What Is NeXt Level?

In the spring of 2019, Sacred Heart was nominated by the Archdiocese of Newark Social Concerns Office, Director Rev. Timothy Graff to participate in a New Service based YouthGroup through the Center for FaithJustice in Trenton, NJ. 

During the lockdown in 2020, the Altar Server, Religious Ed and Music ministries identified natural leaders in grades 7-11, and then invited  these students to help get this program started. 7 Students and 4 youth mentors have come forward to begin this journey.

Our Youth Delegates are: Elizabeth O'Neill, Ella Jacoby, Sofia Rojas, Francis Osundu, Sael Matute, Isaac Jacoby, Daniel Pena and Peter Osundu. Youth Mentors are Noel D'Souza, Connelson Nwangwu, LJ Pilar and Brandon O'Campo. 

Our Parish Delegates, mentors, family members and staff attended an outdoor Ignition Retreat on Saturday, April 24 in Warren, NJ where they met their counterparts from 11 parishes from NJ and NYC to begin their training for this new ministry.

On the Feast of the Ascension, the Youth delegates addressed the parish at 5:30 and 10:30 masses to ask for community input as they plan a service project that will meet the needs of the Greater Bloomfield community. They presented the parish survey and asked for community prayers. Parents and Sacred Heart Staff were tasked with writing a prayer for our youth and their mentors. Please consider using it as you pray for their new ministry. 

"We, the Church of the Sacred Heart, give thanks to you, Lord for our NeXt Level youth and mentors.

We ask that you always help them to see your reflection in the diverse faces of our community.

Keep them steadfast in their faith, and in their commitment to give a voice to the voiceless.

Let them be a light in the darkness of our ailing world,

and may your eternal love sustain their efforts, through Jesus Christ. Amen."

During the week of Sunday August 8 through Saturday August 14, 2021 the parish youth and their mentors will be attending their Level Up immersive service mission assisting in ministries throughout the city of Trenton, NJ.