Question - What happens to our young people following Confirmation?
Answer - If we are honest, in terms of accompanying them in their continuing journey of Faith - often not a great deal!
This gives us pause for reflection. I would like to suggest some ways forward.
There are three important elements in working with young people, these are belonging, ownership and formation.
Belonging
Confirmation is, of course, a sacrament of initiation. How can we help young people to fully experience and live out this belonging in practical ways? I believe young people can feel that they belong to the parish community by being part of a peer group in the parish. That is to say, when young people can meet, chat and work with other similar young people. By experiencing belonging in their own group this can then develop into a sense of belonging to the parish generally.
Ownership
We must take seriously what we often say to young people recently confirmed, that they are grown up or adult members of the Christian community. We can do this by encouraging them to exercise leadership. Young people respond and rise to a challenge. I don’t think we ask enough of our young people.
Formation
Like the rest of us, young people are on a journey of Faith , continually in need of evangelisation and catechesis. From 13 to 16 young people may be moving from a received faith to a faith which they own for themselves.
How are they to grow in exercising the gifts of the Spirit which they have learned about as part of their confirmation programme, in the ordinary circumstances of their daily lives - home, school, their friends and other contacts? How are they to grow in a sense of mission to spread the reign of God?
In the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, paragraph 29, we read, "Training for the apostolate cannot consist only in being taught theory; on this account there is need, right from the start of training, to learn gradually and prudently, to see all things in the light of faith, to judge and to act always in its light, to improve and perfect oneself by working with others and in this way to enter actively in the service of the Church." (My emphasis)
Formation in this sense really means sharing. The young people share together their daily experiences and examine and reflect upon these experiences in the light of Faith before agreeing together how they should act or respond.
There are movements in which young people can grow in becoming modern day apostles. The Young Christian Workers and their IMPACT service (for 13 to 16 years). The Junior SVP, Youth 2000, the Focolare Gen to mention a few. These movements offer a wider perspective as they have a local, national and international dimension and vision.
Young people, I believe, appreciate being part of a wider experience of journeying in Faith. For example, diocesan events, summer camps and the world youth day.
Where does this lead us? A practical example would be as follows - invite those recently confirmed to form a YCW IMPACT group. The way in which the invitation is made is important. It must be done thoughtfully and in a way which appeals to the young people. There are two such groups in the deanery. There is a practical and up to date pack of discussion materials using the SEE JUDGE ACT approach quoted above. The young people are formed through enquiring into their day-to-day circumstances and key issues facing them as young people in the light of Christian teaching and through taking individual and group action. The group will elect their own leaders and through this experience a sense of belonging and ownership. They will experience formation as they journey towards a faith which is increasingly their own. Another way forward is to set up a youth management committee and there are written suggestions for this which come from the Southwark Catholic Youth Service. The SCYS also run St. Vincent’s, a retreat centre at Whitstable where there is a resident youth team.
This comes with a caution, however. There are no quick fixes or easy solutions. Any ongoing and serious ministry to young people involves adults with a gift for working with young people accompanying them with commitment on this journey of discovery. Leaders of uniformed groups will testify to the commitment involved. But what a ministry! What benefits for the young people - and for the parish community! Young people will take off and from their own group organise events and activities for their own age group and become involved in parish ministries and service.
When we see this happen, when we can see our young people fully involved in parish ministries and contributing to the life of the parish and living out their faith in their daily lives, then we can say that our young people are the Church of today and look forward with hope and confidence to the Church of tomorrow.
If you would like to contact me on any of these issues please write to me at St. Joseph’s College, Beulah Hill, London, SE19 3HL or ring 0777 5592984