By Fr Soroj Mullick, SDB –
“Youth ministry is the response of the Christian community to the needs of young people and the sharing of the unique gifts of youth with the larger community” . To address the complex reality of youth issues, it has to address youth ministry’s (YM’s) different dimensions: catechesis, prayer, community life, pastoral care, justice, service, leadership, empowerment, advocacy and evangelization.
YM is to-with-by-for youth wherein the Youth Minister advocates youth’s legitimate concerns. The National YM with its regional centres, numerous youth specific institutions like colleges, training institutes, schools, etc., and ICYM and other organizations, while trying to focus on the above dimensions, have failed in the field of Youth catechesis and to involve the youth actively in liturgical celebrations. For many youth the Eucharist celebration is monotonous; Church does not show enough interest in catechesis; Youth Masses, seminars, youth camps are denied; they are not being heard; physical spaces within the Church setting and time, are not given to them; strong-spirited youth leaders are avoided.
The youth culture with new values and new criteria for living has changed profoundly along with society and the Church; the traditional settings (family, school, Church) for the transmission of faith and culture are weakened. Christian and secular education, and the pastoral activities are constantly changing. It is not possible, then, to limit ourselves to small modifications to our traditional ‘catechism’. Therefore, this is an urgent need to design a ‘new’ presence among the young, a ‘new evangelization’, a ‘new faith education’, and a ‘new model’.
Youth Catechesis is a challenge and responsibility for the Church, that finds difficult to provide relevant guidance to the youth who have a fashion for sports, arts, media, new technologies, fun, adventure, relationships, idealism, creativity, great dreams and ‘experience this moment’ trend. Such trends are significant to the Church, society, and politics. It is up to the Church to listen to the promptings of God’s Spirit and face the catechetical challenges of the contemporary young generation. In the light of the current youth situation the need is felt to bring together, in a structured and shared synthesis, the fundamental guidelines so as to facilitate and provide directives for a renewed youth catechesis. The CBCI Commission for Youth has tried to respond to this need through certain guidelines for YM.
A number of approaches : befriending, faith formation, counselling, life skills, group work, service learning, mentoring, accompanying, family peace mediation, parenting talks, volunteer training, outdoor adventure, sports/recreational activities, seminars and camps, have been tried out in the past. Such mentoring is integral to Church’s mission for the young. But the question still remains: How do we reveal Jesus Christ, God-made-man, to this multitude of young people? “How are we to enable them to know the meaning, the import, the fundamental requirements, the law of love, the promises and the hopes of this Kingdom?” (Catechesi Tradendae, 35).
As Jesus took the initiative to animate the disciples on the way to Emmaus, so too the Church leaders and youth animators resolved to take the initiative to encounter and witness Jesus in the life of the young. To this end, the CBCI Youth Council stated:
“We understand the confused and inconsistent situation of youth and we will strive to accompany them, to rise above the divisive tendencies based on caste and language and help them to develop a culture of tolerance and cooperation. We will endeavour to achieve holistic and integral growth of youth and inspire them to be achievers, by reaching out, to empower, correct, appreciate and spare more time for them. We attend to their problems individually through dialogue. Being compassionate to them, we shall suffer with them by changing ourselves and set an example for them to follow.”
The Youth Council collectively resolved to implement the following strategic plan and vision for 2015-2017 in collaboration with CRI and Education Commissions: promote Career Advancement Program (CAP) in order to empower the youth with clear vision and mission based on faith and personal relationship with Christ. Pope Francis states, “Seeking the Lord, keeping his word, entrusting our life to him and growing in the virtues: all these things make young hearts strong […] That is why you need to stay connected to Jesus, to “remain online” with him, since you will not grow happy and holy by your own efforts and intelligence alone” (CV 158).
YM is a process (CV 236; cf. YS 16, 19) through which the youth are first welcomed to the community, meeting them where they are; challenge them and form them through Psychology, group dynamics, Word of God, teachings of the Church; and commission them for the Kingdom. This is an integrated approach, active and sensitive to gender, culture, interest, education, etc. YM is a coordinated effort through dialogue and collaboration of various youth specific ministries in the Church (education, art, media, catechesis, social service, vocation, social concern, etc.). A secular youth approach with a broader outlook will care for the faith development of the catholic youth in the wider society than just those who come to ‘us’. Therefore, integrated approach to faith education and growth, is the holistic path for contemporary YM.
There exists certain creative openness to the faith education of youth, often though in a non-formal style. Except a few individual groups, the areas of youth spirituality and faith formation are often neglected. There is difficulty in coordinating the more traditional and organised presences such as the schools, parishes, with the new youth presences (e.g. migrant youth), Church-dropouts and unorganized youth activities.
There lacks a renewed sensitivity to the un-organised youth, by means of forcefully having a uniform policy for youth catechesis. Though, “The Synod singled out young people in particular as those for whom [the Church] should provide greater opportunity for fellowship and communion […] by means of organized youth apostolates and youth clubs” (EA 25). Contemporary YM needs to focus on some urgent issues: faith culture, migration, media culture, vocation/professions and careers, social concern & service, public presence and secular leadership, education, politics, management, technology, research, healthcare with Christian mindset. The Church has to take note of the present youth cultures and have a plan of interaction on this “reading the signs of the times” (Lk 16:1). “The Christian formation of young people in Asia should recognize that they are not only the object of the Church’s pastoral care but also agents and co-workers in the Church’s mission in her various apostolic works of love and service” (EA 47).
To be continued…
Fr. Soroj Mullick, SDB is a Salesian priest from the Kolkata Province. He has a Licentiate in Catechetics and a Doctorate (Christian Education) from UPS, Italy. He has number of years of teaching experience in college and in the formation of future priests. Besides, he has written number of research papers and articles, and has 25 years of Ministry in India and abroad as Educator, Formator, Retreat Preacher, Editor and engaged in School, Parish Catechetical & Youth Ministry. He is now an assistant priest in Bandel Basilica, rendering pastoral and catechetical ministry to the parishioners and to the pilgrims. He can be contacted at [email protected].