Do you trust the young?

Spirituality in the context of Christian religion

African-Asian English-speaking Group

Showrilu Chinnabathuni
Sebhat Hadgu Kahsay
Joseph Minja
Chalana Kalanga Aththidyage (absent)

Questions from chapter II

Some questions for young people:

• As a young person, how do you understand the spiritual dimension of your life?
  
• Can you see in it something that modern technology which cannot offer you?
  
• Do you realize that soon you will take responsibility in society?

Some questions for parents, catechists, parish priests…

• What do you do to prepare and help young people to grow in spiritual dimension in multicultural, multi-spiritual and religious contest?
• Do you use the mass media to influence the young?
• Do you try to modify your teaching to the young according to the time?
• Do you invite the young to take part in what you do?
• Do you trust them?

Discussion:

Our discussion of the issues in the first question (to the young) extended to a universal level. We were able to see how spirituality is described today by the young. We discussed what is not and what is spirituality. We came to conclusion that spirituality is not only religious, Christian, institutional, ecclesial, communal or dogmatic. Often when people speak about spirituality, they lack a reference point. They use the word to describe a self-centered seeking that does not go out of the self, like that of New Age spirituality. There no mediation and sometimes not even any supernatural power. A simple personal reflection becomes spirituality. Sometimes spirituality can be the good deeds or the struggle to be good. We think these many divisions have been created because the definition of spirituality remains something abstract and unattainable, as if only mystics can attain it. So there is need to simplify our way of speaking about spirituality, to make it livable by everybody. Such an approach is in keeping with Don Bosco, who insisted and managed to teach the street boys to be spiritual persons (piety).

Reflecting on the second group of questions, which we addressed to adults, we felt the need to discuss problems that grow out of contemporary situations in the world and in our own countries. When we look at particular levels in our particular places, we see not only secularization of spirituality but also some problems that come from a mix of cultures and the presence of many religions. Because of this, young people can loose their identity. Hence the Church and the family have to inculcate their Christian, religious and spiritual values. To be successful in this field, the Church must use means of social communication such TV, Internet radio and printing press etc. In this multicultural and multi-religious environment, an ecumenical attitude is very important to live together by respecting each other. So each one should be able to see some positive values in one another’s religion. It is a matter of trust.

Submitted by: Sebhat Hadgu Kahsay