Because We Are Catholic: Bringing the Light of Christ to Teens in Schuylkill County

As Director of Youth Ministry for the 18 parishes in Schuylkill County, Annie Sarlo spends a lot of time behind the wheel of her trusty Jeep Renegade.

From Ashland to Port Clinton and from McAdoo to Tremont, she spreads the word throughout her 783-square-mile territory about her vision of youth ministry called “Encounter, Grow and Go.”

“I hope to foster a culture in which teens encounter God through prayer, grow in their faith, and then go out and share the love of Jesus Christ with others,” she says.

Sarlo is the only regional youth minister in the Diocese. She is a dedicated resource in support of parishes in Schuylkill County that are unable to afford youth ministers of their own.

Sarlo and others from the Diocese also spend time in the region working with pastors and parishioners to revitalize and renew parishes. She took the job last year, choosing it from among several job offers.

“I feel called to serve this region of our Diocese,” says Sarlo, a West Virginia native and former missionary in the Philippines. “This is a great opportunity to help build up the Church in this area, and to evangelize the youth of the Schuylkill region.”

More about Schuylkill Youth Ministry by clicking here.

 “Because We Are Catholic” tells the stories of how the people of the Diocese of Allentown make a difference in the lives of others, bringing the Light of Christ to each other and to our community.