You know your seniors.

You know the student who is ready for what comes next. The one who is nervous about leaving home. The one whose faith is strong. And the one who may not yet realize how much Catholic community will matter when everything around them changes. That is why your invitation matters.

Today, the national Faith Forward movement expands across 118 dioceses, 557 Catholic high schools, and 383 parishes. And there is room for your community, too.

Faith Forward gives teachers, campus ministers, youth ministers, parish leaders, and other trusted adults a simple way to help seniors move forward knowing they do not have to find Catholic community on their own.

The goal is not simply to make a referral. It is to help young Catholics take the next step into real Catholic community—meeting people, participating, building friendships, and discovering a place where they belong.

And Newman Connection provides the tools, resources, outreach, and support at no cost to participating dioceses, Catholic high schools, parishes, families, or students.

You know your Catholic high school seniors best. You know when your seniors are most likely to listen, which traditions they look forward to, and what works in your parish or school. That knowledge matters more than any program.

That is why Faith Forward does not need to be another program on your calendar. Instead, it can become part of the senior-year moments you are already creating.

Here are seven ways to start.

1. Make it part of a moment you already have.

First, look at your calendar. You probably already have your seniors together more often than you think. For example:

• Senior retreat
• Theology class
• College planning night
• Graduation practice
• Senior send-off
• Youth night

Pick one of those moments. Then give your seniors a few minutes to make their Faith Forward connection. It fits right into the day, so it never feels like extra work.

2. Add Faith Forward to your senior checklist.

Does your school or parish already have a senior or graduation checklist? If so, add the Faith Forward Connection Form next to the other things students finish before graduation.

It takes one line on a list your seniors already read. Yet that one checked box can lead to a personal invitation waiting for them on the other side.

3. Walk through it together.

Sometimes the easiest way to get something done is to make time for it.

So pull up the Connection Form during class, a senior meeting, a retreat, or a youth gathering. Next, give students a few minutes to fill it out together. When everyone does it at once, no one has to remember it later.

4. Help them see where they are going.

College can feel like a blank page. You can help make their next Catholic community real.

For instance, invite seniors to look up the Catholic campus ministry at the school they picked. Explore its Mass times, events, social channels, or student groups together. After that, give students the chance to make their Faith Forward connection. A place feels less scary once you have seen a picture of it.

5. Celebrate participation your way.

You know what motivates your students. Maybe it is one of these:

• A class celebration
• Pizza
• A dress-down day
• A senior recognition
• A little friendly competition between homerooms

If an incentive fits your community, use it. That way, filling out the form becomes something seniors do together, not one more thing on their own.

6. Let another student tell the story.

Invite a current college student or recent graduate to talk to your seniors. Ask them to share what it was like to arrive somewhere new and find Catholic community.

Students often listen differently when the invitation comes from someone who sat where they sit just a year or two ago. A former student from your own parish or school works best, because your seniors may already know their face.

7. Build it into your senior traditions.

Finally, Faith Forward can be a natural part of the traditions that already mark this season. For Catholic high school seniors, these might include:

• Graduation Mass
• Baccalaureate
• Senior Sunday
• Cap-and-gown pickup
• End-of-year celebrations

Choose the moment that feels right for your community. Because these traditions already mean something, the invitation will too.

The part only you can do

Newman Connection can provide the form, the resources, and the link to campus ministry. But you know the student.

Your invitation is what makes Faith Forward personal. So ask your seniors where they are headed. Tell them why staying connected matters. Then give them the chance to make that connection before they leave the community that already knows their name.

After that, we will help carry the introduction forward. A campus minister or student leader on the other side can reach out by name, often before move-in day. As a result, your senior walks onto campus already invited.

Start with one moment this year

Think about your own seniors. You do not need all seven ideas. You only need one moment, one form, and your voice asking them to fill it out.

Every year, Catholic high school seniors scatter to hundreds of campuses. With a few minutes of your time, each one can arrive with someone already waiting to say hello. Every soul matters. No one walks alone.

Ready to bring Faith Forward to your seniors?

Share the Faith Forward Connection Form with your seniors so they can sign up and get connected quickly.

Looking to learn more about bringing Faith Forward to your seniors?
Learn About Faith Forward Today

Questions, or do you want to talk through what could work in your community?
Contact us at outreach@newmanministry.com.