Teens offer diverse new
agendas
By JOHN L. ALLEN
JR. NCR Staff Kansas City, Mo.
One week before 14,000 Catholic teens met here, another Catholic
group -- Call to Action -- drew 3,500 participants to its annual conference in
Detroit.
It would be hard to imagine two Catholic gatherings with more
disparate programs. While Call to Actions 16,000 members embody
post-Vatican II hopes for progressive change in areas such as womens
ordination, priestly celibacy and the role of dissent, those issues were
conspicuously absent from the agenda for the National Catholic Youth
Conference. Instead, the focus in Kansas City was on catechesis, evangelization
and a celebration of Catholic identity.
In part, of course, this difference can be accounted for by
sponsorship -- the National Catholic Youth Conference is largely funded by
parishes and dioceses, whilethe reform-oriented Call to Action is independently
supported. Then, too, the purpose of the NCYC is not to promote reform but to
engage youth more fully in the life of the church.
Yet, some would argue that the disjunction between the two events
reflects a more fundamental shift in Catholic attitudes. These observers
believe that the issues that galvanized the Vatican II-era generation are of
little interest to younger Catholics. As the living memory of Vatican II fades,
this school of thought suggests, so too does ardor for the councils
reform agenda.
At first blush, the teens at the youth conference would seem to
confirm this hypothesis. Many spoke of the appeal of a church that holds fast
in a changing world, a church that articulates an uncompromising moral
tradition. Many young people seemed lukewarm to the idea of sweeping
change.
Yet when one scratches the surface -- moving from the general idea
of change to specific concerns -- a tremendous diversity of opinion emerges.
Many of the Catholic teens gathered in Kansas City spoke favorably, for
example, of softening church strictures on divorce or allowing priests to
marry. The image of todays Catholic youth as largely conservative is
therefore misleading, at least taking those assembled for the conference as an
indication. While young Catholics value the stability of Catholic tradition,
they often side with reformers on some of the most contentious issues.
And, in perhaps the clearest sign that the post-conciliar dream is
not dead in the next generation, virtually every teenager who was asked for an
opinion said that dissent should not be squelched in the church and that
Catholics who find themselves estranged from church teaching should still be
welcomed as part of the community of faith. Whatever else todays Catholic
adolescent may value, tolerance appears to be near the top of the list.
To adults who dont work with youth, its often
surprising how much importance they attach to tradition. And Catholic teens at
the conference said repeatedly that the solidity of Catholic tradition does
hold considerable appeal for them.
Lots of my non-Catholic friends ask, how can you go
through all of this? You know, the rituals, all the moral teachings and
everything else, said Angela Shatto, 17, of Kansas City, Mo. My
answer is that its a tradition. It offers a firm base for young people
today.
Shirley Fievet, 18, of Birmingham, Ala., said much the same thing.
[Church teachings] should stay the same. Its tradition. What I
believe in, I know is right, so I dont think it should change, she
said.
I like everything that it [the Catholic church] stands
for, said D. OHara of Kansas City, Mo. I was brought up as a
Catholic, and I like what it says about family values. I also respect its
teaching on social values. It has defined values and beliefs that dont
change. For me, thats the coolest thing. Were standing up for what
we believe in. Thats what going to Mass every week confirms, he
said.
This desire for something reliable led many young people to be
wary of the potential impact of change in church traditions. I guess I
would see the church, if they were to break down and change the rules ... I
would see it as the church giving in to society, OHara said.
Thats one of the cool things about it, when society is running wild
with all the sexual promiscuity and all that stuff, the church stands strong on
the things they believe.
I just agree with the way things are, said Eric
ONeal, 17, from Birmingham, Ala. The way Ive been brought up,
and the way I see things, I think its great the way it is. Change would
probably just make [the church] more chaotic.
The fact that the church is seen as unchanging and solid
attracts young people who are looking for something they can count on,
Shatto said. I dont know how major changes would affect that. ... I
sort of think it would turn young people off.
Time of self-discovery
Given this, its easy to see how adults could conclude that
young Catholics arent interested in the kinds of change sought by
reformers -- and, indeed, some were prepared to draw just that conclusion.
I think young people [today] are often more traditional in outlook, or
conservative if you want to call it that, said Bishop David Foley of
Birmingham, Ala. I think theyre less interested in making changes
than in discovering our core Catholic traditions. To some extent, I suppose,
theyre reacting to the excesses of what went before.
Others agreed that young Catholics arent terribly interested
in reform issues, but saw it more as a matter of personal development than as a
conservative trend. I dont think they would consider it
unimportant, but it is not where theyre at right now. Theyre still
at a time in their life of self-discovery, said Bishop Stanley Schlarman
of Dodge City, Kan.
I dont think some of those topics are nearly as
important to young people as they are to adults, and I think we as adults have
to be very, very careful of not imposing our own political agendas on young
people, said Bishop Frank Tobin of Youngstown, Ohio. Tobin -- who said he
wouldnt necessarily agree that young people are more conservative than
older generations of Catholics -- nevertheless said that their focus is not on
adult concerns.
These young people are dealing with some very fundamental
questions about belief in Jesus Christ, what it means to have moral values,
what it means to be part of the Catholic church, Tobin said.
With the excluded
But not every adult in Kansas City agreed that young Catholics --
whether as a matter of ideology or maturity -- arent interested in
reform. Bishop Matthew Clark of Rochester, N.Y., was one of the few to
explicitly address such issues in a public setting at the conference, saying in
a reflection to the 300 teens gathered for the bishops/youth forum that the
richest moments of his life had come when he chose to stand
with those who were hurting or who felt excluded or apart. Clark
enumerated women, gay and lesbian Catholics, and those struggling with the role
of inquiry in the church as examples of such excluded groups.
In an interview after his talk, Clark said he felt these issues
are very much on the minds of younger Catholics. My sense is that young
people care deeply about such matters, and struggle with them every bit as much
as adults, he said. And I think you will find a tremendous
diversity of opinion among young people on these issues, as you would among
adults.
Clarks prediction appeared to hold up in conversations with
conference participants, who seemed to represent most of the points on the
Catholic ideological compass. It was a rare Catholic teen who expressed
disinterest in the hot-button reform issues, or who wasnt ready to
express an opinion on them.
Sara Walters, 17, of Norwich, Conn., argued for change in Catholic
teaching about divorce: The church really makes people who are divorced
feel like theyre not a part of the church anymore. They make it seem so
sinful. You feel like you cant get out of a bad relationship because God
wont love you anymore. I dont think its right and its
not something the church should be teaching, she said.
Other teens wanted greater acceptance of gays and lesbians.
I think that the church shouldnt look down on peoples sexual
preferences, said Ely Guess, 17, of Birmingham, Ala.
I dont see a problem with priests marrying,
personally, said Shatto, ticking off another area where she would like to
see the church make a change. I dont see why having a family and
family life would hurt. ... I think it would make the church stronger. I have
friends that are Baptists or just Christians, and their pastors or ministers
are allowed to marry, and a lot of times it adds to it. They set a good example
with their family life.
From the above, one might conclude that todays Catholic teen
is generally progressive-minded, a conclusion some delegates were prepared to
make. I think kids have more of a liberal view on things, said Matt
Bradley, 18, of Kansas City, Mo. Theyre a little more towards
change. A lot of kids might like women priests or allowing priests to
marry.
Bradleys friend Ryan Dijusto, 17, also from Kansas City,
Mo., agreed. I think young people are more liberal, he said.
Theyre open to new ideas. I think we are ready for a change from
what weve had in the past.
Just when youre ready to put young Catholics solidly in the
reform column, however, another Kansas City teen -- Andy Pace, 14, standing
right next to Bradley and Dijusto as they spoke -- said, I dont
agree with that at all. I think most kids like things the way they
are.
OHara said he clearly opposed change in at least one area:
womens ordination. I personally think men should be priests,
he said. Jesus summoned men to follow him. If they were to change, it
would be different. It just wouldnt be the same church. The history of
the church would be altered.
And Fievet agreed. On the subject of female priests, she said
flatly, Weve got nuns, thats enough.
The same range of views could be heard in the workshops, forums
and discussions. In the bishops/youth forum, for example, participants were
asked to describe a church that actively involves youth. While some
said such a church would make everyone welcome and be
nonjudgmental, others said a church that involves youth would
proclaim the full truth of Catholicism and even encourage the
gift of tongues.
Despite disagreement on specific issues, most participants agreed
that, whatever adults might think, young Catholics are interested in debates
over change in the church. Its about us, really, said Jason
Dollard of Norwich, Conn. Those issues are going to affect us more than
theyre going to affect the adults of the church, so we really want to
have an opinion about how we want the church to be when were in charge of
it.
Tolerance
Moreover, participants seemed most united on the subject of what
to do about disagreement. The near-unanimous answer seemed to be to tolerate it
-- and dont exclude people because of it.
[Catholics who disagree with church teaching] shouldnt
be looked down upon, said Kelly Annino, 17, of Norwich, Conn. I
mean, you believe in God. ... Why cant you just come praise God with
us? she said.
Miranda Daugherty, 17, of Youngstown, Ohio, echoed that view.
I think its their [dissenters] choice, she said.
They can believe what they want to believe as long as they think
its right. We shouldnt look down on other people, and we should
still consider them part of the church.
Candace Hartz, 17, from Chattanooga, Tenn., spoke for many
participants when she drew a distinction between essentials and areas of
acceptable disagreement. As long as you believe the important stuff ...
[disagreement] doesnt mean youre a bad person, she said.
As long as you believe in God in your heart, the little issues dont
matter.
So, where should this line be drawn? OHara pointed to the
issue he sees as a sine qua non of Catholic identity -- abortion.
One thing that frustrates me is, for example, a politician saying
Im a Catholic, but Im pro-choice, OHara said.
Thats a little bit of a stretch, especially when the church is so
against abortion. On things like that, I personally think there should not be
room [for dissent]. But on smaller things, like the way the church is run, the
way the Mass goes, there definitely should be room, he said.
Dollard agreed, saying You have to draw the line at things
like abortion.
But even here, some teens disagreed. If a girl gets raped
and has to have an abortion, why shouldnt she still be welcome into the
Catholic church? asked Annino.
Her friend, Sara Waters, 17, made the point more broadly. I
dont think there should be a line [on limits of acceptable
disagreement], Waters said. You never know when God is present with
somebody. No matter how strongly they disagree with something, you cant
take God away from them. You cant draw a line on God and his love for
people, and the love people have for him.
Shatto suggested that rather than looking at church teaching as a
set of rules that must be obeyed, Catholics should regard it as a set of ideals
to which they can aspire. I dont think we should look at it as the
church telling us what to do, but as the church setting challenges for us to
live our lives better, she said. The church should make room for those
who fall short, she said, or who dissent from the standards. Just because
the church teaches something ... if you truly believe in your heart another
way, and you choose to live your life differently, you shouldnt be
condemned for that, she said.
Finally, Dollard defended dissent in terms that, had they
overheard, might have made the prelates clustered nearby a bit nervous.
If you dont allow for disagreement, there will never be any
revolution, he said. Then everything just gets stale and nobody
wants to come anymore.
National Catholic Reporter, December 12,
1997
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