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Youth Speak News

Dinner with archbishop gives Newfoundland youth spiritual hope

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{mosimage}ST. JOHN’S, Nfld.-On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in March, Archbishop Martin Currie of St. John’s met with a group of young adults for “Dinner with the Archbishop” at Mary, Queen of the World parish in Mt. Pearl.

The meeting was an opportunity for the archbishop to get a first-hand look at what’s happening in the spiritual lives of 20- and 30-year-olds in the region.

This informal group consists of individuals from different ministries and fields of interest who, through  conversations after Mass beginning two years ago, decided to organize events and activities together. New members continue to join and although it started with just a few people, there are now close to 30.

The archbishop was pleased to discover that such a group existed after being invited by one of the members for this special event. The group wanted to make contact with the leader of the church in Newfoundland on a personal level to discuss plans and ideas for young people in the province.

Faith needs godly deeds

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A popular saying among Christians is “faith without deeds is dead.”

This saying (James 2:14-26) tells the reader that it is not enough to simply believe in God; one must also do His will by striving for righteousness and doing good deeds.

There’s much truth to this as it is clear that anyone who claims they have faith but does not accompany their faith with good works is not sincere. If a person said they believed in God but ignored the less fortunate or were abusive to their family, one would consider this person a fraud. However, the converse also applies. Christian works without faith are inert.

To me, works without faith are deeds we perform without sincere and godly intentions. They are godly deeds performed or looked at in an ungodly manner. Consider people who give to charity only to receive praise. These people tend to give money only to receive acclaim from others. But when a homeless person asks for money, they suddenly become tight-fisted.

Positive examples lead students to the faith

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{mosimage}MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) program at St. Joseph’s parish is a witness to the positive influence of Catholic education in three Mississauga schools.

“Everybody who goes to Mass, even if they are not Catholic, they say it makes them feel good, feel cleansed,” said Alexa Fitzpatrick, a Grade 11 student who enrolled at St. Marcellinus Secondary School after graduating from a public elementary school.

Helping the Global South through THINKfast

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{mosimage}BRAMPTON - Campuses, parishes and schools across Canada took part in a 25-hour education and fundraising fast to increase awareness about global issues and to raise funds for those causes.

The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace fast, commonly known as THINKfast, is a growing national initiative.

Example of saints helps beat consumerism

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While working the market for his father, a young privileged man named Francesco found himself confronted by a misfortunate beggar, who he had no choice but to turn away. However, upon completing his father’s business for the day, Francesco chased after this beggar and gave all he had to the stranger.

This young man is known to us now as St. Francis of Assisi, who abandoned his wealth to follow his faith and aid the poor.

Watching movies with a faithful eye

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I love movies. I have experienced and learned a lot from them, from historical dramas, action-packed thrillers, suspense, romance and more. But there is one thing about some movies that I have problems with: misleading information and stereotypes, especially when it comes to religion.

Movies based on religion can have rewarding consequences, opening the viewers’ eyes and minds to new ideas, teaching them things about religion that they otherwise would never have known. However, there are some movies more than willing — I would say eager — to take a bite out of religion and portray it to the world as a joke or a hoax.

Canadian youth mission to the Philippines

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{mosimage}In August, the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace will take its first combined French-English group of young adults to the Philippines.

The “Young Adult Solidarity Trip” aims to expose young adults to the reality of the global south and teach first-hand what Development and Peace does through its programs and partners.

Schoenstatt meets Winnipeg

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{mosimage}WINNIPEG - On Oct. 18, 1914, in a small chapel sitting in a valley in Schönstatt, Germany, Fr. Joseph Kentenich called a meeting with a group of young men from a seminary nearby. During the meeting, 29-year-old Kentenich and the young men prayed together and offered what they called a “Covenant of Love” to the Blessed Virgin Mary. With that act began a community they hoped would bring spiritual renewal to the Catholic Church.

Fast forward 96 years.

Taizé continues to inspire

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{mosimage}TORONTO - More than 300 people gathered at the midtown Holy Rosary Church March 5 for the archdiocese’s annual ecumenical Taizé event, led by Br. Emile of Taizé, France.

Christians of different traditions celebrated an evening with the music and prayer of Taizé, characterized by short and reflective songs that are repeated in a meditative manner, translated into several different languages.

Bringing faith to politics

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Religion and politics are two highly contentious realms. But many people see them as even more problematic when combined, which could be why this is usually avoided at all costs in Canada.

A democracy is supposed to ensure representation of widely varying views, but believers know that things often seem stacked against any expression of faith in politics.

You are witnesses to these things

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{mosimage}Editor’s note: This is the third place entry for the Friars Student Writing Award contest sponsored by the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement and The Catholic Register. Thien-An Nguyen, 17, is a Grade 12 student at Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School in Toronto.

“You are witnesses to these things” (Luke 24: 48). While some manuscripts unfortunately omit “witness” from their texts, this seven-letter word contains an insight on what it means to be a Christian that St. Luke may not have even perceived. In fact, the term “witness” may be more appropriate now than ever in describing Christianity.

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