By Fr. Soroj Mullick, SDB –
Youth Ministry is to-with-by-for youth wherein the Youth Minister advocates youth’s legitimate concerns. The active National Youth Commission with its regional centres, numerous youth specific institutions like colleges, training institutes, schools, etc., and ICYM and other organizations, is trying to focus on the above dimensions but fails to reach out to all (unorganised inclusive) youth within the Catholic fold.
For many youth the Eucharist celebration is monotonous; Church does not show enough interest in them; 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. About 10% of youth participate actively in most of the parish organisations.
The youth culture with new values and new criteria for living has changed profoundly along with society and the Church; the traditional settings for the transmission of culture and religion (family, school, Church) 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 praxis. Therefore, this is an urgent need to design a ‘new’ presence among the young, a ‘new evangelization’, a ‘new education’, and a ‘new model’.
Youth Ministry (YM) 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 challenges of the contemporary young generation.
In the light of the current youth situation the need was felt to have a complete overall view, and to bring together, in a structured and shared synthesis, the fundamental guidelines so as to facilitate and provide directives for a renewed youth pastoral plan. The CBCI Commission for Youth has been trying to respond to this need by offering the Church in India a manual for youth work, with guidelines of a youth pastoral model.
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).
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].