By Fr Soroj Mullick, SDB –
The four basic dimensions of the Church’s mission, are: the profession of faith, its celebration in worship, living it out in service, and sharing the faith through proclamation. “Faith in God leads us to turn to him alone as our first origin and our ultimate goal” (CCC 229).
Youth faith formation through the Word of God, catechesis and liturgy has been inadequate. Their faith is challenged by communalism, fundamentalism, materialism, regionalism, ethnicism, linguism, casteism and individualism. In such context, it is needed to strengthen the faith through the family, catechesis, liturgy, the Word of God, promotion of moral principles and formation of conscience based on the CCC.
The present day liturgy is at times celebrated ritualistically and mechanically. Besides, youth would like to live their faith in service, i.e. “not to be served, but to serve” (Mk 10:45). The Church becomes “the universal sacrament of salvation” (LG 48) through faith sharing. The youth makes the Church missionary, which is her very nature (Ad Gentes 2). This entails a double challenge namely, the lack of involvement and apathy towards proclaiming the gospel, and the present socio-political situation.
The first pastoral priority for the Church in India is faith formation with mobilization of youth followed by inter-religious dialogue. With the prior need of personal faith development of the young, rooted in their own socio-cultural reality, one has to evangelize as a youth missionary. This forms the basis of an integrated approach towards YM with the objectives: to empower and make young people live as disciples of Jesus; to lead young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Church; to foster a deeper personal and spiritual growth (cf. YPP 77, 78, 44-46). Faith formation, which is concerned with the whole person (body, heart, mind, will), helps the young expand their knowledge of the Scriptures and the traditions and their application to life through prayer, justice, and loving service.
The characteristics of an effective faith development program for youth are: providing a progressively appropriate content and processes; teaching the core content of the Catholic faith as found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC); integrating knowledge with skills for living the faith; fostering dialogue between life and faith; engaging young in the learning process through interactive methods; creating an environment conducive to hearing, searching, question¬ing, expressing and responding in faith to God’s call in freedom; opportunity for real-life applications of learning; promoting family faith development; recognizing and celebrating multicultural diversity in unity and peace; exploring a personal call to ministry. Proclaiming Christ is the foundation of catechesis with a kerygmatic quality and with “right types of language and methodology, without ever losing sight of the essential, namely the encounter with Christ, who is the heart of catechesis” (YS 133; Evangelii Gaudium, 164). These above characteristics suggest that the selection of themes for learning programs will be based on the developmental needs and life experiences of the young, following the structures of the CCC.
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].