Youth at the Center of our Call to Mission

Last year I took an on-line course “Saint Eugene de Mazenod. The historical background, life, and the key aspects of his spirituality, charism and mission” offered by the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX with Fr. Frank Santucci, OMI as a teacher and facilitator.

Studying the life of St. Eugene de Mazenod and his ways of approaching the youth of his time, have given me an insight and confirmation of the principles of today’s Mission With Youth. Particularly I see the importance of accompanying young people, forming the core group that would become a leaven and the approach of human – Christian – saints pedagogy.

In my Oblate life and ministry I’ve been blessed with many opportunities to journey with the young people. The reality of life and challenges of young people of today are not much different than of those post French Revolution. Of course the circumstances would be different but the influence of society of secularism and relativism is real.

I’ve personally witnessed how St. Eugene’s vision for the mission with youth was being actualized in today’s journeys with young people. I had an opportunity a number of times to travel with high school students to the Dominican Republic for a mission trip. The D.R.E.A.M.S. (Dominican Republic Education and Medical Support) program, is an immersion project in the Ocoa region and is coordinated by ADESJO (Organization for the Development of the People of San Jose de Ocoa). The missionary groups live in the remote villages in the mountains, helping out with the projects such as building a house, school or laying down the pipes to bring water to the communities. In reality this is much more about than just building a house. It’s mostly about building relationships with the local people but as well within the group itself.

For our young people it is truly a human experience, gives them a sense of belonging, and brings forward the inner goodness of the young hearts. St. Eugene knew about the importance of basic human development for the youth as a first step towards sainthood. Young people live, eat, and work together, but as well share their experience with others. For many it is an eye-opening encounter when they see happiness and joy in the midst of physical poverty. This mission experience helps them to touch the core of what it means to be human. Alec, one of the participants summed it up, “While building a house, we were to connect with the Dominicans in a way that had nothing to do with words, but everything to do with heart. The complete and unconditional love given freely and joyfully by the people of the campo and the sisters at the convent showed us what it means to be fully alive.”

Every other year university students from the United States gather for SEEK, a Catholic youth conference. I had an opportunity to attend a couple of them and was struck by the significant number of young people passionate about their faith, living it out and witnessing to others. Seeing 17,000 university students gathered for a religious conference, I wondered what the “secret formula” was to inspire so many young people in such a secularized environment.

The conferences are organized by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, “a Catholic collegiate outreach whose mission is to share the hope and joy of the gospel with college and university students, inspiring and equipping them for a lifetime of Christ-centered evangelization, discipleship and friendships in which they lead others to do the same.” (please see www.focus.org) Their approach to ministry with young adults is win – build – send. It begins with developing authentic friendships (win), through the healthy relationships forming disciples of Jesus Christ (build) who will become missionaries themselves (send). In principle it’s about forming missionary disciples. In my opinion this kind of approach echoes St. Eugene’s concept of human – Christian – saints formation. It also forms a core of young people who become leaven within the university campuses and in the world. Making a difference from the inside out.

However, mission trips, youth conferences and special events are only the Tabor moments of the young people’s journey of faith. The most important mission with youth happens on day-to-day basis. In my experience the spiritual direction, confessions and so often just ordinary conversations with the youth, bring the opportunity to mentor and accompany them on the journey of life; first addressing their human needs, introducing them to Christ and encouraging the missionary discipleship. “Young people are looking for companions on the journey, to be embraced by faithful men and women who express the truth and allow young people to articulate their understanding of faith and their vocation. Such people do not need to be models of faith to imitate, but instead living testimonies to witness.” (Synod of Bishops, XV Ordinary General Assembly, “Young People, The Faith And Vocational Discernment”, Pre-Synodal Meeting Rome, 19-24 March 2018, Final Document No. 10)

Reflecting on the life of St. Eugene, learning his approach to ministry with youth and through my own personal experience, I can see the value and continuing relevance of his approach. The accompaniment on the journey, formation of the core group of missionary disciples and human – Christian – saints pedagogy remain guiding principles in the Oblate Mission With Youth. Indeed “The missionary heritage we have received from Saint Eugene clearly puts youth at the center of our call to mission.” (Acts of the 36th General Chapter (2016) Evangelizare Pauperibus Misit Me Pauperes Evangelizantur No. 18)

By Jarek Pachocki, OMI