Farsi Catholic Congregation ایمانداران كاتولیك فارسی زبان

Youth section  بخش جوانان

3/1/2010

Let’s Our Gracious Jesus Bless our Beloved Youth

We know for certain that a good, God-loving childhood, based on Christian ideology, is crucially important, but it is strange that we rarely hear about such philosophy as providing an answer to the many questions as  why the youth aren’t attend to church? Regretfully this unpleasant heedlessness among youth has come about and is indeed growing.

What kind of spiritual environment have we created? We must ask ourselves this hard question, and we must look at the failings, or sins, which may have led us to these sad circumstances!

The Catholic Church is one body, but what role are we, its members, playing in the life of the world that surrounds us? Are we responding with neglect to the issue the youth of our beloved community?

It is also critically important to ask the question, how often are we going to Church? The young should join their parents, and the parents join their children, in going to Church frequently, and often as the Church calls us all too humbly pray. Every young person should go to Church and allow Christ Our Lord to be a part of their lives. The lives of the saints and the martyrs of the Church also, are spiritual guides for all to follow.

We must humbly remind you too, that the first church is in the home - what the holy Apostle Paul calls "kat-eikon-ekklesia" - that is the first, the adjacent church to us. We must ask, do we provide spiritual sustenance not only to our own families who are Catholic Christians, but also provide an example to all young people? Christ is the answer and, we self-confidently say, the only answer to these questions. Now we have the true meaning of life in Christ Our Lord and true God! The world around us answers the question "what is the meaning of life", with "nothing". As members of the Church we answer the question with - "Christ!"

We have the required youth programs at our local parish, and on a diocesan level. But are these programs enough? We must have further discussions with each other, in a true loving Christian manner, as to how we can help, seeking the explanation of Christ our God, Who cares for all His children.

We, as Catholic faithful, should be able to give plan to young people, who need to fully realize that every individual being on this earth is indeed precious to Our Lord God, and they must attend church, practice the religion, participate in the youth group to learn more about Christianity through the bible study and  group discussions

2/5/2010

Encouraging Youth who articulate interest in a priest

Encourage the young children who articulate an interest in religious life. How do you reach out to young children who consider becoming a priest a goal? If there’s a young child out there who would consider it, then how does a parent help aspire that child?
How can parents and adults today encourage children to be open to religious life if they are repeatedly given images from society that show religious in stereotypical and false ways? And if reliious aren’t visible like it used to be, how can religious making a real impression — visible or otherwise?
The Church and religious are needed to be proactive about educating Catholics about the beauty and diversity of religious life. Too often we get stuck in Catholic language and go on and on about “vocations to the priesthood and religious life” but never really put that in ordinary language that people can recognize themselves in. Never once was struck by a vocation talk at parish — inspired by the good work of religious, clerics, and missionaries, Yes; but able to relate it to  own life, No. Then again, the stage and classroom are not the only places to talk about sacred life. The best of course is to interact in a real way with religious and folks living other vocations.
Young children should always be encouraged to consider all kinds of possibilities for life. If they want to “play priest”, help them to do it and understand how priests serve God and God’s people. We are not talking formal vocation talks to little ones, but to encourage their imagination to embrace all different sorts of ways of living their faith, of being of service to others. Parents do this in all sorts of ways by how they live their own life and model such behavior. If children have direct interest in religious brothers, deacons, priests, etc. then we’d suggest setting up a time when kids can interact with them, talk to them, anything to help the child know a real person who has given their lives to that vocation.

1/4/2010

Decades of research indicate that a higher level of religious participation is related with a reduced possibility of addiction alcohol or drugs. The affiliation between religious practice and the avoidance or moderate use of alcohol is well documented, whether or not denominational doctrine specifically prohibits the use of alcohol.
Youth shows lower rates of alcohol abuse the more frequently they engage in religious activities. For youth, higher levels of religious practice by their mothers are relatd to considerably lower rates of alcohol abuse, even after controlling for religious denomination .
Drug addiction is just as with alcohol, religious practice has for some time predicted significant reduction of substance abuse. In a complete review of the academic literature on religion and substance abuse, many academic researchers reported that, in the enormous majority of studies, participation in religious activities was related with less drug abuse. Even in cases in which individuals used drugs, the more religious were less likely to develop long-term problems. All of the factors related to a reduce in drug use—good family relations, doing well in school, having friends who do not use drugs, and having anti-drug attitudes—had an even more powerful avoidance effect when teenagers were also religious. The more dangerous the drug, the more religious practice prevents its use.
Just as religious practice and belief prevent drug abuse, religion also has a positive effect in the treatment of drug addiction. A seven-year follow-up study of Teen Challenge, a faith-based drug addiction program, found that the program’s graduates had significantly changed their behavior, in compare to those who had dropped out. Another educational study also found that Teen Challenge participants were more likely to remain serious and to maintain employment than were peers in control groups.

Source: The Heritage Foundation

12/15/2009