What is really the «Good News» for the young?

Formative Models and Experiences, and Instruments of Growth

African-Asian English-speaking Group
Chalana Kalanga Aththidyage
Showrilu Chinnabathuni
Sebhat Hadgu Kahsay
Joseph Minja

The title of chapter five – Formative Models and Experiences, and Instruments of Growth – indicates some of the challenges on the youth spirituality. Our sharing was once again based on the reflections from Africa; Ethiopia and Tanzania, Asia; India and Srilanka.

From our sharing we observed that it is true that Christian Faith has been passed on from one generation to the next. We con not rule out that each generation has got its own challenges in accepting, believing and putting into practices the faith which is handed to it. The present generation of Youth has its own challenges and therefore it remains a part of our life to treat properly those challenges of faith which youth are facing and help them to solve them and live the faith which the family, society and the church has been living. Some of the challenges seen from our continents and even in Europe are such as.

• The Christian Catholic faith is surrounded by other religions such as Islamic, Hindi, Christian denominations, traditional religions among others. Youth are just found themselves at the cross roads especially when they can not find the answer of Why so many religions are Present?

• To the moments of difficulties, when Youth are offering their prayers, the answers are not found immediately. Thus because of the shallow faith and misunderstanding of the meaning of Cross and Suffering one keeps moving from one religion to another in order to try to get the quick responses to the difficulties of life such as (healing of the sickness, money, food, peace, chances of employment among others).

• The Church structures might have contributed to the shallow faith (where for example there have been a lack of involving all the members of the church and only few members such as Priests, Nuns are seen to play an active role and neglecting the contribution of Lay people or youth themselves)

• The Church is seen as not going forward with time and technology (for example the Church does not involve/utilize very much or control the means of social communication) such as TV, Radios, internet. The use of the above facilities by the church would have facilitated the Evangelization and controlling of the programs which contribute rather to the matters of this world.

• Models for the youth are lacking - due to the changes and demands of life and the Society such as hours of WORK in the industries and offices, many parents though they have a good will to stay, teach their children about faith and practice with them some of the church practices they are not able.

FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE

Christian Faith is passed on from one generation to the next (from institution, family, parish, group or pilgrimage) and thus creates a way of spirituality for especially for the youth. The above reality depends mostly on the once who are passing on the faith and those who receive it. Therefore, depending on Catholic Christian Youth the world of today, how do they accept the faith which has been passed on to them by the (parents, teachers, priests, pastors, leaders, basic believers, especially when they see religion surrounded by the above circumstances? What is really the “Good News” for the Young, people in searching for the models, experiences and tools of spirituality?

FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH ADULT ANIMATORS

How do the cultural background, occupation/work, and technology advancement, community practices, demands of life and experiences of faith have affected the personal view and experience of deeper faith and now be able to pass it on to the YOUTH generation which has its own aspects of freedom/liberty, language, worries and demands of life?

Submitted by Joseph Minja