austraLasia 1064
GC23 revisited or, new wineskins needed,
fast!
LOS ANGELES: 4th March 2005 -- The following
is less a case of 'news' and more by way of reflection, but its topic and its
freshness will be of general interest. The complete article in the its
original wording is available from the homepage of Bosconet at www.bosconet.aust.com It is by Fr John
Roche, a Salesian much experienced in youth ministry, currently at St John Bosco
High, Bellflower Ca. Below is a condensed version.
GC23 referred to discernment of a life
vocation as 'the crowning moment in the journey of faith' for a young
person. The Salesian accompanying the young is called to be intentional
about this journey and point of arrival. But are we intentional and are we
accompanying the young on a journey of faith?
HAPPY POSTCARDS
In our contact with the young we may be all
too busy (e.g. school) focusing on the moment and the person presently in view,
to imagine following up a young person's journey beyond formal connection with
us. The 'crowning moment' may be outside our purview, beyond the horizon
of our influence and our interests, and if this is the case then we are not
accompanying the young along their journey of faith. They may take with
them happy postcards of these moments...but rarely are these young people taking
Salesianity and the adult spirituality of Francis de Sales into their adult
lives.
PIED PIPERS
There was a time when the point of arrival
was a program...perhaps even a high school seminary program! Long
gone. Single programs, single persons are pied pipers of the past.
But what was key then is still key now - relationships. Past pied pipers were
successful when a group of youngsters made a move together. They still
want to do whatever they do today - together.
So we need to focus upon our authentic
relationships with the young, and our relationships need to extend beyond this
one phase of a young person's life.
DELIVERY SYSTEMS
A New York (Rochester) youth minister has
identified 25 distinct 'delivery systems' for youth ministry in the
diocese. These systems are intentional and sequential modes of delivering
the Gospel to the young at various stages of life's journey. What is
impressive here is the identification of the various stages, the needs of each
stage, the end-points, and it goes far beyond high school and formal attachment
to parish or school program. Overall the process is impressive too because
it recognises and works with separation, struggle and return, the maturing
phenomenon for most as they grow into adulthood [an aside: this 'condenser' now
writing used put it to parents in another fashion....your son/daughter has not
'left' the Church. They are simply 'on agistment', in another
paddock. Keep the grass green back at home, whatever you do!]
FAITH COMMUNITIES
A healthy vocation promotion calls upon
various members of the faith community along the way. This is why small
faith communities are a pre-requisite for the discernment of a vocation.
Goodbye Pied Piper, hello faith communities. and these communities need to
model the Church in its real form: lay, religious, young, old, sharing life,
questions, prayer.
NEW WINE SKINS
So, what are some new wine skins? (1)
Following up past pupils into their 'further study or other' years (2) Virtual
communities in high school years (3) an active faith community for intentional
discernment in ministry (4) Volunteer communities (5) Mixed communities (6)
Social action groups (7) lay vocation directors (8) intentional communities
(temporary) (9) clear vocational points of arrival for every
program.
______________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian
Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based
in Rome. Try also www.bosconet.aust.com and Lexisdb.
