Pope Benedict's wisdom about the needs of parish and youth

I was directed by Amy Welborn's blog to a blog entry in Papa Ratzinger Forum that translated the Pope's talk with Italian priests. There are some great words of wisdom about parishes and about youth ministry. In this excerpt, he was asked about an integrated model of parish life where the laity works with the priests and here he sums ups his answer:

Now let me go on to the second aspect of parish ministry, which concerns both the workers as well as the work they do. The parish priest obviously cannot do everything! That is impossible. He cannot be a 'solo player' who does everything, but he needs other pastoral workers. Today, I think, whether through the new movements or through Catholic Action or through the new communities, we have workers who should be collaborators with the parish in an integrated ministry. It is important for this integrated ministry that other pastoral workers should not only be 'activated' but should be integrated into the work of the parish.

The parish priest must not only "do" but also "delegate." Those who work with him must learn to truly integrate themselves in the common tasks of the parish as well as in the auto-transcendence of the parish itself in a double sense: first, that the parishes collaborate within the diocese, because the Bishop is their common pastor and can help coordinate their tasks; and second, in that they are really working for all men, and should seek to bring the Christian message even to agnostics and to persons who are in search. And this is the third level about which we have spoken earlier rather diffusely.

The occasions I have indicated give us the chance to meet and to say missionary words to those who rarely go to church, and those who have little or no faith. Above all, these new pastoral workers and Catholic lay professionals should be able to bring the word of God even into those circles which are usually inaccessible to the parish priest. Coordinated by our Bishops, let us seek to integrate these different sectors of pastoral work, to activate the different pastoral workers in the common task: on the one hand, to strengthen the faith of believers who constitute a great treasure, and on the other hand, to bring the message of the faith to all those who are seeking with a sincere heart a satisfactory answer to their existential questions.

What an amazing answer. The laity and the priest working together with the Bishop at the lead to do the work of God through deeds and words. Yes, the laity if embolden by the Bishops and priests can get to areas that the clergy would have a hard time getting to and that is our work places, our non-church
going neighbors and family members. I know that my pastor encourages lay people to do God's work and to preach the Gospel to all we encounter - not so sure about the diocesan level action in this regard. Let us pray that the Bishop can encourage more of this and to have people from all parishes working together and not separately where we burn out by overdoing and get disappointed in the low numbers at work in our lone parish.

Youth Ministry
The Pope has similar words to say for the youth. The priest in charge of Youth Ministry asks Pope Benedict these questions:

How can it be possible for a priest today to show a preferential attitude for the youth in an already overcrowded pastoral agenda? How can we serve young people on the basis of their values instead of 'using' them for our own purposes?

Here is the Pope's response. I want to say right off that this has been my idea also in both Youth ministry and Young Adult Ministry, it is hard to get any traction with the Youth in the small numbers at a parish, but getting the youth together in the diocese and we have a force to be reckoned with and a size that will even convince the most skeptical teen. The pope answers:

I think that in this matter precisely is where we must exercise an integrated ministry because not every parish priest really has the time to occupy himself enough with young people. So we need a ministry that transcends the limits of the parish and even the limits of the priest's work. A ministry that of necessity must involve many workers. It seems to me that, under the coordination of the Bishop, a way should be found, on the one hand, to integrate the youth into the parish, so that they can be the ferment for parochial life; and on the other hand, to find extra-parochial persons who can work with them. Both should go together.

t must be suggested to our youth that they can integrate themselves into the life of the diocese, not only in parish work but in other contexts which ultimately point them back to their parishes. One must favor all initiatives in this direction. I think that the concept and experience of volunteer work is very important. Young people should not be left merely to indulging their diversions, but they should be given tasks in which they see that they are needed, in which they have a sense of doing something good for others. If they feel this impulse to do something good for humanity, for someone, for a group, then they will have a reason to involve themselves and will even find their own positive way of getting involved, their own expression of the Christian ethic. It is very important that they find tasks that need their involvement, that enable them to render positive service inspired by Christ's love, so that they themselves will look for the sources they can draw on to find the strength and the commitment for these services.

Another worthwhile experience for them are prayer groups, in which they learn to listen to the Word of God, to learn the Word of God precisely in their situation as young people, and to enter into contact with God. This means they should learn to take part in the common forms of prayer, the Liturgy, which initially may seem quite inaccessible to them. It would be useful to have classes in liturgy, which they can attend. This way they will learn that the Word of God seeks us out and speaks to us today even after so long a time [since Christ lived on earth], that we bring the fruits of the earth and our work to the Lord and we find them transformed into gifts of God, that we speak like children to our Father and in turn, we receive the gift of Himself. We receive the mission of going forth into the world with the gift of His Presence.

At the same time, it is useful to have special occasions during which the young people can present themselves in performance. I heard that recently here in Albano, there was a theatrical presentation on the life of St. Francis. To be involved in something like this means to enter into the person of St. Francis, into his time, and therefore, to widen one's own personality. This is just an example, and perhaps rather singular. It could be an occasion to educate oneself further, to appreciate the context of Christian tradition, to reawaken the thirst to know better what sources this saint drew from.

I agree with the Pope's ideas, we need to get the Youth involved and we don't have the resources in most parishes to do it right, it needs to be handled at a
diocesan level , at least with the main leadership, then the Parish Youth Ministers can just be funnelers to lead them to the diocese in regards to doing volunteer work, to get together for prayer and to do christian performances. I was just talking with another lay minister about this a few weeks ago, he was advocating a diocesan-wide evangelization work with the youth and young adults to get them to a deeper and more personal relationship with Jesus and I said that is great, but there is also a need for smaller parish groups to be catechists to the youth and young adults so they can learn their faith that can go along with the relationship with Jesus. This is exactly what the Pope is suggesting here also, the need for parochial youth ministry and also for diocesan level youth ministry. This can be done, it justs needs the right type of leaders that are on fire for the Lord and are open to God's graces and can surround themselves with workers that will handle all the nuts and bolts that these types of programs demand - one person can not do this all by themselves, not a parish youth minister and not a diocesan Youth Ministry leader. I pray that these words of the Pope may go out to all the dioceses in the world and that the bishops will act on them and enkindle the youth. It will keep alive the future leaders of the Church at an earlier age and will spark vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Long live Papa Ben.