Youth, the Hope of the Church?

It is often said that society needs to listen to younger people, a claim that is treated as some sort of philosophical or ethical premise that is obviously and always true. In the modern Christian context, this claim is sometimes bolstered by a sense that the young are the “hope” of the Church, and that by listening to their concerns and insights the Church will retain them as members and march forward into the next generation of humanity. But there’s obviously something off about this – Christ himself is the hope of the Church and has remained so throughout the ages, both in Christian ages and apostolic ages.

The notion that the youth are the hope of the Church and should thus be listened to in all cases stands in stark contrast to the phrasing attributed to previous generations, that “children should be seen and not heard.” As with so many things in life, the golden mean is somewhere between these two extremes. While it’s true that the wisdom accumulated with age and experience can sometimes give way to inadaptability (or even senility), it’s also true that the idealism and fervor of youth can sometimes give way to impulsivity and rashness. So how are we to understand what it means to listen to young people properly?

Perhaps it can be said that it behooves those who are in decision-making and forming positions to listen to those who are young and to authentically hear the range of needs and thoughts expressed by those who yet need formation. But that’s the key: it is a listening in order to help and form. This sort of listening isn’t based upon paying lip-service to the next generation, but instead is founded upon a true care for and investment in young people.

At the close of this World Youth Day, the Church remembers that it has a treasure trove of insights provided by God himself and illuminated by our forebears in the faith. While it needs to “read the signs of the times” to relate the faith well, a lack of confidence in the message will be repulsive to those who are truly looking for something deeper than the flavor of the day.

On a different note: For some reason, historians of Nazi Germany have neglected to read Catholic books banned by the Nazis. This a lacuna (i.e., gap) in their understanding of their subject. These books could also offer Catholics insights into the nature of the Church itself, something that is often obscured when our attention is drawn to scandals.

Paul Simon – not of Simon and Garfunkel fame – is one such overlooked author. A professor of Catechesis in Tübingen, Simon was deeply involved in the ecumenical movement and was especially focused on drawing his readers’ attention to the true nature of the Church, which is not humanitarian, but is concerned solely with leading people to Christ. In this way, the Church’s institutions – such as hospitals, schools, and soup kitchens – are not ends in themselves, but means to the Church’s ultimate end.

The Church is made up of ordinary, vulnerable, broken people. We must give proper attention to addressing scandals in the Church, but remind ourselves that evil can only be overcome through a deeper life in Christ.

A Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Goa (in India) was granted “anticipatory bail” this week after multiple criminal complaints were filed against him for saying that a seventeenth-century Hindu king is not a god. The densely populated Goa region in southwest India has long boasted a large Catholic population which is nevertheless diminishing over time due to emigration and immigration patterns.

A Catholic author proposes the sincerity test for social and political movements (as well as individuals): what are some indications that people believe truly their positions will benefit humanity?

In our apathy-filled culture, many around us are indifferent to the most pressing questions of human life – in fact, we may even recognize this in ourselves. How can Christians respond to such indifference?