Here are some interesting notes taken at the Meath Dioscesan Eucharistic Congress last October.
A workshop was given by Andrew O'Connell on Sharing faith with teenagers.
Andrew is the Communications Director of the Presentation Brothers. He is a columnist with "The Irish Catholic" newspaper and is a frequent contributor to other publications. He is also chairman of The Iona Institute. Last year he worked in London on the organisation of Pope Benedict's successful visit to the UK.
Question - How does one pass on the faith to teenagers? Answer - Mission impossible.
We are living in changing times. Theology has changed. In past times religion was driven by fear. Over the past 30 years there has been a decline in the sense of sin.
The word Adolesence when broken up into two words means ado meaning towards and lesence meaning sorrow. Teenagers are growing from innocence to hard adult times. There are no easy answers to rearing children in faith. When the man of the house does not practice then we are in trouble.
People are living on the internet. We are in a digital revolution. Its a bit like an iceberg. We only see the tip while underneath you have 90% culture changes in Ireland. The culture is militating against the faith. Friends are most important in young peoples lives.
Young people are happy as they are. They are nourished and supported by friends around them. If one is not in that circle of friends then their life is hell. Young people have a continuous partial attention, or CPA. This is a hyper drive of distraction and is addictive. Many people of the age of 24 are now suffering from burn out.
Young people want fame eg the X factor. It is an age of entitlement. People think they are entitled to things. With the use of skype, the far is becoming near and the near becoming far. Generation Y people is the norm.
Common assumptions made by adults are, young people today are searching for something. There is a hunger out there. Young people want Jesus and not the Church. People are spiritual but not religious. All these are false. Young people are happy the way they are.
The new religion is music, night clubs and the pub. These have all replaced the Church. The big story has collapsed. God is missing and not missed. The world and life is meaningful as it is. Lights and distractions are all over the heads of our young and blinds them by distraction to the bigger side of life. There is no asking questions anymore. Parents and adults need to nudge the young to ask questions on life. Where did we come from? etc.. The message out there is life is busy, life is fun, enjoy life, but there is more to life's great mystery.