PRESENTATIONFOR

VOCATIONFACILITATORS:

CHALLENGES FOR THE YOUTH OF

TODAY.

A PRODUCTION OF THE SISTERS OF

ST.CHARLES BORROMEO,BANGALORE.

2012

The society in which we live today is going through upheavals in every possible area that we can possibly imagine:

the value system, the capacity to commit oneself for life the ideal of spirituality, the concept of authority, learning to work together, respect for elders, sincerity in relationship, sacrifice in life etc.

The society in which we live today is going through upheavals in every possible area that we can possibly imagine:

the value system, the capacity to commit oneself for life, the ideal of spirituality, the concept of authority, learning to work together, respect for elders, sincerity in relationship, sacrifice in life etc.

The society has become a predominately,

fragmentary, chaotic and a fluid one, giving rise to a

value system that is ambivalent and pluralistic.

There is a refusal to accept time tested belief

system which gave meaning and significance

to society.

YOUTH / PEOPLE ARE CAPTIVATED BY THE

IDEOLOGICAL CURRENTS SUCH AS

MATERIALISM, SECULARISM AND

TECHNOLOGY WHICH QUITE SWIFTLY ERODE TRADITIONAL VALUES AND SUFFOCATE THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE

HUMAN SPIRIT.

THE GREATEST CHALLENGE THAT THE YOUTH FACE TODAY IS THE QUESTION OF FAITH. TODAY MORE THAN EVER FAITH IS UNDER ATTACK FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES

POPULAR LITERATURE.

NEW MOVEMENTS.

SECTS BELIEVE THAT ‘GOD’ IS NO LONGER NEEDED TO EXPLAIN THE MYSTERIES OF LIFE.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ARE IDOLS.

BUSINESS HAS TAKEN PRIORITY OVER LIFE. EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIFE HAS BEEN MONETIZED. THINGS THAT WERE FREE LIKE WATER AND AIR HAVE NOW BECOME COMMERCIAL COMMODITIES. PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER HUMAN BEINGS IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD BUT RATHER ARE UTILIZED IN THE MARKET PLACE, AUCTIONING THEIR SKILLS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. WORK IS NO LONGER A CALLING BUT RATHER A MEANS TO EARN A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF MONEY.

THERE IS GROWING

FUNDAMENTALISM,

TERRORISM, VIOLENCE,

CRIME,

WAR,

ETHNIC GROUPS.

THE NEXT CHALLENGE IS INDIVIDUALISM. SOME REFUSE TO GET INTO THE MAINSTREAMS OF LIFE AND JOIN HANDS WITH PEOPLE. SOME REFRAIN FROM MAKING EFFORTS TO UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE OF OTHER PEOPLE. HELP YOUTH TO REACH OUT TO THE OTHERS BY INVITING THEM TO PROGRAMMES DURING FESTIVALS. THEREBY PROMOTING FELLOWSIP AND COMMUNAL HARMONY

NONE OF US CAN LIVE ALONE AND BE HAPPY. THERE IS SO MUCH SELFISHNESS IN THIS GLOBALISED WORLD. WE BELONG TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. THE VALUES OF THE KINGDOM HAVE TO BE HELD HIGH. THE YOUTH TODAY NEED WITNESSES NOT MERELY TEACHERS.

THE GREATEST AND THE PRECIOUS VALUE THAT THE PARENTS USED TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN WAS FAITH. BUT IT IS NOT JUST THE SAME NOW. ON THE CONTRARY THEY TRY TO GIVE THE BEST THINGS IN THE WORLD. PARENTS DO NOT MIND SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS /NON-CATHOLIC SCHOOLS, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF PRESTIGE. “NO” IS A LOVE WORD. BUT PARENTS HESITATE TO SAY IT. THERE IS NO RULE THAT THEY SHOULD ALWAYS SAY “YES” TO ALL THAT THEY ASK FOR.

ANOTHER CHALLENGE IN THE GLOBALISED WORLD IS THAT YOUTH / PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY FOR GOD. THEY ARE RESTLESSLY SEARCHING FOR PEACE AND LOVE.

DO WE TAKE THE YOUTH AND PEOPLE TO GOD? ARE WE THE POINTERS AS ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST?

ARE WE THE TORCH BEARERS OF CHRIST?

THE NEXT CHALLENGE WE HAVE TO FACE IN THIS BROKEN WORLD IS – INCREASED DIVISION BETWEEN THE POOR AND THE RICH.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE IS SEEN MORE IN ABSENCE RATHER THAN IN PRACTICE.

LIFE HAS BECOME A POWER STRUGGLE, THIS IS REFLECTED IN ACQUIRING MORE AND MORE MONEY AND MARTIAL ASSETS, EVEN IF IT MEANS DESTROYING THE ENVIRONMENT.

LET THE GARBAGE PILE UP, AND THE LAKES AND THE

RIVERS BE POLLUTED AND THE AIR BECOME POISONOUS, AS LONG

AS EVERYBODY IS MAKING MONEY. IN

FACT ONE IS NOT EVEN INTERESTED IN CARING ABOUT THE

DIGNITY OF A HUMAN BEING.

TODAY HUMAN BEINGS HAVE BECOME ALIENATED, PEOPLE HAVE BECOME OBJECTS TO BE USED (MURDER, RAPE) FOR ONE’S OWN BENEFITS AND THROW AWAY. THIS HAS BECOME EVERY DAY’S NEWS.

EVEN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS LIKE MARRIAGE HAVE BOILED DOWN TO TEMPORARY CONTRACTS INVOLVING SETTLEMENT OR “LIVE-INS” WHERE EACH PARTNER HAS ALL THE RIGHTS AND NO RESPONSIBILITIES.

THERE IS NO COVENANT OR COMMITMENT LEFT IN THE RELATIONSHIP. NATURALLY THE FAMILY IS NO LONGER THE BASIC UNIT OF SOCIETY.

COSAF

ALL RELATIONSHIPS WHETHER WITH GOD, OR OURSELVES,, OUR NEIGHBOURS OR THE ENVIRONMENT LIE IN TATTERS?

WE NEED TO GET BACK TO BASICS. WE NEED TO RENEW OUR FAITH IN GOD AND HIS BELOVED SON AND FORGIVE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ORDER TO EXPERIENCE TRULY LOVING RELATIONSHIPS BASED ON OUR CONCERN FOR THE GROWTH OF ONE ANOTHER AND THE WHOLE LIFE.

QUESTION 1• HOW CAN WE BEAR WITNESS

TO THE KINGDOM VALUES IN THE PRESENT WORLD?

QUESTION 2

• HOW CAN WE ASSIST YOUTH/LAITY TO BUILD THE REIGN OF GOD IN THE PRESENT WORLD?

QUESTION 3

• WHAT MEANS WILL YOU USE AS VOCATION FACILITATORS TO TAKE YOUTH /LAITY TO GOD?

Top Vocation Web Sites

Vocation Boom (www.vocationboom.com):•Best new resource on Priesthood•Launched within the year and still growing Catholic Religious Vocation Network: Vision (http://www.vocation-network.org/):•A time-tested resource for priestly and religious vocations•Vocation Match is an excellent way to help you discern•Listings of Orders and Dioceses and opportunities for visits and retreats Institute on Religious Life (www.religiouslife.com):•Diverse resources for vocation discernment•Valuable links to religious communities

LifeTeen (www.catholicyouthministry.com):Great resource for youth and young adult ministry National Religious Vocation Conference (www.nrvc.net):The 2009 Vocation Study is worth noting for its insights.

National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors

(www.diocesanpriest.com):

A map of the United States with information on all of the diocesan vocation offices

 

Diocese of Columbus (www.SeekHoliness.com):

Good video and blog section

 

Family Vocations Ministry (http://www.familyvocations.org/):  

COME AND SEE! WELCOME VOCATION FACILITATORS

SISTERS OF ST. CHARLES BORROMEO