VOCATION

Youth: Partners of Evangelisation

BY FR RAUL TABARANZA

AS THIS issue’s theme is ‘Youth’, I thought of writing something challenging for young people: “Youth: Partners of Evangelization.”  Many young people are in crisis, especially emotionally, spirituality, in their identity; with issues of neglect and abandonment, hunger for power and fame and a search for meaning in their lives. As a consequence, they direct their vitality to self-gratification.  Therefore, new ways of reaching out to the young ones are needed.  Evangelization is an important aspect of our ministry, a top priority in the culture of the youth, as we witness the decline of their conduct. 

Youth evangelization is weakening, yet we give up shepherding our young people.  God wants youth. He wants them to be fun-loving and fruitful and to help in rebuilding the Church. Evangelization is a spontaneous response from the heart, so we train our youth to become formators for themselves and for each other, to evangelize their fellow youth and to be partners in spreading the values of the Gospel.  Jesus has to be found once again in the midst of young people, for Jesus too is wearing the face of the youth. 

God wants youth. He wants them to be fun-loving and fruitful and to help in rebuilding the Church

Youths should be taught to become critical thinkers to respond to the ministry of evangelization.  St John Paul II, during the World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada, 23-28 July 2002, gave a message to the youth as the light and salt of the earth, inviting them to become fearless witnesses of the Gospel and to bear witness to its presence in our society. One of the main functions of salt is to season and preserve food and to give it taste and flavour. Youth, as the salt of the earth, are called to preserve the faith they have received and pass it on intact to others.  Light makes things visible. When the light fades or vanishes, we no longer see things as they really are.  The Pope challenged the youth: “To be watchmen and watchwomen of the morning, to announce the coming of the Sun, who is the Risen Christ.” 

In this way, young people who are deeply connected with love, strong in service and aware of their spiritual journey, will have the motivation and freedom to hear their calling and find their true vocation.

MISSION IS FUN

Kidnapped by baboons

BY Fr Konrad Nefzger MCCJ

Bro. Otto and Bro. Stang were busy building in Spelinyane, Mpumalanga.. One Sunday, they decided to visit the Game Reserve on foot. It was no problem in those days because there were no fences and Spelinyane was very near the Reserve, so off they went.

After some time, they came across a troop of baboons. One of the Brothers was foolish enough to throw a stone at them. The counterattack came immediately. Luckily for the Brothers, they were able to retreat into a cave and in this way shortened the line of defence.

The baboons besieged them, sitting in a circle and watching the two captives from a distance. The two had ample time to talk and to think while they waited for sunset. At last, the baboons decided to call it a victory and retreated. The prisoners were free to go, a bit wiser after the experience.

THE LAST WORD

Jesus and the rich young man (Mt 19:16-30)

BY Fr Silvano Fausti SJ | Biblist and writer

WHAT JESUS says to the rich young man in this text is not ‘evangelical advice’ for someone who wants to be a better person: it is the perfection that the Gospel of freedom offers to us all. A perfect, mature and complete person lives with everything as a gift received and given by God. With that attitude, he becomes a son or daughter and fulfils the command of loving others with the same love with which Jesus loved him/her.

God gives us different gifts: “Each one has his or her own gift from God” (1 Cor 7:7). Every gift is for the common good (1 Cor 12:7), a manifestation of a love which will never wane. Not all will live as Mother Teresa of Calcutta; but none of us can neglect to live, as we can, that love for the least that she so admirably witnessed.

For all, the way of life passes through poverty, humility and service. Possessions and wealth, pride and domination are the weapons with which the enemy keeps us in bondage. What refers to material goods, refers also to every other good: intellectual, moral and spiritual; they are all gifts received as children to be shared with others, for the common good.

The passage is divided into three parts: the need to be free from possessions in order to be a fulfilled person (vv. 16-22); wealth, real or desired, is not a help, but an impediment to entering the kingdom (vv. 23-26); the disciple is given this freedom in the present which opens up to his or her future (vv. 27-29). This is why many of the first will be last and vice versa (v. 30).

Jesus is the poor, the last and servant of all, because He is the Son (Phil 2:6-11). The Church follows Him, as the salt of the earth and light of the world (Mt 5.13ff); she receives her graces from Whom being rich became poor to enrich us with His poverty (2 Cor 8.9).

In verse 21: “if you want to be perfect”. ‘Perfect’ means ‘accomplished’. An unfinished action is ‘failed or imperfect’. The perfection of which Matthew speaks of is thus the necessary step to be truly a child of God (cf. Mt 5:48).

“Go, sell what you have and give it to the poor”. Goods, until they are shared with brothers and sisters distance us from the Father and the Son. We must remove what distances us from the God of life.

“You will have treasure in heaven”. Only then one has his/her heart where the treasure is.

“Then come, and follow me! “Whoever makes himself a brother or a sister, comes to the Son and follows His way. Giving to the brethren and following the Lord is the fulfilment of the command of love to God and neighbour.

In verse 22: “The young man went away sad; for he had many possessions”. His goods are still his possessions. He does not have them as blessings: he is cursed with them. He is not yet free: he is a slave to Mammon.

YOUTH VOICES • REVIVAL

Revival Begins with Me

The presence of the Holy Spirit, the protagonist of renewal of faith and mission, is often not sufficiently acknowledged in the spiritual life of Catholics. The charismatic experience which took place at the chapel of the University of Asbury, in Kentucky, USA, and which brought together thousands of faithful from all over the world united in prayer is an example of revival which we all long for

BY Jill Williams | Candidate Landscape Architect, Pretoria

REVIVAL SPARKS great debates amongst scholars due to its fluid nature. It is a refreshing, life-giving newness that emerges amongst the people of God and fuels further encounters with Him, for the glory of God. One such revival happened in February this year in a small chapel at the University of Asbury, in America (Griffith, 2023). Over a period of two weeks, more than fifty thousand people flocked there and people from various denominations experienced what is now regarded as one of the greatest revivals in this region (Griffith, 2023). According to Dr Mary Healy (Divine Renovation Ministry, 2023), there were some people in Asbury who prayed for decades for a revival to happen and when God began to move, there was good stewarding of the Holy Spirit—a willingness to let Him come and stay there. This required support from the student administration to accommodate this move, especially in the first few days of the revival.

Attend any Charismatic or Pentecostal church and you will hear some or other reference to revival, whether someone asks for it in prayer, or talks about the need for it in their city or nation. With revival not being specifically mentioned in the Bible, the average person would probably think that this is a relatively new trend in the Church. Revival is, however, not something new. In the Catholic Church, one would hear “Come Holy Spirit, Come” in some prayers, as well as in the “Golden Sequence” Veni Sancte Spiritus (“Come Holy Spirit”), Lord of Light, composed in the thirteenth century by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Cardinal Stephen Langton and still present in the missals today, for the Extraordinary form of Mass (Corrigan, n.d.).

Revival and Scripture

Revival is something God has been doing throughout history, from the very beginning of time. God spoke and things came to be in the earth and the heavens (Genesis 1, 2). He longed for communion with His creation and created Man specifically for this purpose. In this, we see the fruit of revival: a tangible manifestation of communion between God and His Creation. The Holy Spirit—the Power of Creation—is the first person of the Godhead that we meet in The Beginning, as we hear of the Spirit hovering over the waters (Genesis 1:1). Yet, it seems that we hear of the Holy Spirit very seldom throughout the Bible. People seem to know less about the Holy Spirit than the Father and the Son, yet the Holy Spirit has been assigned to us to be our constant companion since Jesus Ascended into Heaven.

There were some people in Asbury who prayed for decades for a revival to happen and when God began to move

Doesn’t that seem like an awkward first encounter in an arranged marriage? However, as is the case in some arranged marriages, the bride and groom are connected in some way—relationally, economically, and in this case, spiritually, before they are even born. So that first ‘meeting’ is the first tangible encounter with someone who has had an intangible connection with you for a very long time. Pentecost, the birth of the Church, can be seen as that “first meeting”. The people in Jerusalem experienced a new and fresh encounter with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, through the encounter a few disciples had in the heights of the Upper Room—revival.

The two Pentecost events

Pentecost has its roots in the Jewish feast of Shavuot or “First Fruits”, which is celebrated fifty days after the Jewish Passover (which coincides with Easter). Pentecost also coincides with the time when it is believed that Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai from God. Rich Robinson (2021) draws links between the two events. The people saw fire: the Israelites saw this falling on Mount Sinai, with smoke proceeding from it, and the disciples saw tongues of fire resting on each person’s head. In both events, they heard a sound: the sound of thunder and trumpet blasts at Sinai, and the sound of a mighty rushing wind in the Upper room. In both cases, they also felt something: The Mountain trembled and the room where the disciples were in, shook. Another thing that is common between the two events is the fact that prayer, fasting, repentance and a deep longing for God’s promise to be fulfilled, occurred in a place set apart from the rest of society.

One great difference between the two events is that the Israelites did not receive the Holy Spirit to the same measure that Moses did, as he remained in a state of deep repentance, prayer and fasting, whereas the people grew weary in waiting and began to lose focus of God. They refused to hear from God (Exodus 20:18-21). Moses thus received God’s glory, so much so that his face was completely changed, requiring him to wear a veil to protect the people from the Power of God. The disciples in the Upper Room, however, were united in their pursuit of God, knowing that Jesus had assured them of the Holy Spirit’s coming, and received Him so much so that they were able to translate this Glory to the people in the streets of Jerusalem (Acts 2:1-12). In the first event, the Law was given and brought judgment upon the people. In the other, Grace was given and brought life and freedom to them.

As Youths, we sometimes feel stifled in Church with few ‘real’ encounters with God, compared to what is experienced in Charismatic churches. The feast of Pentecost should definitely not be the only day in the Liturgical Calendar when the Holy Spirit is celebrated and spoken of in parishes. This will result in a people who are nonchalant to the daily beckoning of the Spirit of God, which is dangerous because little are the nudges of the Holy Spirit. It is in the littleness that we are able to ascend on the elevator of God’s Grace to His heart, as St Therese of Lisieux relates (Philippe, 2012). We must, however, refine our passion by passing it through the fire of the Spirit: prayerfully waiting on God. The temptation is to run and do what we think is best, but this must be placed under the authority of God for the best results. The Holy Spirit should be allowed to have His way, as Revival is something that only God can do (Divine Renovation Ministry, 2023).

Missionary Thrust

The atmosphere of prayer and repentance, coupled with a deep sense of longing for God were the main ingredients which sparked the Asbury Revival. Healings, miracles and deliverance from demonic bondages happened there, according to Dr Healy (Divine Renovation Ministry, 2023). She draws this back to the Great Commission where Jesus said that the clothing of Power from on High is what is necessary for the mission to happen (Matthew 28:16-20). Jesus allows us to be part of this when He says that where two or more are gathered in His name, He is present (Matthew 18:20). How much more two or more gathered in deep prayer and with a repentant heart will set the scene for God’s action. Lasting change is given birth through this action, which we are invited to be part of. The miracle of the languages that occurred on Pentecost (Catholic Church, 2011, no. 118), for example, required the disciples to be open to the Holy Spirit and to receive the gift of Speaking in Tongues. From the moment of this miracle, till eternity, we all are able to commune with God personally, in a heavenly language that breaks ethnic, cultural, historical, denominational and geographical boundaries.

The Holy Spirit has been assigned to us to be
our constant companion since Jesus Ascended
into Heaven.

We are an important part of the act of Revival because the Holy Spirit dwells within us. Any moment is an opportunity for revival to happen. We can experience it on a personal or communal level, from the depths of our being to the farthest corners of the universe. So, come Holy Spirit, come. Veni Sancte Spiritus.

FRONTIERS • AFRO YOUTH PASTORAL MINISTRY

A LIBERATION JOURNEY

Mexican Comboni Brother Joel Cruz shares his experience of pastoral accompaniment of the Afro-Ecuadorian (Afro) people, particularly the youth, as they journey towards their integral liberation and the recovery of their identity

BY BRO. JOEL CRUZ MCCJ | GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR

WHEN I arrived as a missionary in Guayaquil, Ecuador, in 1997, many young Afro were grouping together on street corners, in vacant lots or abandoned buildings in our area. They seemed to be aimless groups, without purpose or raison d’être (reason for being). They were seen as a social problem, like criminals, that instilled fear in those who passed by them. They were labelled as evildoers because of the colour of their skin. When they were seen together on public transport, in the streets, in parks or shopping malls, the police would immediately come to watch over them and people would move away from them.

The path of imitation

Society was unaware of the harm it was inflicting with those attitudes and the effect on these young people who, in various ways, felt that they were not considered human beings or equal to those who did not wear the colour of Africa on their skin. They suffered urban pressure to abandon their human, spiritual and cultural roots and to root themselves in a history, religiosity, spirituality and culture which was not their own. This feeling of being foreigners, even though they were Ecuadorians, forced them to follow the path of imitation to be accepted as ‘normal’ citizens and to have access to the opportunities of citizens who were not of African descent.

Imitation is the way of not being oneself, but being the ‘other’, whether freely or obligatorily. This reality of the youth made me think of a pastoral approach which could add support to being oneself, to authenticity, in the originality planned by God Himself. The Afro Youth Pastoral Ministry was then born.

The key that opened the door to the process of liberation of the young Afro was street conversations, where they gathered

Its starting point was the realization of not being oneself, just as the slaves in Egypt (book of Exodus) were deemed to be not people, not human, not worthy, not citizens, but what the emperor and the imperial society dictated for them. The key that opened the door to the process of liberation of the young Afro was street conversations, where they gathered. Starting from the book of Exodus, I began to insert the history of their ancestors, testimonies whose lights and shadows led to their present situation.

History as Gospel

The young Afro-Ecuadorians I met did not want to look at themselves because they were told, and learned by experience in society and the Church, that being black was not good, but a personal and social problem, which did not give one the dignity which a non-black person had. They were convinced that everything which portrayed African roots had to be abandoned; they despised themselves, as is reflected in this phrase: ‘I’m bad, you’re good. I want to be the ‘other’, to look like those who are more valued in the Church and in society’.

As missionaries, we believe that the Word of God has the power to transform a tragic story into a sacred one before which ‘one must take off one’s shoes’, like Moses, so as not to trample on it and damage it. God was there, is there and will continue to be there, walking in that history which is not ours. Our mission is to help the Afro-descendants to dust off their tragedy so that they can see the Gospel and become aware of their divine originality and of that first dignity which comes from the very being of God. This is a long process because it is difficult to expel the demons (evil counsellors) which sowed negative convictions in them.

Minds chained to lies

It is not true that an Afro-descendant does not have the same human dignity as those who do not have African roots. This is a religious, social, cultural, and spiritual lie but the historical and socio-cultural demons with which they lived convinced them that this was true. History convinced them that their roots were entrenched by the slavery of their ancestors and that, therefore, they had the last place in society and in the Church. That is why their minds were chained to ‘I can’t, I don’t know, I don’t have and I am not taken into account’.

This mental chain was imposed on the experience of the slaves who had no power, who were denied knowledge, who could not own anything, not even their own body, let alone have a say in their decisions, even about their own life. Dependence became the face of their existence.

I began to understand my role as a missionary among them, following the pattern of Moses: to leave the fortresses of the empire and the Pharaonic religion, to convince the ‘slaves’ that their condition is neither worthy nor pleasing to God, to teach them to dream of a different reality (Promised Land), to encourage them to set out on the road following a new horizon: more dignified, fraternal, just, more human and more divine.

Feeling sent

The time I spent walking with the Afro-Ecuadorians made me understand that their pastoral journey does not end when they recover their dignity and have better opportunities in the Church and in society. The final aim is to make them feel sent to share their being, their spirit and their experience of God, namely, to be missionaries in a world marked by negativity, discrimination, exclusion and diminished dignity. Someone who experiences all this, personally and collectively, and reads this experience, seeking the Gospel in it (the Good News), is better equipped to accompany those who are religiously and socio-culturally marginalized. The process that we call the Afro-Biblical Way aims to rebuild their image and likeness of God, the one that history, theology, philosophy, sociology and pastoral care itself have destroyed in different ways and for different reasons. It is a road that must be travelled from their history, not ours.

The road travelled with the Afro in Ecuador taught me that evangelising means helping people to turn their gaze to their history, a pilgrimage in time and space, in flesh and spirit, with many why’s, what for’s and how’s that the evangeliser must capitalise on to make the Afro-descendants understand that their skin is not a colour, but a history full of lights and shadows, and that in the end, it is the Gospel that God has for them.

This evangelical approach to their history caused pain, anger and rage, opening historical, socio-cultural and religious wounds which had not yet been healed, but a missionary has to help them to see the light that shines in the midst of the shadows of society, of the Church, of their reality and that this history—seen as a tragedy—should be seen and lived as Gospel (Good News).

I witnessed how they rediscovered their history, took up their palenques, their social, religious and political runaways, began to pick up the clothes of slavery of their ancestors and understand their deep mechanisms of resistance. The spirit of fortitude of their ancestors was lifted and they put it back on, but now with dignity to make their existence and their being visible; what was a source of shame and inferiority, became strength, richness and greatness for a new identity in society, in the Church, dressed with pride and freedom.

Understanding that God is also black

It took me 13 years of journeying with the Afro-Ecuadorians to help them approach their history and experience from the perspective of the Gospel. I witnessed how they discovered and accepted that God was not only close but that He became flesh in them and they were able to say that God is also black. That is how they understood that to be of African descent is to be a human being as worthy as God, and that is why negative complexes had no reason to exist.

Evangelisation among the Afro-Ecuadorian is not complete if we remain only in their experience of slavery as roots and origin. Their roots go beyond the memory of their flesh and spirit which speak of a hidden, unconscious, rejected, unknown source, of a theological, human, spiritual place, a place which does not always want to be reached: Africa; a place—socially shown—as being of human, spiritual, economic and cultural destitution, often rejected, denied and hidden. This is very painful and, even if one knows the Gospel and finds God in one’s history marked by slavery, if one does not rediscover and reconcile oneself with Africa, liberation will never be possible.

A journey of return

This anthropological, social, religious, spiritual and cultural journey to the place where their ethical-mythical core is found, continues moving and governing them when they make drums, marimbas, maracas or when they listen to their sounds, and their body speaks to the society and the Church in a different spirit. This journey has to be done because otherwise, they will not encounter the face of God revealed to the Afro people. This treasure, which the world has the right to know and to be enriched by, will remain buried in the complexes which shackle the Afro. This journey makes possible to understand the mystery of the incarnation of God, who became a human being in black flesh, who thinks, feels, acts and looks at the human being and the world as black. This is the highest point of the evangelisation of the Afro and, therefore, of their pastoral care.

Their skin is not a colour, but a history full of lights and shadows, and that in the end, it is the Gospel that God has for them

Certainly, this journey of return to Africa is not made to remain there, but to return enriched, more ‘black’, more strengthened, more original, more unique and only in this way will they truly be a richness for society and the Church. Otherwise, they will be lost in anonymity, in social and ecclesial invisibility.

Helping to put on African clothes

When the Afro abandons the dress of a slave, which he presented as his own, and begins to put on African attires, the evangeliser can say that everything is accomplished, because the rest belongs to the Afro. It is up to them to insert themselves as human beings—with riches that come from afar which this society and this Church need, in order to grow in spirit and truth. When one reaches this point, there are no more reasons for demands, one doesn’t want to be more than that human being that God has created in diversity; not someone else, but the black man that God made with His hands. Universal fraternity becomes the visible face of those who share what is their own with other fellow human beings who are different from them.

Dressing in African clothes is not something superficial or folkloric, but theological and spiritual, which becomes the motor of a new existence and co-existence. Diversity becomes richness and not a threat or competition. The Our Father is prayed in fraternal co-existence with those who are different, sharing differences.

The Afro Youth Pastoral Ministry entails accompanying human beings whose ancestors were uprooted from Africa and arrived with only their body and their memory. From that memory and corporeality, the missionary assists them in re-awakening, far from Africa, the human being that God formed with His hands—taken African soil and infusing His Spirit in it so as to become incarnate.

The Afro are not African, but they are also children of Africa. They must accept, recognise, digest, drink from that hidden well, far from the life of the Church, almost in hiding, because perhaps the Church has not always been able to see that in that flesh and in that spirit, the mystery of the incarnation was also realised. The Afro pastoral accompaniment must cultivate and safeguard this work of God in order to offer it to the world.

REFELCTIONS • YOUTH IN THE CHURCH

Youth, faith, and belonging

The Church can be positively shaped by the joy, energy, enthusiasm and faith which young people manifest. However, for this to happen the Church must listen to their dreams and make the effort to accompany them in their search for beauty, love and truth

BY Fabian Oliver | Youth Minister, Johannesburg

AFTER SEVERAL years of dedication as an altar server, then a youth leader, and currently as a youth minister, I can confidently say that the youth are the Church of today and the Church of the future. Thus, intentional pastoral accompaniment of the youth remains an imperative exercise at the heart of Church ministry. In this reflection, I would like to offer considerations on the importance of youth accompaniment through listening to their stories and understudying their context as an ecclesial practice. We will look at the importance of faith nourishment as the collective response to God’s invitation to love, beauty, justice, and truth. Finally, we will consider the role of true belonging as an authentic pastoral practice. We will look at how recent scenarios as well as biblical stories capture the essence of youth accompaniment.

In meeting youths in their spaces, we should ponder on what Jesus would say to them

Accompany and listen

The words accompany and listen were key themes highlighted in the final document of the Synod of Bishops (2018) on Young people, the faith, and vocational discernment. These are still important tenets of ecclesial practice, for if the Church wants to meet young people where they are, she must journey with them, witness Christ in their midst and allow herself to be shaped by the questions and stories they pose. It ought to not be one-sided, where the Church dictates and is not willing to be shaped by current questions. Put differently and in the words of the Jesuit superior general, Arturo Sosa SJ, the Church should “discern the signs of the times through the eyes of young people” (O’Connell 2018).

If the Church wants to meet young people where they are, she must journey with them

There seems to be courage in young people to voice their concerns to the Church no matter how controversial it may be. In the Synod on Youth, young people voiced various issues including treatment and inclusion of people who are LGBTQ+, abuse scandals in the Church, the lack of involvement of women in leadership positions, etc. This activism echoed from some youth in the Church, for example, insisting and protesting that women be given voting rights at the Synod on Youth. Dulle (2018) gives voice to the spirit of global activism which cries out for justice and equality. While others see this activism as a ploy for the Church to become more secular, or worldly and less godly (and even sinful), others see this as an opportunity for the Church to be more inclusive, in touch with science, and perhaps more sensitive to the Spirit of God that consistently calls us to transformation. We cannot forget that it was 15-year-old Greta Thunberg that brought global attention to the current climate crisis. It was 17-year-old Malala Yousafzai that brought global attention to women’s and children’s right to education.

The experiences of youth matter! How we then journey with them remains the ecclesial question. We need to allow them to tell their story. The creation of spaces to listen, engage, pray, have fun, challenge and be challenged are vital. This includes intentional ecclesial ministries, advocacies, training of lay people, and support. It may also mean a deliberate going out and meeting young people where they are. For it is Jesus who meets the Samaritan woman in her context, breaks ethnic and gender barriers, listens, and invites her to drink from the living water of God (Jn 4: 5–30). In meeting youths in their spaces, we should ponder on what Jesus would say to them. What would Jesus say to the millions of unemployed youths in South Africa? What would He say to the millions of youths who are poor, migrants, living in war-torn oppression? What would He say to those throttled because of their race, gender, or sexuality? What words of Jesus can we offer to youth who are increasingly feeling depressed, anxious, and suicidal?

Faith nourishment: a call to beauty

In my experience as a youth minister, there remains a universal quest for the real, for beauty, love, truth and something greater than ourselves. This quest is tantamount to the words of the Church Father, St Augustine, who noted that “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” I believe that part of the faith-nourishing of youth is the cultivation of spaces able to witness God’s beauty in creation; to witness the beauty of our Imago Dei of being made in the divine image; that all life is sacred, and we should live in that sacredness. Along with beauty, these spaces should be geared towards feeling God’s eternal love, to allow for self-realisation, that you are loved, to love yourself, and reflect on what it means to love God and creation. Along with beauty and love, there should be spaces geared towards speaking God’s truth and justice. These are spaces enhancing oneness with others, compassion, and solidarity to stand with others and to do what is right and just in God’s sight. Thus, the authentic desire for beauty, love, and truth, are tenets of faith nourishment that allow youth to live in God’s presence.

In our busy everyday lives coupled with many hardships and human suffering, many youths fall into despair, finding it hard to have faith in God (let alone come into the doors of the church). Here, I am reminded of the Gospel story of the road to Emmaus where after witnessing the death of Jesus, the disciples are walking in sadness and disappointment having had their hopes shattered. Then, suddenly, Jesus is with them even at their lowest moment, and after He breaks the bread with them, they realise Christ is alive! Their faith is restored, and they share this with others (Lk 24: 13–35). So too is the role of pastoral accompaniment—to witness Christ in our midst even at the most difficult moments.

In meeting youths in their spaces, we should ponder on what Jesus would say to them

A place of belonging: a testimony

If there is authentic listening, journeying with, and faith nourishing, then youth may find a place of belonging. During one of our youth nights, the youth and I found ourselves seated at the back of the church gazing upon the crucifix of Jesus. I asked the youth a rather bold question, ‘Why do you love the Church and more specificallz Jesus who is placed on that Cross?’ The culmination of their answers beautifully captured the essence of our faith as Christians. Some said that in Jesus they found someone who did not judge them, who does not discriminate against anyone and who will always be there no matter what they go through. Another said they love Jesus because He persevered no matter how difficult things got in His ministry, He stayed true to who He was. This, for them, is an inspiring reminder to stay true to who you are and to your purpose. Someone else said, ‘Through Jesus, the Church is a place where I found belonging. After struggling to find the right friends, in the youth group I feel like I belong, and that Jesus teaches us how to accept and love each other.’ These testimonies from the youth offer us a glimpse of how Christ is alive in our lives.Christ is not dead and out of touch with our realities. For the youth, Christ is personal and continues to move behind the scenes in the wonderful journey of their young lives.

PROFILE • BLESSED CARLO ACUTIS

A highway to Heaven

The life of Carlo Acutis, short and intense as it was, has revealed him as an icon and inspiration for Christians all over the world, particularly to the youth. His intimacy and closeness with Jesus, through the Blessed Eucharist, his use of digital means for evangelization and his jovial spirit in the face of the acute illness which led to his death, are some of the markings of a saint in the 21st century

BY Marian Pallister | Chair of Pax Christi Scotland
The Association of Friends of Carlos Acutis

HOW MANY of us, at whatever age we have reached, could confidently say “I’m happy to die because I’ve lived my life without wasting even a minute of it doing things that wouldn’t have pleased God”? Of course, the longer we live, the more opportunities we have to waste not just minutes but days and even years of our lives doing what would surely cause God to at least wince if not despair.

The young do also have a tendency to go off track: the Internet sometimes seems to have been specially designed to distract our children and lead them where we’d rather they didn’t go.

He was a boy of perfect and upright life, of extraordinary purity, generosity, goodness

However, for the youngster who so confidently said he hadn’t wasted any of his life doing things that wouldn’t have pleased God, the Internet was a source of good, the computer a device not only enabling him to encounter Christ but to introduce Him to others—teenagers searching for some meaning in their lives and finding it with the help of a contemporary, a kid, just like them.

Only Carlo Acutis wasn’t quite like them; isn’t quite like them. He died at the age of 15, happy at the thought of not having wasted a minute. Now he is on the road to sainthood.

Children have, of course, been made saints of the Catholic Church for centuries. Some are better known to the world than others, such as Francisco and Jacinta Marto who witnessed apparitions near Fatima in Portugal in the early 20th century and were canonised by Pope Francis in 2017.

Now this new youngster is on the way to sainthood and, perhaps because of his Internet skills, is already known internationally and acknowledged in shrines around the world. The Blessed Carlo Acutis was just 15 when he died from leukaemia in 2006. Beatified in October 2020, it would seem that he could be the first saint with very 21st century skills.

A miracle of healing

Certainly, it was the Internet that enabled the miracle that was recognised by the Vatican’s Medical Council of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Carlo lived in Italy. The miracle took place on the other side of the world in Brazil where a mother, because of her Internet searches, learned of him and asked for the intercession of Carlos Acutis on behalf of her sick son, Mattheus.

Mattheus suffered from a severe pancreatic condition that made eating difficult. His mother, Luciana Vianna, asked Carlo to intercede and then took Mattheus to a prayer service. When they went home, Mattheus was able to eat. His condition was cured. The miracle led to the beatification of his fellow teenager who had lived so far away, but connected so powerfully with the world during his time on earth and has continued to do so.

Carlo’s life and faith

Carlo was born in London in 1991. He was a May baby, and although his parents—Andrea Acutis and Antonia Salzano—were not a religious couple, they had their child baptised 15 days after his birth, on 18 May, in the church of Our Lady of Dolours in up-market Chelsea. In September of that year, the well-off couple took the new addition to their family back to their native Italy, where they lived in Milan.

Antonia’s father died in 1995, and the four-year-old Carlo said that he dreamed his grandfather asked him to pray for him. He began to show an interest in the Church, and it was his Polish babysitter who nurtured that curiosity. By the age of seven, he was asking if he could receive First Holy Communion. The family organised instruction and then he was granted his wish at the convent of Sant’Ambrogio ad Nemus.

It wasn’t long before he was attending daily Mass, making a weekly confession. He made his role models St Francis of Assisi, as well as the children who had become saints: Francisco and Jacinta Marto (the two Portuguese children who saw the apparitions at Fatima), St Dominic Savio, who died at the age of 14 and was canonised by Pope Pius XII in 1954, and St Bernadette Soubirous (the teenager who saw visions of Our Lady in Lourdes) who was canonised on 8 December 1933. It was almost as if Carlos knew that he would join these children.

Digital skills for evangelization

While there were no visions, Carlo certainly doesn’t seem to have been a run-of-the-mill little boy. Yes, he played the computer games of his day—but his computer skills seemed to go way beyond those of his peers. With the skills he displayed, he might have been headed towards being a Mark Zuckerberg, a Bill Gates or a Steve Jobs. Instead of writing codes that would make millions, however, Carlo created a website that catalogued every Eucharistic miracle in the world. In the Catholic Church, these usually consist of inexplicable phenomena, with consecrated Hosts changing into human tissue, surviving disasters such as fire, or lasting for decades or even centuries.

Beatified in October 2020, it would seem that he could be the first saint with very 21st century skills

The Church has recognised many Eucharistic miracles, and Carlo began his task at the age of eleven, completing it with a record of more than 130 in 2005. He also used his website to evangelize, following the intention of the Society of St Paul to use all forms of media to this end.

We could perhaps say he wasn’t your average schoolboy in other ways too. When his friends were bullied, he stood up to the bullies. When his friends were going through difficult times—perhaps the death of a relative or a divorce in the family—he would bring them home for comfort and advice.

Illness leading to death

Then he suffered a difficult time himself. A year after he had completed that catalogue of Eucharistic miracles, Carlo passed away. The 15-year-old had developed leukaemia, the blood cancer that can lead to a painful death. Patients bleed and bruise more easily due to the low levels of platelets (clot-forming cells) in the blood and they are more vulnerable to serious internal bleeding. Carlo would have been breathless and excessively tired, open to all sorts of infections.

He said to his mother at the very start of his hospitalisation that he wouldn’t be going home, but he told anyone who asked how he was, “There are people who suffer more than I do.” His mother, Antonia, has written a book about Carlos (The secret of my son Carlo Acutis, or, in the English version, My son Carlo: Carlo Acutis through the eyes of his mother) and in an interview in Aleteia, she said that even as a child, Carlo would say that he would always stay young. More remarkably, he said as a child that he would die ‘because a vein in his brain would break’. This is, in fact, what happened—and he also correctly forecast that he would die when his weight dropped to 70 kg.

Ready for Heaven

It is, however, the sanctity of the boy that makes him different. Antonia said, “Carlo was ready and ripe for Heaven. He was a boy of perfect and upright life, of extraordinary purity, generosity, goodness. We’ve never had the slightest doubt that he’s already in Heaven.”

She also shared in a statement given to the media ahead of the launch of her book, “This was his secret: he had a constant, intimate relationship with Jesus. He wanted everyone he encountered to have this kind of relationship as he did. He did not consider it to be something just for him. He was convinced that this relationship was accessible to all.”

It is easy to believe that Carlo has appeared to her in dreams saying that he would be beatified and later made a saint. Those of us who have experienced bereavement may also have dreamed of our loved ones. Less easy to explain away is that at the age of 44, Antonia gave birth to twins, four years to the day after Carlo’s death on 12 October 2006.

That catalogue of the Eucharistic miracles has become a travelling exhibition, organised by Bishop Raffaello Martinelli and Bishop Angelo Comastri.  They have enabled it to travel the world; as an inspiration not only to young people but also to us all; statues, memorials and even new parishes have been established in Carlo’s memory in different parts of the world. A life-sized statue was placed in Carfin Grotto in Scotland in 2022. Carlo’s website has been translated into 18 languages, and whether you live in Italy, Brazil or South Africa, you can access it, and there’s a biography of the Blessed Carlo by Nicola Gori.

Carlo’s illness was so aggressive that it lasted just a few days. Carlo’s influence and inspiration continue to grow. If you go to Assisi, home of St Francis of Assisi, who was one of his great role models, you will see crowds queuing to go past the Blessed Carlo’s relics, which are on display at the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. It has been that way since 10 October 2020, when the beatification ceremony took place.

Devotion to the Holy Eucharist

At a time when many churches bemoan the lack of children and young people attending services, it is interesting to note that Carlo was the one dragging his parents to Mass rather than the other way around. He called the Eucharist the “highway to heaven” and his persistence transformed not only the lives of his parents, who gradually came to share his faith if not his fervour, but so many others who were and are strangers to him.

He began to show an interest in the Church, and it was his Polish babysitter who nurtured that curiosity

He had found his experience of his First Holy Communion overpowering, and his commitment to daily Mass wasn’t some goody-goody parading of his faith but a joyous start to his day. His prayer after receiving Jesus in the Eucharist, “Jesus, come right in! Make yourself at home!” is one we might all adopt to help us not only understand but to get so much closer to Jesus. His inspirational idea that when “you face the sun you get a tan but when you stand in front of Jesus in the Eucharist you become saints”, is certainly one to mull over and share.

“To be always united with Jesus, this is my plan of life.” A boy’s plan: a boy for whom it would seem that the “highway to heaven” was already keyed into his personal satnav at birth. Let’s never forget that the Kingdom of Heaven is made of children like Carlo and that our common home would be so much the better were we to be fired by his conviction.

SPECIAL REPORT • TIFFANY HESLOP

“My faith plays the biggest role in my life as a young entrepreneur”

Tiffany Heslop is a young Catholic entrepreneur, born in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, now based in Centurion, Gauteng. She created two companies out of her conviction and faith in her God-given talents. She encourages any young person to follow her example

BY FR RAFAEL ARMADA | MCCJ

How did the idea of creating two companies come about?

I have been an administrative professional for 10 years, leading comprehensive administrative and operational support to C-suite personnel (high-ranking executive titles in an organization). Early on, in my career, I worked in small companies, although I had the title of personal assistant, I fulfilled many positions within the companies, which allowed me to learn and get experience in all the departments of a business. Today I consider myself a professional who understands the complexities of business, the business landscape within and outside the organisation and all the stakeholders involved.

When I failed, I dusted myself off, took the lesson and tried again, and again until I got
it right

 In 2020, I knew that I wanted to start my own company. So, I took a leap of faith and registered a company with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC). I just knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I prayed and asked God to give me the wisdom, knowledge and understanding, that I would need to complete a successful business plan and launch a successful business.

 At the time I still had a full-time job, but in March 2021 the company I worked for closed down and I was left unemployed. I tried looking for a new job, but there were no opportunities available. Then I had a light bulb moment: I have a registered company; I have extensive expertise and knowledge for running a business. It was the moment to take a leap of faith, to have courage and believe in myself.

 I prayed, did the research, and put in all the smart work, developed a business plan I was proud of, which lead to the launching of my first company. I became the exclusive distributor of portable pizza ovens in Africa.  My second company was born when I met, my now good friend from Senegal, who believed in me, saw my talents, strengths and hunger to build something great, that would create a difference in the world for somebody.

I had no capital, no business plan, no help, I just had my faith, my skills, creativity and courage. I didn’t focus on what I didn’t have, I only focused on God and my burning desire to be an entrepreneur. With every no I got, I didn’t get discouraged, I saw no’s and failures as an opportunity to grow, and develop something better.

 I created eight business plans before I found the one in which everything just flowed. I knew that that was the business plan I had prayed for and that God’s blessing prepared for me.

As a young entrepreneur, how do you see the possibilities  of job creation for the youth in South Africa today?  

I strongly believe that if I could do it, anyone can! The opportunities are there to create jobs, no matter where you are or what you have. It all starts with you. In life things are not always going to be handed to us on a silver platter; most times we have to create the opportunities ourselves. The big questions we have to ask ourselves are: Are we creating a business that will bring value to people, customers, suppliers and employees? Are we doing it out of love for the others? what is our intention? Then we can take that leap of faith, do the smart work and believe that what we have asked God for, He has given to us. God is with us, and God is good.

 We just need the patience and understanding, that when we ask God for something, with good intentions in mind, when we truly seek it with all our hearts and have faith that if it is in accordance with God’s will, it will manifest in our lives; then it will. The obstacles we face along the way are there to mould us and transform us, so that we can be ready for God’s blessing.

What are the main challenges you face in your daily  activities in your  companies? 

When I started my companies, they had business models which I didn’t have experience in. Most things were a first-time experience for me, I didn’t know how to do a lot of things and I had to build everything up from the ground, with no help, no capital, with no assets, but I was not discouraged, because I knew that God had blessed me with everything I needed to succeed. With the internet, you have an abundance of knowledge at your fingertips, so I did the work and the learning. When I failed, I dusted myself off, took the lesson and tried again, and again until I got it right.

 You never stop learning in business, every day you face challenges, with customers, suppliers, with staff; it’s part of the journey, nothing stays the same, things are evolving at a fast pace, so you always have to be ready to face any challenge with patience and understanding.  You must have a plan A, plan B and plan C.

 Some important lessons I’ve learnt which have helped me to cope with a lot of challenges, are: to have a good moral compass and stay true to your company values and mission. Build a good structure/ foundation for your ecosystems. You must be a multi-tasker, well organised and pay attention to the little details because they count. Set up effective processes and workflow structures for every ecosystem: your suppliers, your employees and your customers, so that at every touch point you have a plan A, B and C.

How does your faith play a part in your life as a young entrepreneur? 

My faith is my foundation. It has taught me to be respectful towards myself, my neighbour and the planet; it has taught me to be humble and obedient. To be accountable for all my actions and to live with dignity and integrity. My faith plays the biggest role in my life as a young entrepreneur. I humbly believe that I am nothing, without the presence of God, it is God who sustains me. I am only here by God’s grace and will. I am at a stage in my life, where I try constantly to live by this prayer: ‘Not my will Lord, but may your Divine Will oh God, be done’.

 I try to offer to God all my actions, all my thoughts and all that I do, in reparation for my sins and the sins of the whole world. Offering everything I do as a prayer to the Lord our God, in my personal and professional life. It’s not an easy journey, and most times it means going against the ways of the world and letting go of your wants, but it’s a beautiful humbling experience and something you have to work on constantly. I am far from being perfect, I am a sinner, but just like I pick myself back up when I fall on my business journey which is often, I do the same in my faith… Oh, how I love the gift of the Holy sacrament of confession. There are so many obstacles and bumps and potholes along the way that you sometimes don’t see, so you can fall really hard, but what matters is that you get up, dust yourself off, and keep on moving, then with more awareness, letting God lead, seeking His voice before you take each step.

 I love Jesus so much! Nothing in this world can give you the peace and love that God can, so seek Him first above all things. He is all you need and the greatest gift of all.

What dreams do you have in life?

My greatest dream is to become a saint in the kingdom of God. The earth is my temporary home, while I have been blessed with the gift of life from the Almighty. I honestly want to do the will of God. So I live my life day by day, seeking the voice of God. Thirsting for His presence, for it sustains me.

I love being an entrepreneur and I would love to own a sustainable farm in the near future, which creates many job opportunities. I pray for it.

My greatest dream is to become a saint in the kingdom of God

I am also working on an App, which will help many Catholics on their journey of faith because bringing souls to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is also so important to me. Jesus loves us all so much and He is constantly pouring out His Precious Blood and His Divine Love and Mercy for us.

 If God says yes, then it’s a thumbs up, but if God says no, then in obedience I will humbly follow His command, no matter how painful it will be, for I know it is for the sanctification of my soul.

SPECIAL REPORT • LOVEMATTERS YOUTH PROGRAM

Life Choices affect youths transitioning into Adulthood

The LoveMatters Program boasts over 20 years of success in support of youth development and empowerment founded on core Christian values which equip young people to face the challenges of adulthood in a modern world

BY Jill Williams and Mariola Bravo | Pretoria
Fr Francois Dufour SDB & LoveMatters Facebook page | PHOTOS

JOHN MELCHOIR Bosco, popularly known as Don Bosco, who founded the Salesian Order (SDB), was an Italian Catholic priest, educator, writer and a pioneer in educating the poor.

Besides providing for his work, God gave him the gift of miracles. After his prayers on their behalf, the deaf heard, the lame walked, and once, a dead boy was raised back to life. He also had the gift of prophecy. Don Bosco was canonized in 1934 by Pope Pius XI.

History and continuity

The legacy of Saint John Bosco lives on in the activities of the Salesian Order. South Africa’s Don Bosco Youth Centre (DBYC) in Walkerville, Gauteng, is just one of the many facilities that, with a similarly loving spirit as St John Bosco, centralise their activities around youth matters.

The beautiful grounds at the DBYC can be attributed to the portion of the Hewitt Estate known as Nooitgedacht Farm that the SDB purchased in 1949. After trekking from Cape Town the first Salesian, Bro. Maurice Bondioni, arrived at Daleside to take up residence in the Clonlea homestead.

It was the first SDB house in the Transvaal/Gauteng Province and the third foundation in South Africa, after 50 years in the country. Within a few months, renovations and extensions sprouted and were to continue unabated for the next 20 years. The old homestead gave hospitality to President Paul Kruger and housed the original Bosco Boarding School which officially opened on 31 January 1951. The St John Bosco College closed in 1993 when the SDB entered into a joint venture with the Catholic Diocese of Johannesburg, resulting in the opening of the Don Bosco Youth Centre in 1994.

Youth Programs

Today the centre offers various programmes, particularly on youth leadership. In continuance of the legacy of St John Bosco, members of the Salesian Order continue to optimise and manage the programmes that the Youth Centre offers. Among these are Brother Clarence Watts SDB who was Director of Programs at the DBYC from 2009-2011/12 and is now, after 27 years in the Order, the editor of the Salesian Bulletin and in charge of the Family Forum. Since 2012, Fr Lingoane Tlaile SDB, has served to steer and direct the centre’s programmes successfully. Various priests at the Centre also participate in programs, particularly with the spiritual accompaniment, masses and confessions, retreats for Confirmation and First Holy Communion, etc.

Our measure for everything is always how much love we put into what we do

LoveMatters is the main Youth Program run by the Centre. It was started in 2001 by Fr Francois Dufour SDB.  It aims at meeting the needs of teenagers and providing them with skills to help them make healthy lifestyle choices amidst the many challenges they face on their life journey. The one-week program hosts around 100 attendees aged between 13 and 25. The participants come from different parishes, schools and communities.

The program provides value-based guidance to teenagers and helps them appreciate and understand the gift of sex and its role within a marriage, to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS, offer a better understanding of their sexuality, fortify their ability to say NO to negative peer pressure and offer support to them in their commitment to true values.

Leadership and Youth Ministry

Young people aged 18 to 30 from a Christian, predominantly Catholic background, give one year of their life to serve in the program. They live on the premises and have their own quarters. They are part of the community and the Youth Ministry. Part of Don Bosco’s philosophy when working with young people is to involve them using a youth–to–youth approach. Volunteers often come from among those who have been impacted by the program. Recruited from within South Africa and Lesotho, from varying parishes and Christian institutions, they offer service to their fellow youth. Some eventually join the Salesians as religious for a lifetime. Others are moved to go deeper into religion, sustain their marriages more successfully, become sisters or remain in the service to others on account of their experience after the year spent volunteering at the DBYC.

The DBYC Volunteers/Ministry Team learn how to contribute to society and parishes, in leadership, in teaching and to impact others positively. Volunteers grow personally and the DBYC offers references for those who excel. The Salesian’s charism, the spirit of goodwill and dedication is something that the Volunteers carry forward with them. The Centre is always happy to see them being later recognised in society and becoming true ambassadors of the Salesian formation.

Focus and Impact

At the time of its inception, the LoveMatters program responded primarily to the AIDS pandemic which was then prevalent. It was designed as an answer to these challenges. It has always aimed at propagating Christian values which can fortify the youth as they are confronted with various dilemmas. Today the youth are facing an increasing number of challenges including sexual abuse and exploitation, media toxicity, depression, drugs, social media addiction and GBLTQ issues, amongst others. These matters threaten to overwhelm them unless they receive guidance and support which this program offers—based on Christian values and with the aid of the Christian community. LoveMatters covers not only the Spiritual but also physical and emotional insights into the actualities and considerations which need to be contemplated before entering into sexual activity.

LoveMatters also attempts to impact parents, caregivers and teachers to get involved and to be better informed on what the youth need

LoveMatters takes a non-judgmental approach and is aimed not only at young people before engaging in sexual activity but also at those who seek support to have a fresh start. In both cases, they all yearn to be affirmed in their resolution to save sex for marriage and they wish to lay the foundations for their future marriage and their vocation in life.

Follow-up and Support

The program runs only for one week. Some issues would demand more time. Youngsters are encouraged to share their troubles with members of the team. These are active in counselling and in listening, offering them moral support. Occasionally, the Program Manager can counsel parents and caregivers with permission from the participant. In cases of depression, for example, the program is effective, but continued counselling and care are required if the young person is to progress further. The parents, teachers or other parties then move forward in support of that young person, and sometimes professional help is required. Nevertheless, this limitation has not stopped the volunteers and the Centre from making themselves available.

A follow-up program is existing to see what changes have taken place and the impact the program has made on attendees. Facebook page How has LoveMatters affected you also helps get direct feedback and assess the program’s impact and its required improvement. LoveMatters also attempts to impact parents, caregivers and teachers to get involved and to be better informed on what the youth need.

Several Facebook communities have been formed among the attendees of LoveMatters. Those who have been through the program often give reprisals, ask questions, give testimony, chat or share and support one another on the group called LoveMatters@Bosco which can be found by following the link https://www.facebook.com/groups/147015071082/?ref=share&mibextid=KtfwRi. The group helps the DBYC get feedback, follow up with participants and give continuity to the support that the program offers.

Benefits and Outcomes

Previous participants said that the LoveMatters Youth Ministry Team made them feel extremely comfortable approaching and speaking to them openly on all matters and that the team was very successful in connecting with the youth on their level. Don Bosco also used games and other means to connect with the youth. The presence of the team is mainly to accompany and assist. The aim is to empower young people to think for themselves, to inform them fully and allow them to reason out viable strategies for living.

Attendees benefit greatly by learning to navigate the reality of life amidst the changing times. An honest approach is used to present the problems facing youths. The program has run for over 20 years; schools and groups return time after time, with youngsters from various parishes attending during holidays. LoveMatters may adapt to remain relevant but always maintains the core Christian values which remain constant and this is the mainstay that assists the youth to face the challenges of life with confidence.

SPECIAL REPORT • YCS

The Revival of the Young Christian Students Movement

The Young Christian Students (YCS) movement played an important role in the struggle for liberation in South Africa as an independent, non-racial and ecumenical organisation. It grouped students at various academic levels who strived for free and equal education. Fr Mokesh has now passionately taken the challenging effort of reviving the movement

BY Fr Mokesh K. Morar | Johannesburg

“DIT IS ‘n onbegonne taak!” (it is an almost impossible task!) exclaimed Fr Albert Nolan (1934 – 2022), National Chaplain of YCS Movement in South Africa from the mid-1970s as he heard about reviving YCS. For many, the era of YCS had ended with the adoption of the South African Constitution in 1996. However, Fr Nolan and others, including former YCS members, were supportive of this difficult project; a former YCS Chaplain exclaimed: “We needed it now even more than before 1994!” 

Origins of YCS in South Africa

Fr Joseph Cardijn started Young Christian Workers (YCW) in Belgium in the mid-1920s. In South Africa, YCS traces its roots to the founding of YCW by Erick Tyacke in 1949 and Fr Albert Danker, OMI. The latter started YCW groups in Catholic parishes around Durban and became its National Chaplain. The junior version of those parish-based groups was known as “Pre-YCW.” From these groups, Gladwell Dlamini, YCW organiser, contacted International-YCS (IYCS) in Paris to start a YCS group in Johannesburg.

In the late 1960s, the YCW and YCS National Teams started Thrust magazine which looked critically at the youth culture and education. By 1972, the YCS movement, with about 2 000 members, was well-established in the main cities of the country.

The National Catholic Federation of Students (NCFS) saw the disaffiliation of some Catholic Societies (CathSocs) at Black University campuses as the Black Consciousness Movement had grown by 1975. A commission was set up with members of NCFS to evaluate the relevance of the organization. They concluded that it was still playing a role to draw Catholic students together, but that there was a need to create a smaller structure for those who desired deeper social commitment. They used the See-Judge-Act (S-J-A) methodology which looks at reality, confronts it with the Word of God and gives a response of faith to it. After the Durban strikes of 1973, a change of direction was visible, from charity outreach to a deeper social analysis.

YCS became known for its meetings to raise awareness about the evils of Apartheid

After a meeting in November 1976 at Modderpoort—then province of the Orange Free State—between leaders of YCS and YCW they saw the need to separate the two movements and grant them their own autonomy. Consequently, on 31 January 1977, representatives from the S-J-A groups from the universities of Wits, Pretoria, Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Pietermaritzburg met in Johannesburg, where they decided to become YCS and to seek affiliation to IYCS. Soon afterwards, the S.A. Catholic Bishops Conference recognised YCS as an independent Catholic movement—distinct from YCW—though ecumenical (also distinct from CathSoc, known later as the Association of Catholic Tertiary Students/ACTS).

YCS became known for its meetings to raise awareness about the evils of Apartheid. Several of its leaders, including Fr Nolan, had to go into hiding. Chris Langeveldt and Mike Deeb took over as national chaplains under difficult conditions. YCW Chaplains such as Sr Bernadette Ncube ( 2012) spent long periods in solitary confinement and Fr Smangaliso Mkhatshwa (YCS Chaplain) were tortured in detention.

The Post-1994 era

Fr Mkhatshwa and others from the faith sector took up prominent roles in the new government and society hoping to bring light to the difficulties which SA society was suffering as a result of colonialism and apartheid. As Reinold Niebuhr—founding editor of the publication Christianity and Crisis wrote in his book (1944): “The children of light must be armed with the wisdom of the children of darkness, but remain free from their malice. They must have this wisdom in order that they may beguile, deflect, harness and restrain self-interest, individual and collective, for the sake of the community”.

YCS became known for its meetings to raise awareness about the evils of Apartheid

Sadly, many South Africans are discovering that this is a long and arduous journey through the desert under the shadow of the golden calf and it appears that many leaders are only cunning in keeping us in the dark. However, Jesus said: “Be gentle as doves and cunning as snakes” (Mt 10:16). Then, the question is raised: Where are our (faith-based) youth movements which were so vibrant against apartheid? What about YCS?

Revitalizing YCS

With the support of Bishop Jan de Groef of Bethlehem Diocese, school principals and others, we saw the need of responding positively to the challenge of reviving YCS in 2013. Fortuitously, there was one YCS group to start with. This was at Holy Family College (HFC), Parktown Convent, Johannesburg, aided by a teacher and former YCS member. The HFC principal assisted with contacts of school principals at Immaculata High School (HIS) in Diepkloof, McAuley House and St Martin de Porres High School and Orlando West in Soweto. YCS organized a weekend camp on their own in Magaliesberg. Kamohelo Qhala deputy student leader of IHS relates: “We initiated various activities: school clean-ups, charity drives reaching over 90 children in three years.” YCS members learnt how to be “champions of social justice.” Kgothatso Malema of IHS and a member of YCS since 2016 says “YCS is a place of growth and leadership. Most memorable is a camp we had in QwaQwa (Bethlehem Diocesan shrine) where we learnt about the national water crisis. The greatest opportunities I got were to be a Secretary General and Project Manager at North-West University, Vaal campus, organising big events, e.g. the Sunset Picnic in September 2021, catering for over 100 people and raising funds for students. YCS has proven several times that I’m capable of handling situations out of my comfort zone”. Proof indeed that given the chance young people are capable of much, much more than what many would give them credit.

Socially oriented movement

Lerato Makhalemele, prefect and choir leader of McAuley House School in 2019, now social work student at Wits, says: “YCS is a student-led movement and I was part of raising money for sanitary towels for young girls, as well as being an active participant of a committee called Kwanele-Kwanele which advocates against violence towards women and children”. Bonke Msib says: “The movement shaped me into an authentic, creative and fearless young leader. We planned and executed, with no help from an adult, how to work together”.

Delegates from McAuley, HFC and a teacher from St Martin’s attended the IYCS Global Council in Tagaytay, Philippines whilst a further two delegates attended the IYCS-Africa in Rwanda and shared their experiences with other students and parents. Today these delegates are part of the “Support YCS group.”

“The movement shaped me into an authentic, creative and fearless young leader”

Some of the former YCS members who are now at tertiary institutions assisted in the revival process. They were committed as they saw the importance of YCS in building ethics and strong leadership in society. One of them, Zanele Fengu of McAuley YCS, is finishing her Master of Law degree in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa at the University of Pretoria. She is the legal researcher for Corruption Watch, the South African chapter of Transparency International. Zanele is adamant that YCS went a long way in helping to shape her passion for social justice and encouraged her to become an active participant in that agenda. All the school principals and teachers praised the works of YCS including their outreach projects in Soweto, Orange Farm and Bophelong in Vanderbijlpark, in what is today termed: “young servant leadership”. One parent remarked: “I cannot recognize my own child. He used to be very naughty, and now he is such a responsible leader since joining YCS!” Two new groups were also started in 2023 with grade 7 students in St Angela, Dobsonville and St Matthew’s near Regina Mundi Church—with the support of the school principals, both religious sisters.

YCS is slowly, albeit painfully growing in some provinces of South Africa. God willing it will also do in other provinces in future.

Bonke wrote: “I believe YCS is one of the greatest platforms I have come across as it helps one become a better individual, not only for themselves but for the whole world as well.” We should stop talking about young people as “leaders of the future” but acknowledge them as leaders of today and cooperate with them in building the Reign of God here and now. YCS-SA is part of IYCS on the African continent and the globe, cooperating with IYCW, IMCS, other movements and progressive organizations for social justice. Today taking on the trials and jubilations of this world with Fr Nolan, Joseph Cardinal Cardijn, Fr Gutiérrez, Sr Bernadette, Mary of Palestine and the person called Jesus of Nazareth.