E very religion in the world is centred on God. In fact, God is the essence of every religion. However, nobody can believe in God without faith. The Letter to the Hebrews Chapter 11 gives us an in-depth knowledge of the term, faith. “Faith is the guarantee of the things we hope for, and the certainty of the things that we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). According to Hebrews 11:6, “No one can please God without faith.”
It went further to say that whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him. It is only when one has faith in God that he can believe in him; and it is only when one believes in God that he can make effort to please him. In the same vein, one cannot serve God effectively in a particular religion or Church without having faith in that religion or church. By having faith in a religion or church, I mean knowing, believing and accepting what that religion or church teaches. For instance, one cannot be an effective member of the Holy Roman Catholic Church without having faith in it. The person must know, believe and accept what the Church teaches and professes.
This is what we do at Mass when we profess our faith. The problem today is that we profess this faith without reflecting on it. Some see it as a poem or an anthem we recite during Mass. Most of our youths today are ignorant of their faith. The worst is that most of them are communicants and confirmed Catholics still, they do not know the content of the faith they profess talk of believing in it. This is a problem and a threat to the Church. The future of the Church lies in the youths.
If the youths who are the hope of tomorrow’s Church do not know the faith the Church professes, then, there is problem. As we begin Youth Week nationwide today, there is need to reflect on the place of youths in our Church today; the challenges and obstacles to their faith and liturgical formation and how we can tackle them. The questions that beg for answers are; what is the cause of this problem? Is it the case that parents do not instruct their children well or the care-free attitude of our youths towards their faith? Could it be that our catechism instructors are not teaching our children with the appropriate method that will help them to internalise the faith they are being taught?
Is it the case that the Church herself is not doing enough in the area of youth ministry and faith formation? These and others are questions begging for answers. The importance of the presence of youth in Catholic communities in the world cannot be over-emphasised. The undeniable fact remains that the youths in the Church are the future of the Church. In this regard youth formation has a significant implication for the future of the Church. Attention to the young ones in the Christian community helps greatly to deepen their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ through bestowal of grace, community prayer and liturgical experiences.
Therefore, negligence in the area of youth formation is tantamount to discouraging involvement of youths in the life of the Church Many parishes are making commendable efforts in the areas of youth ministry and youth faith formation. Many priests are actively involved in the activities of the youths in their various parishes. However, with sincerity, much is left to be desired in the care that is rendered to the youths in some parishes. There are parishes that could be used as good example, which are well ahead in youth formation and promotion of youth participation in the life of the Church in varied ways. Yet, there are many parishes which unfortunately, and virtually lack attention to the youths. The truth is that negligence of the youths is negligence of the future of the Church.
They are the ones we are to hand over the Church tomorrow. If they do not have solid foundation on the Church’s faith and beliefs, then, there will be problem tomorrow. The youths need support and direction in every aspect of their lives because they are most often vulnerable and anxious in the face of increasing socio-economic problems cropping up in many countries of the world. In their search to reach the means of realising their life dreams, they need adequate direction and support from their parents as well as their respective Christian communities (the Church) in order that they may not be misled through varied deceptive voices in our world today.
All of us, parents, catechists, Church Councils, priests etc have different roles to play to ensure the active participation of our youths in the liturgical life of the Church and in their faith formation. The responsibility of providing Christian education and liturgical formation to the young ones in the Church is first of all the responsibility of the parents and secondly, the responsibility of the parish community. If the parents lack essential knowledge about the Church and, their catechetical grasping has been drained away with time without replenishing in that category, how can they give such formation in a proper manner? ‘Nemo dat quod non habet’.
The ministry of catechesis recognises that faith development is life-long, and provides appropriate contents and processes around key themes to the recipients. In this sense the parents as well as the youths need to be fed sufficiently and continually or periodically with the spiritual goods in order to deliver the “expected” in parish life (cc.213;773-780). This calls for the revival of adult catechesis or faith clinic in our parishes. In a parish where there is obvious lack of effective on-going Christian education and liturgical formation of youths, the Sunday obligation among the youth most often assumes a mechanical fashion and this reflects in the deadly passivity of youth during Eucharistic celebration.
The lack of faith/liturgical formation to the youth may result in wrong dress code to Mass, chatting during the liturgy, operating of mobile phones during Eucharistic celebration, smoking outside the Church while celebration of the Mass is in progress, lateness to Mass, walking out of the Church before the final blessing, etc. The most disturbing of these is the non-chalant attitude of our youths towards the reception of the Holy Eucharist. Good number of our youths do not receive the Holy Communion at Mass. This should be a thing of concern to all, especially parents and priests.
The sharing of all the baptised in the one priesthood of Christ is the necessary key to understanding of the Second Vatican Council’s call for a full and active participation in the liturgy (SC 14). Full participation means every member of the community has a part to play in the liturgy. This, however, does not mean that everyone does everything. The young people in the Church can contribute immensely to the richness of the liturgy in their own way with support and direction from parents and pastors.
Some of the following steps can be taken to ensure youth faith and liturgical formation in our various parishes;
1. Creation of Parish Youth Councils (P.Y.C.) responsible for youth programmes/activities and coordination in the parish.
2. At least once a month youth Mass in the parish in which authentic participation of the youth should be encouraged.
3. Creation of youth choir to animate and lead youth in the singing during Eucharistic celebration and other youth functions in the parish.
4. Effective preaching of the word of God tailored to the understanding of the youths considering the signs of time.
5. Incorporating youths into different committees in the Church. This will make them to have the sense of belonging. 6. Parish priests and youth chaplains joining youths in most of their activities in the parish
6. Organising some social activities that can bring youths together is not out of place.
7. Introduction of Post-baptismal catechesis for the youth.
8. Creation of Youth Biblical Apostolate in the parishes.
There is a need to respect always the presence of the youth in the Church. The responsibility of youth formation rests heavily on all parents and adult members of each community with the support and direction from the pastors. Whatever we do as a community to direct and support our Catholic young ones is in a way building the future of the Church. Youths are the Church of tomorrow. Our efforts will be in vain if we do not have people who are strong in faith to hand over the faith to.
• Rev. Fr. Lawrence Udochukwu Ekenze, CSsR, is Chaplain CYON, Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.
