[News Archive]

St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor hires new Youth Ministry Coordinator, Justin Orlando

by Judy Williams

Justin Orlando joined the staff of St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor as the Youth Ministry Coordinator.  In his position at the Buckeystown parish Justin will oversee religious education for parish youth in grades 9-12, as well as youth ministry activities for grades 6-12.  He will also coordinate the parish Confirmation preparation classes.  He and his wife, Dawn-Marie, have a one year old son, Joshua, reside in Frederick and are members of St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor.

Prior to this position Justin was the youth ministry coordinator for St. Michael the Archangel parish in Exeter, New Hampshire.  Justin grew up in Towson, where he was a member of Immaculate Conception.  He graduated from Calvert Hall High School and earned a bachelor of arts degree in Theology from the Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.  During the late 1990's, Justin traveled extensively in the midwestern and western states with Net Ministries, an international youth ministry team which hosts retreats for young Catholics.  Justin lived in religious community in Canada and Massachusetts and was later employed by Eternal World Television Network (EWTN) in Alabama for three years, where he maintained the network's online library.

Justin's hire at St. Joseph's marks the first time the parish has had a full time youth minister.  Justin looks forwarding to expanding the parish's youth ministry programs, but will proceed slowly, building upon programs currently in place.  Among his plans for youth ministry activities are a camping trip in Allegheny county and a skiing trip this January.  When asked how he will spiritually guide the parish youth, Justin answers without hesitation that he would like to impart the theme of  'joy during trials' and he recalls the words of James,

Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking in nothing.  (James 1:2-4)