History of Youth Arise North America
1999
May 1999
Dennis Powell and Bill Marcotte (Co-founders of Youth Arise North America) attend Youth Arise International Meeting in Manila, Philippines. They met with Henry and Mario Cappello and the idea was born that a "School of Evangelization" should be founded in the US.
July 1999
Bill Marcotte was invited to serve on the Youth Arise International Council.
September 1999
In Rome, Bill Marcotte met with Cardinal Stafford (former President of the Pontifical Council of the Laity) to discuss the vision starting a "School of Evangelization" in the US. Cardinal Stafford was extremely encouraging. He said this to Bill: "I not only think this is a great idea, but I wholeheartedly encourage you to do it."
2000
January 2000
Youth Arise North America (YANA) hosts its first meeting at the City of the Lord Community center. Representatives from LIFE TEEN, Maryknoll Fathers, Franciscan University of Steubenville, City of the Lord, Mexico, and Canada were in attendance, as well as Sr. Nancy Kellar, the Phoenix Diocesan Director of Youth Ministry, and the Executive Director of Catholic Network Ministries. The purpose of this meeting was to vision and brainstorm regarding the mission and ministry of YANA.
January 2000
Bill Marcotte was confirmed as first Executive Director of YANA.
September 2000
Youth Arise North America takes 800+ pilgrims to WYD Rome.
October 2000
Bill Marcotte travels to Wellington, New Zealand to see a Catholic "School of Evangelization" in session. He meets Ryan and Jill O'Hara (participants in the school from the US), and they agree to move to Tempe, AZ to help begin YANA's first "School of Evangelization."
June 2001
First YANA "School of Evangelization" begins in Tempe, AZ. There were ten participants (seven men, three women). They came from Arizona, California, Texas, Missouri, and Louisiana. The first major mission was a 3-week project in the US Virgin Islands at the request of local Bishop, George Murry. Participants lived and worked out of a Catholic Homeless Shelter on the island of St. Thomas.
2002
June 2002
YANA begins second "School of Evangelization". This year there were 15 participants (eleven women, four men). They came from Arizona, California, New Mexico, Missouri, and Mississippi. Highlights included a weeklong service project at summer camp for kids, a two-week pilgrimage and mission to WYD in Toronto, and a three
week return mission to the US Virgin Islands.
Fall 2002
Youth Arise is invited to present "youth track" for National Catholic Charismatic Conference in Pittsburgh, PA.
2003
Spring 2003
Youth Arise begins offering ministry programs and outreaches to local parishes. The first such program was a five-week Life in the Spirit Seminar for St. Timothy's Confirmation Class in Mesa, AZ.
Spring 2003
Youth Arise becomes an "official work" of the City of the Lord Covenant Community which is based in Tempe, AZ.
June 2003
Youth Arise begins third "School of Evangelization". There were thirteen participants (nine men, four women) from Arizona and Mississippi. Highlights include weeklong mission to Mexico, the founding of the ever-so-hip "Sounds 'n Grounds" Coffee House, and internships with secular organizations such as HomeBase Youth Services and Arizona Right to Life.
December 2003
From 2000 – 2003, participants and staff of Youth Arise have conducted numerous retreats, missions, and outreaches to a variety of locales across North America (Spokane, WA, Salinas, Los Angeles, San Diego, CA, Tempe, Mesa, AZ, Agua Prieta, Mexico, Toronto and Ottawa, Canada, Higginsville, Columbia, and Hannibal, MO, Augusta GA, New Iberia, LA, Pittsburgh, PA, and the US Virgin Islands).
2004
March 2004
Staff leaders of Youth Arise are pivotal in the founding of a local community, in the greater Phoenix area, for Catholic young adults. This community is the "Mission Branch" of the City of the Lord Covenant Community.
June 2004
Youth Arise begins the fourth "Institute of Evangelization." With seventeen participants it was the largest class in YANA's four year history. The class consisted of 9 men and 8 women. The participants came from Arizona, California, Texas, Missouri, and Minnesota. It was also the first year that a married couple completed the training as well as a first for Youth Arise to expand into separate locations for Mens's and Women's households.
August 2004
Bill Marcotte accepts a new position as the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry within the Diocese of Phoenix. In so doing, Ryan O'Hara was named by the Board of Directors of YANA as the new Executive Director.
November 2004
Youth Arise ventures on first overseas foreign mission. A group of 22, which included participants and staff of the 2004 class, traveled to Belfast, Northern Ireland where they spent 3 _ weeks ministering to youth alongside different Catholic and Protestant Groups. During this time two articles were written on Youth Arise in Catholic newspapers. The first one was a national story in Our Sunday Visitor and the second was in the local Phoenix Diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Sun.
2005
January 2005
Three Youth Arise alums accept a four-month overseas assignment as Catholic Youth Ministers on American Military bases in Germany. Twelve other 2004 Youth Arise alums remain in Tempe for four months in order to serve in varied ministry internships around the Phoenix area in fields such as youth ministry, prison ministry, and website and video production.