CATHOLIC YOUTH ORGANIZATION

CATHOLIC YOUTH ORGANIZATION. The first CYO was initiated by prison chaplain and auxiliary bishop Bernard J. Sheil in Chicago in 1930 during the GREAT DEPRESSION. The first CYO was planned as an athletic association. Its aim was to offer young males, especially from the working class, a community and constructive leisure activity in the hope to discouraging them from taking part in criminal activities. (1)

The first CYOs adopted structures similar to the YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION (Y.M.C.A.). Unlike the YMCA, the CYO used the Catholic social teachings and the New Deal ideology. Under the patronage of archbishop George Cardinal Mundelein, it became a core principle of CYO not to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, or gender. (2)

The organization's main purposes are guiding the young Catholics to live a Christian life from a young age, developing trust between peers, and living a happy life in a positive manner. Usually each group uses the church for meeting and gathering, although some have their own premises. Activities vary in accordance with local culture but often include prayer, singing, charity, sales, sports and visiting the sick. In the United States, CYO is mainly known for its organized sports programs, notably boxing, basketball, baseball, track and field, and volleyball, as well as marching bands. (3)

In 1933 a CYO was formed in Dubuque by Msgr. John M. Wolfe, archdiocesan superintendent of schools. (4)

---

Source:

1. "Catholic Youth Organization," Wikipedia. Online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Youth_Organization

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Gallagher, Mary Kevin. Seed/Harvest: A History of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Dubuque: Archdiocese of Dubuque Press, 1987, p. 89