THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH TOWARDS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

IBIYEMI VICTOR

INTRODUCTION

Rev. Fr. Rodion Laskowski in his article, “Youth and the Church” says that the question of how to keep our young people close to the Church is one of the major concerns in our troubled age. To remain indifferent to this problem can only be regarded as a grave sin and an indication of soul-destroying self-love. Lately too, I have been spending a lot of time thinking about our modern world, the future of leadership, the future of the economy and so many other things you can imagine of the future. I have come to discover that the future of leadership and the future of the world rests in the hands of the youth, it is only logical that the church must place particular emphasis on youth development, if the church refuses to take this as a primary focus, then the future of our community is bleak. It is therefore a prerogative and an imperative that something must be done to keep the youths going. Even the church as described in Lumen Gentium, is kept in the freshness of youth through the gospel.[1]

C.Y.O.N: AN INDISPENSIBLE ORGANISM IN THE CHURCH

The youth of today have very high ideals, and to deny this would be grossly unfair. But we must admit that very often these ideals can sour, can be perverted, and can be exploited. Often young people ultimately relinquish their ideals if they suspect that the situation is hopeless; if they conclude that nowhere can these ideals be fulfilled. Where this does happen, ideals are exploited by false prophets. The C.Y.O.N is a peculiar group in the church. There is no future for the church without the youths. It is therefore an indispensible organism in ecclesiastical jurisdiction. It is of paramount need that youths must seek the way to develop, the way to move on in this complex confused world that brings the tiding of disorganized personalities and unidentified identities. If youths are therefore asking for the way to progress, it should be a thing of pride to answer because it casts light on our shadowed futures. It is with great happiness, if they are even asking for Church’s contribution to their growth. This forum therefore is highly appreciated, imagine if not for this program, what would you have been doing at home. Playing Ludos, watching films or walking without focus. Thus, Father appreciates the organizers of this program more at this time of the year.

Furthermore, it is good to note that there are branches of the CYON. They include

Young catholic students – national federation of catholic students and National Association of Catholic Coppers

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN WHAT SENSE?

Let us take the definition of Dr. Pittman, Youth development could be conceived as: 

the ongoing growth process in which all youth are engaged in attempting to 1) meet their basic, personal and social need to be safe, feel cared for, be valued, be useful and be spiritually grounded, and 2) to build skills and competencies that allow then to function and contribute in their daily lives.[2]

This definition accurately describes youth development as a process that all young people go through on the way to adulthood. As the definition implies,it is a process or journey that automatically involves all of the people around -the family, church and community. A young person will not be able to build essential skills and competencies and be able to feel safe; cared for, valued, useful, and spiritually grounded unless their family and community provide them with the support and opportunities they need along the way.  Youth development then is a collaborative combination of all people, places, supports, opportunities and services that most of us inherently understand that young people need to be happy, healthy and successful.

There are many sides to the development of youth but as it concerns the Church,we shall limit our discussion in this paper to only two areas. In this paper therefore, youth development would be discussed in two folds, namely; physical and spiritual developments. 

THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH TOWARDS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

1.      SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

Only the church serves the purpose of the spiritually upbringing of the society, especially youths and children. This spiritual development is the first role that the church plays in the development of individuals. Youths too, like every other individual in the church, are nurtured spiritually in the word and sacraments.  Let us see the role of the church in your spiritual development.

Catechesis: According to the Apostolic Exhortation of the Late Roman Pontiff, Blessed John Paul II in Catechesi Tradendae, the Church must take to heart the catechesis of her people especially the youth. “Although the young may enjoy the support of the members of their family and their friends, they have to rely on themselves and their own conscience and must frequently and decisively assume responsibility for their destiny.”[3]Another exhortation speaks directly to parish priests in these words:

For your part, priests, here you have a field in which you are the immediate assistants of your bishops the council has called you instructors in the faith. There is no better way for you to be such instructors than by devoting your best effort to the growth of your communities in the faith. Whether you are in charge of a parish or are chaplains to primary or secondary schools or universities, or have responsibilities for pastoral activities at any level or are leaders of large or small communities especially youth groups, the church expects you to neglect nothing to a view to a well-organized and well oriented catechetical effort.[4]

It is therefore the duty of the Church to train youths in catechesis and their catechesis must be enduring and detailed. Catechesis must not end with the reception of first Holy Communion or Confirmation. It must be a lasting systematic representation of the Christian message and the Catholic Faith. 

Bible Study: Bible study is another forum where the Church develops her youths spiritually. Since faith is nurtured in the word of God which is Jesus himself[5], it is only appropriate that youths should be further grounded in the Word of God through bible studies and scriptural assignments.

Youth fellowship: The Church can further play the role of strengthening the ties between her young ones through fellowship and spiritual gatherings. Fellowships of this kind will help them develop human relationship cum a formative spirit built on God.  

Sacramental Life of Youths: The Church also has the responsibility of edging the sacramental life of the youths. Many youths these days bask in the euphoria of sacramental deprivation. They become so joyful when they are sacramentally dehydrated. Some take that bold and fierce verdict not to receive just because they are not in the mood. It is the role of the Church to take the youths to an apogee of sacramental affection.

Prayer: A Church that will not teach her youths to pray is heading for extinction and desertion. The church plays another role for the development of youth spiritually by teaching them how to pray.

2.      PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

The Church is not just to play only spiritual roles for the development of her youths. The church also can minister in regard to physical and material growths of the youths. Integral salvation which is the theme of Liberation Theology requires that the whole of man be saved. Man is a composite being of both spirit and body. Hence, as the soul is being saved the body also should be saved or else the whole message of salvation might be distorted. We shall see again some roles the church should play as regard the physical needs for development.

Organizing Formative and Motivating Lectures/Education of the Youth

The education of youths is another role that the church plays in developing the young. Education in this light is different from catechesis which is education on faith. This type of education is education on the realities that are around them. On this note therefore, the parish should organize motivational lectures, medical tips and career talks for her youth. For instance, lectures on entrepreneurship, on self-reliance, on management of funds and incomes. The church can do this by inviting professionals in these aspects to educate her youth so as to get informed thereby helping them achieve great things. Another Vatican II document has commented on this area that “above all, the education of youth from every social background has to be undertaken, so that there can be produced not only men and women of refined talents but those great souled persons who are so desperately required by our times.”[6]Furthermore, great care must be taken about civic and political formation, which is of utmost necessity today for the population as a whole, and especially for youth, so that all citizens can play their part in the life of the political community.[7]

The Church and Career Development/Vocation

Sequel to the above is the dare need for the church to intervene in the choice of career of her young ones. In this pericope, the church acts as a counselor. Most youth are jumbled, joggled and confused when they approach that pinnacle of their choice of vocation; vocation as regards the profession and vocation as regards their marital status (Marriage or Celibacy). When the wrong step is taken, then development is frustrated and that individual faces hoodlums of conundrums. Again, on this platform, the priest or the church acts as guide to making right choices in life.

Employment of Youths

The church could also assist youths in their search for employment. The parish can either employ them if they have vacancies for work or individuals in the parish may have connections and vacancies in their offices or working places. The church must work as a family ensuring the improvement and development of one another.

Monitoring the youths

Finally, as mother, the church also does the role of monitoring. A mother monitors her children even after she has weaned them. So also is the church. This role of monitoring is like a follow up tactic. It is mainly to check the successes and failures of youth. Monitoring is essentially needed in development, without it the processes of development is not consummated. Again, it is a mode of feedback. The church monitors with her members, with other youths and gets reports on the growth of youths.

CONCLUSION

Conclusively, a holistic transformation is the summation of what is need to transform and spurred the development of youths. The development must be both spiritual and physical. It must be intrinsic and extrinsic. It must be indeed a sacramental development (an outward sign of an inward growth). Youth must also be aware that all their problems cannot be solved by their Parish priests and church members.

Dr. Harris sums up the church’s role in the development of youth as he says I believe that we have to be Christ to them in healing their diseases and feeding them and all that comes with holistic renewal but we must also help them understand the new way of seeing the world and their trials and tribulations.

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[1] Dogmatic Constitution on the Church,  Lumen Gentium, no 16

[2] Dr. Pittman, The Development of Youths, 1993, p. 8

[3] Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi Tradendae, no 39

[4] Catechesi Tradendae , no 64

[5] The Emmaus Encounter (Luke:

[6] Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gadium et Spes, no 31

[7] Pastoral Constitution, no 75