Lately, both in the papers and on social media, there have been innumerable attacks and comments about ecclesiastical titles and similar paraphernalia, on the pretext that this is what is keeping younger generations away from Church.
Without entering into the merits of such arguments or getting lost in debates about the Church which are of secondary importance, I do think the issue at the core of the matter is a very relevant one: how to engage with the younger generation which seems to care less about what the Church is all about.
Surely, and, I say, luckily, of themselves these things would not attract people. Nor will they keep them particularly afar, unless they are coupled with pride, elitism and sectarianism. Nor do the majority really care whether one wears a sleeveless or a long-sleeved chasuble (the outer vestment worn by the priest for the celebration of Mass) as long as the homily is relevant and the priest’s attitude is correct.
Therefore, it cannot be simply a question of finding the right formula to make young people come to church but how to enter into dialogue with them, seeking to respond to their true needs in order to lead them eventually to Christ.
While acknowledging my relatively short experience in youth work, it has not been too long since I was young myself. And, since we live in a society that glorifies absolute freedom of speech, I cannot be hindered from having a go at it.
To start with, the question has to be twofold: what do young people ask from the Church and how can they themselves be the Church? The following is what I think should be done and how I try to live up to this mammoth task.
Young people ask for our trust, offering them an opportunity to take up small responsibilities that will help them mature and believe in themselves, thus growing into healthy adults instead of remaining childish forever.
The idyllic dream of eternal youth is a stupidity and we are already severely suffering from its consequences. With the excuse of remaining young at heart, many end up behaving like overgrown little children and this is causing havoc because of the inability to make long-term commitments and make an enduring contribution to society.
Young people ask from us space to be who they truly are and not who they think they are or who others make them think they are. And this requires not only giving them space and responsibility, as already mentioned, but also lending them an attentive ear, being there for them, sharing life and its burdens with them without taking away this weight from their shoulders.
Young people seek role models, not to blindly imitate but to inspire them to be courageous
This is the rule of the gym, remember: to gain strength and muscle volume you have to carry a lot of weight. Looking at weights from afar or just sitting on a cushioned seat, as I used to do when I was at school, will lead nowhere. Society has already created enough narcissistic monsters. And these lie on the adults’ conscience. We cannot afford to breed any more of them.
It also means being ready to share their pain without trivialising it by saying that it is nothing or that it is not important. Apparently, it is important enough to cause people considerable distress. So it needs to be taken care of, irrespective of how petty it may be.
At the same time, guidance needs to be offered to learn to see everything in its due perspective and within the larger context. The world will not stop if I am suffering. One has to learn to stand on one’s feet and try to move on.
Something the Church in Malta has been offering and needs to continue strengthening are safe spaces where youth can meet and be together, under the supervision of adults who are there not only to keep good order but to accompany the young. And we have to commit ourselves to make sure these spaces are truly safe if we want to be credible and worthy of trust.
And, finally, I think young people seek role models, not to blindly imitate but to inspire them to be courageous and grow up without, however, getting old too quickly. If, as adults, we either try to be too cool to the extent that we give the impression we never grew up, or too grumpy and so boring that we seem to be already dead and that it is not worth the effort, then we cannot blame young people too much.
And from us priests and religious, they demand faithfulness to our vocation. The primary issue is not whether we wear the habit or not. If we do not stand up for what we believe in and what we are as men of God, and think that, in this way, we will be attracting people, the young are mature enough not to take us seriously, fortunately enough.
I think that, instead of wasting our dwindling energies in useless quibbles, it be would better if we pushed hard to live up to who we are – with all our limitations, life is not perfect and this is already an important life lesson that many are avoiding – in order to encourage younger generations to become who they are called to be and find ways of answering to the Christian call in today’s world.