Hello! We are the (future) Piscopos. While we are relatively new to Haddonfield, we’ve already found ourselves at home in Christ The King. When we first arrived in Haddonfield, Maria called the church to see if they would send a priest to bless our new home. After this brief interaction, Maria knew Father Jon and the community of CTK was special. Several months later, we had Fr. Jon over for dinner when we asked a famously treacherous question: “How can we help?” Father Jon told us all about the teen ministries that were growing at CTK: Blaze (7th and 8th-grade girls), the newly-formed Ignite (7th and 8th-grade boys), and the Youth Masses (8th -12th).
So what’s the purpose of getting these tweens and teens together on Friday afternoons and once a month for Sunday night teen Mass? The goal is two-fold: help the younger folks build positive relationships with God and their peers and deepen the faith of the young adult leaders [like us].
While 2023 was our first year involved in these ministries, we’ve already seen the massive impact these programs have had on our young people and on ourselves! For Mike – he is continually reminded of how passionate and positive young men can be when pointed in the right direction. For Maria – she’s always impressed with how these young women set the first hours of their weekend aside to build each other up through Christ. We are also encouraged that the number of young adults in this ministry has steadily grown. We are grateful to those we serve with because the time that we have spent together has fostered growth in our faith and our friendships.
If you know any 7th or 8th graders you think might be a good fit, please email or stop us next time you see us at Sunday Mass! Or if you are a young couple that wants to serve – join our crew! All the best!
Mike Piscopo and Maria Palantino