Inner-city teens across the United States face numerous obstacles in their lives such as neglect, violence and broken family life. Vagabond Missions introduces them to Jesus and a loving community by mobilizing missionaries. Through outreach, every inner-city teen can be known, loved and experience hope for their lives.
The organization was given permission by Archbishop Coakley to establish a presence in Oklahoma City with the goal of evangelizing the inner-city youth.
“Vagabond Missions is not called vagabond because of the kids. It is called Vagabond Missions because Jesus was a vagabond. Jesus went to where people were and found them. He sought to save the lost,” Joe Cipriano, director of the Oklahoma City mission, said.
Vagabond Missions follows that ideal as it seeks to be among the young people in their world – in their present environment. The ministry of Vagabond Missions is not necessarily focused on the kids who are coming to Church with their families, but rather those who are outside of the reach of the Church. Vagabond Missions aims to be in neighborhoods and around schools in inner-city areas. Their approach is to start with the relational aspect of ministry, and in time they open what are called “undergrounds,” or youth centers. The mission looks for the right area, the right spots and sometimes it is in inner-city areas. Sometimes it is in across the street from a high school, sometimes its attached to a parish, depending on the location. It is varied throughout the country.
“We were trying to bring Vagabond Missions here to Oklahoma City, but they did not have anybody to run the site. As we prayed through how to bring the mission here, my wife and I began to realize God might be calling us to be the ones who begin it here in Oklahoma City,” Cipriano said.
For him, this mission has personal ties.
“In 2007, they officially opened their doors in Steubenville, Ohio, and it was the first official Vagabond sight, but it really had its origins in upstate New York, where I grew up,” Cipriano explained.
“A lot of kids from the inner cities began showing up who were involved with gangs and drugs, and they brought with them all the negativity that goes with it, including fights in the parking lot with the police showing up at the youth group, it was unexpected. The minister began researching what was available for the inner-city youth, and his research concluded there was hardly anything. At the same time, there was a kid who was coming to the youth ministry that was causing a lot of trouble. One night a group of the adult volunteers showed up and told the youth minister they were quitting if this one youth did not stop coming because he was causing so much trouble. The minister told the volunteers he will gladly accept their resignation because if they give up on one of these youth, then they are not doing God’s work,” Cipriano said.
It is a personal connection because Joe was the youth causing the trouble.
“I had this tremendous conversion in my life that came from it. I ended up going back to school, went to Franciscan University and studied Theology and Catechetics, went on to get my master’s degree at the Augustinian and have been doing youth ministry for 15 years. My family and I moved here so I could be the director of youth ministry for the archdiocese,” Cipriano explained.
“My background in Oklahoma definitely helps. While I was the diocesan director of youth ministry, I could see the needs of the parishes, the needs of the community and see their resources. There are a lot of resources out there in Oklahoma City, especially for the poor. There are a lot of organizations we can have as a partner,” Cipriano stated.
The goal of Vagabond Missions is to preach the gospel to inner-city teens. Cipriano said there are other organizations helping with housing, helping with addiction and help with the social justice aspect.
“We primarily are there to bring Jesus into the lives of the inner-city youth. I have worked with teens from all different economic backgrounds. Throughout my lifetime I have worked in Kentucky and South Texas, with all different types of people, and the reality is every kid is facing obstacles. Especially the obstacle of living in a post Christian society where it is no longer socially acceptable to be a Christian for many teens. A lot of teens in the inner city, you pile on the obstacle of poverty, increased drug use, increased abuse and you start to find many young people who feel trapped and feel like there is no way for them to move forward with a joyful life. I really believe that Jesus and the Gospel give people hope and give people life. Their obstacles are more frequent, and some are almost impossible to overcome,” Cipriano said.
To qualify as a missionary, one must be a young adult who is willing to spend one to two years working with young people, especially the poor and the lost, be willing to learn, have a heart for mission and be faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church.
There are three ways the community can help as well. The first way is through prayer support. The goal of Vagabond Missions is to have more than 200 people intentionally praying for young people, especially those in the inner-city communities.
The second way is to build a donation base. Vagabond Missions is a non-profit organization and is run by individuals. They are trying to build a donor base of 100 people.
The third way people can assist is through volunteering. Vagabond Missions is hoping to have 50 volunteers – some who volunteer daily and some to volunteer weekly.
One goal of Vagabond Missions in Oklahoma City, which is not yet finalized, is to open a youth center in the fall of 2023, close to Northwest Classen High School.
Vagabond Missions is partnering with two Oklahoma City parishes: Saint Patrick Catholic Church and Holy Angels Catholic Church, which will soon join Sacred Heart Catholic Church on the campus of the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine. Because they are a Catholic organization, their goal is to have kids to go Mass on Sundays and hopefully join RCIA.
“We are partnering with these parishes because on Sunday mornings, we will pick kids up by vans and bring them to Church,” Cipriano said.
Cipriano is grateful to Archbishop Coakley for allowing this ministry to come to Oklahoma, as well as to Father Joe Arledge from Saint Patrick Catholic Church and Father Rusty Hughes from Holy Angels Catholic Church for being good partners and supporters.