By Fr Soroj Mullick, SDB –
Youth ministry, as a theological discipline, is to discern God’s activity with, for and among young people. Youth ministry serves as a “hermeneutical agency to help the youth discern God’s working in their lives and reflect on their lives what God’s plans could be for them.”
Youth Movement (YM) has to be contextual by reflecting on the needs and context of each young person. It calls for reaching out to the unchurched youth and those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Besides being interested in the spiritual and religious growth of the youth, YM should be a pastoral apostolate in the lived realities of the youth and function as a “descriptive agency” that is informed by its mission i.e. “God revealing himself to people.”
A descriptive youth ministry begins in the context of young people, and with youth animators listening to their need stories. Contemporary youth ministry, however, should recognise a more holistic approach to and with the youth, who become active agents to contribute to the Church and society. It is, therefore, important to clarify the objective of the contemporary youth ministry as one that seeks to understand God’s action with and through the youth.
A Synodal Church that listens to the Youth
The young people desire for ‘authenticity’ in the Church. The Synod document states: “The youth help to enrich what the Church is, and not only what she does. They are her present and not only her future” (YS 54). While highlighting the spiritual and religious experiences of the youth, the document encourages them to encounter God, instead of living a morally relativistic life or choosing other “forms of alternative religiosity.”
On a different ecclesiology- “synodal Church” – , the synod showcases a Church which listens, “walks with” people, gives women a role in decision making process following the spirit of the Second Vatican Council. This synodal “path”, is treaded by listening, welcoming and engaging the young in a “common discernment”. The “missionary synodality” is all the more highlighted with a focus on the most vulnerable, the poor and those outside the parish communities. This requires a mutual listening where the ‘People of God’ lead the way and young people become “co-responsible” in the mission to bring the Gospel to emerging generations.
A young Church as an icon of resurrection reaches out and walks with all the young in their journey towards spiritual, pastoral and missionary conversion (YS 115-118). This calls for a Missionary Synodality of the Church which becomes a constitutive dynamism, continuing the walk together, making it a participatory and co-responsible Church that involves in a joint process of discernment (YS 119-124).
This Missionary communion in dialogue that reaches towards the peripheries of the world, becomes the style of the mission (YS 125-127). Through daily renewal of the parish community, together we move from structures to relationships, from delegation to involvement (YS 128-130). The life of the community consists of the mosaic of faces, built on Kerygma, catechesis, liturgy and diakonia (YS 131-137).Youth Ministry, then is seen, from a vocational perspective (YS 138-143) within the Church, that is, a home for the young, through vocational animation for the young, helping them grow towards integrated self through fruitful relationship between events and daily life (Groups, movements, Youth Centres, etc.).
A Church that does not listen to the youth cannot be credible. Their questions challenge us, their criticism is necessary. The Church has to listen to young people, take them seriously, recognize and acknowledge them as full members, patiently walk with them and guide as they discern their vocation to live their life and faith.
Such ‘listening’ extends to all people including women in order to renew communities and structures for a “synodal Church” where all members listen to, support and challenge one another and share responsibility for the Church’s mission of spreading the Gospel. Through friendship and mutual listening, without paternalism and going beyond faith content, youth are to be helped to live a personal relationship with God and participate actively in the celebration of the sacraments. Besides, it is time to stop doing things “for young people,” rather do everything with them.
Youth to rejuvenate the Church
Open to the Holy Spirit for a new Pentecost (YS 59-62), the youth are invited to have an authentic experience of God and in turn rejuvenate the Church. As the gift to the Church, the wounded youth in their healthy restlessness, gazing at Young Jesus, become adult (YS 68-72) and involve themselves in the mission with authority, dialogue and strong family bonds (YS 63-67).
They are called to responsorial freedom (YS 73-76) with faith in the Gospel, making a vocational journey of discovery within a vocation culture in the world that comprises of various charisms (YS 77-80) as they follow Jesus (YS 81-83) as true disciples, as a consecrated, or ordained or single, imitating the Virgin Mary (YS 84-90). The Church accompanies (YS 91-94) either as groups or individuals in their entry into society (YS 95-100).
This community-spiritual-integral accompaniment continues during formation for the ordained ministry and consecrated life, helping them to reconcile themselves with God and the world. This calls for quality accompaniers for their formation (YS 101-103). The Church, then, becomes a conducive environment for discernment through the Word and Sacraments for the formation of conscience (YS 104-105) as God speaks to the heart (YS 106-109). Through familiarity with the Lord and through attitudes of the heart, the discernment process leads one to decision and confirmation through dialogue (YS 110-114).
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].