

Sincerely in Christ,

Jessika Santulli