Franciscan at Home

Thirty years ago, in 1985, coinciding with the “International Youth Year” proclaimed by the United Nations, St. John Paul II wrote Dilecti Amici, a letter to the youth of the world. Though many of his previous documents mentioned young people, Dilecti Amici was unique among St. John Paul II’s letters because its entire content was directed towards the young. It revealed not only what he thought about them but also how he felt they should be addressed. For these reasons, it offers much, by example, about how the Church should relate to youth. Much of the letter reflected on the story of the “rich young man,” who didn’t follow Christ because he could not give up his many possessions. With keen spiritual insight, St. John Paul II wrote that the greatest possession this man had was his youthfulness. “Youth is in itself (independently of any material goods) a special treasure of man.”[i] Christ not only asked this young man to leave his material possessions but to offer up his own youthfulness to follow him. Evangelists today should realize how significant this sacrifice is, especially in a culture where people are reluctant to “grow up.” Though the young man’s possessions kept him from following Jesus, it was his youthful curiosity that brought him to Christ in the first place. Young people aren’t afraid to ask difficult questions, such as the young man did in the story. Christ not only provides the answers, he is the answer. Those who speak with the young must not be afraid to answer their questions, but they must also do more. They need to help young people ponder new questions, such as the meaning of life, the meaning of good and evil, and the importance of eternity.

The values of secular society are increasingly divergent from those of our Catholic Faith. We live in a time that seems to fit St. Paul’s description of a people who are “ingenious in their wickedness” (Rom 1:30). The task of forming Catholic conscience in children and youth might at times seem impossible in today’s world, and we might be tempted to despair. Indeed, no human methodology could accomplish this task. “For human beings this is impossible, but for God, all things are possible” (Mt 19:26).

Catechesis, in the mind of the Church, however, is not rooted in human methodology, but in the pedagogy of God. It is the Church’s mission to be a “visible and actual continuation of the pedagogy of the Father and of the Son.” How can we as catechists use the divine pedagogy, the way God teaches, to form the consciences of our learners? Here are five ways, corresponding to five aspects of the pedagogy of God.

Invite the learners to be their best selves

The pedagogy of God is invitational and person-centered. Jesus invited his followers into relationship with him (and continues to do so today). He often saw potential in people that they did not see in themselves. Consider St. Peter, for example, who tells Jesus to go away, saying he, Peter, is “a sinful man” (Lk 5:8). But Jesus sees what Peter could be, what he was made to be. While we might think many different things will make us happy, the only true and lasting happiness is found in each becoming the person God created that person to be.

When it comes to the media, most of us sense a problem, but what is it? Is media itself the problem? Or is the problem limited to the sometimes objectionable content it can convey, such as gratuitous violence and unchastity? Or is media use in moderation fine and only a lack of moderation that causes a problem? Also, how do we, as Christians, discern the best ways to engage media technology? How are we forming ourselves, our loved ones, and those we influence in the everyday application and consumption of new media? In this article we will examine some core principles to apply in our stewardship of these “gifts of God.”

We invite you to read the following testimony from a catechist, in the hope that, as you respond to your own vocation, you may also find ways of Encountering God in Catechesis.

I left work one December afternoon with a headache, stinging and tired eyes, and a heart full of frustration. It is not glamorous being on the front lines of the battle for evangelization. This particular instance of frustration was the result of my reaction to a hormonal, assertive, struggling-with-senioritis, existentially confused 18-year-old male in my Church History class. He marched into the room, roused his fellow students, and started a small rebellion insisting that we postpone the test until tomorrow. Why? Because he wanted an extra day to study. In my eyes, the kid was disrespectful, defiant, and ill-prepared.

My very being rebelled at the idea of responding in a loving, Christian manner. I pulled this young rioting gentleman aside after the test to call him out for his behavior, fully expecting him to apologize, and all I got was more disrespect. So, like a good religion teacher, I marched my indignant self over to the chapel later that day to deal with my emotions welling up inside. What did Christ the Teacher say to me in that sacred moment? “It’s not about you. Get over it and move on with your day.” Ouch! Not exactly what I wanted to hear!

Yet, as I drove home that afternoon, speaking intimately to God and asking him the best way to respond to this student who was such a “thorn in my side,” I rediscovered my own unworthiness and inadequacy.

As the catechetical team and I were packing up, one of the quieter teens asked if I was available to talk. I was exhausted, and the last thing I wanted to do was to strike up a new conversation; however, I gathered my strength, said a quick prayer for patience and presence, and sat down at a table in the cafeteria. She said, “My mom has breast cancer, Kristin. What if she dies?” Tears began flowing, and her head fell into her hands. This was not going to be a one minute conversation, but then, most of the important conversations aren’t.

To serve a young person who has come to us in crisis, the primary task of pastoral response is to remember who and whose we are and to remain grounded in our personal relationship with Christ. We need to maintain a prayerful heart and a peaceful, non-anxious presence and recognize that this young person is in the arms of Christ as she struggles. Our role in this situation is limited. We must pray consistently and intentionally during the conversation. Today’s adolescents ache to have someone to listen to their stories, especially when they find themselves in crisis. By being present to young people in the moment, we strengthen them for the road ahead.

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of St. John Bosco. This great saint’s insights into forming young people remain vitally important and relevant today.

In 1988, St. John Paul II wrote a letter to the head of the Salesian Order to commemorate the centenary of the death of St. John Bosco. It was titled, Iuvenum Patris, or “Father of Youth.” Only the Italian version is available on the Vatican website—perhaps that is why few English speaking people have heard of it. [1] It is a beautiful document that looks at the educational spirituality of St. John Bosco. Iuvenum Patris was written by a saint who loved young people about a saint who loved young people. St. John Paul II’s insights are as practical as they are inspiring.

St. John Bosco employed a method, which has since become famous, for passing on the faith to his boys: “Reason, religion, and loving kindness.” Those who minister to youth today can still learn from this pedagogy.

Geek culture is a true culture. “Geeks”—as I am applying the term—are not simply a group of people who love sci-fi, fantasy, or horror genre media; rather geek culture represents a social grouping of those who make that love a major part of their identity and community formation.

Some members of geek culture are not open to the Gospel because they perceive a hostility and rejection by the Christian community. Yet this culture expresses aesthetic and psychological needs that can only be fulfilled in the Catholic faith. Geeks not only belong in the Church, as all belong in the Church, but the Church itself can be seen as the apotheosis of geek culture.

Some geeks feel alienated because they may be socially awkward and different, and are drawn to genre media because it often expresses profound alienation and loneliness. Another reason geeks can feel isolated is that their genre media reinforce their social isolation by making it into a common identity-point. To remedy this sense of isolation, they will look for a community of people with similar speculative media-passion and a similar sense of alienation. If geeks see the Church as a manifestation of that exclusionary mainstream culture, they will be very difficult to evangelize.

Sometimes chastity educators (including myself) spend too much time telling young people what they’re not supposed to do. As a result, they finish twelve years of Catholic education and head off to college, having only memorized a litany of prohibitions. I can imagine an 18-year-old arriving at his college campus, thinking:

“Okay. I’ve got this: Don’t look at pornography, don’t sleep with the girlfriend, don’t contracept with the girlfriend, don’t cohabitate with the girlfriend, … don’t clone the girlfriend. Great. I know everything I’m not supposed to do. What am I supposed to do?”

How can we reach young people with the good news about chastity? Here are ten ways to open minds and hearts to the virtue that frees us to love.

Some Considerations for Parents

In the last issue, Jim Beckman described how youth ministers can operate with a mindset which respects and empowers parents to be the primary catechists of their teenagers. Jim concludes this two-part series by writing to parents concerning the fundamentals for leading one’s own children to a life in Christ.

Discipleship is spelled T-I-M-E

If we intend to lead our own children closer to Christ, first and foremost we must spend time with them. Of course, setting aside time is uniquely challenging in today’s culture. But it is not impossible. With a little creativity, and some sacrifice, time is frequently found in our weekly schedules for things we prioritize—even if originally we might not have believed finding additional time was possible. Spending time with our children needs to be one of those priorities.

And please don’t buy into the farce that it’s all about “quality” time, not quantity. I have found it to be just the opposite, both in my work over the years with teenagers, and now with my own kids. Young people don’t really trust someone who won’t “waste time” with them. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s true. When we are willing to spend time with another person, with no real agenda, no task to accomplish, nothing productive to get done, it shows that the person is important to us. In my experience, when I have invested myself in this way, it has earned me the right to be heard. Not only as a youth minister but also as a parent, I don’t assume that they will want to listen to what I share with them. I know I have to earn that.

The focus of this article is a practical consideration: how to help parents in the task of “discipling” their own children. The topic is a rather vast one, so I’m going to break it down into two parts. The first part, the mindset catechists should have toward parents, is the focus of this article. Part 2, practical tools to empower parents for discipleship, will follow in the April issue. We all have heard the Church’s teaching on this: parents are the “primary educators” of their children.[i] But do we really believe this to be true, and indeed act as if we believe it? I have talked with many Church employees and volunteers who treat this statement like some empty platitude saying, “It’s a nice theory, but in reality WE are better at teaching young people the faith. We have degrees in Theology after all!” In the paragraphs that follow, I hope to shed some light in this area, and offer some practical ways we can empower parents to take up their call to educate, even “disciple” their own children. But fair warning: I may strike some deep-rooted cords and maybe even unnerve you a bit. This is an area that desperately needs attention in the Church today and needs serious renewal if we hope to be effective in the years ahead.