Catechetical opportunity

by Editor · November 21, 2007

Television viewers with the means and inclination to tune into the latest instalment of the Big Brother Africa series, which ended this month, may have witnessed the three finalists�from Nigeria, Tanzania and Angola respectively�bless themselves and say grace before dinner.

Whatever their behaviour otherwise in the Big Brother house, this reflexive display of Christian convention is a positive in a television programme that is generally of a morally problematic nature.

Two of these three young people spoke openly about their Christian faith. The Tanzanian man who committed adultery while in the house said he did not go to church any longer. The Nigerian contestant and eventual runner-up, Ofunneka Molokwu, said that she did. By all accounts, her ethical standards in the competition were in tune with the teachings of the Church, give or take a few instances of vulgar language and intoxication.

Right though it is to identify the holy and the virtuous as role models for the youth, there may be value also in taking people like Ms Molokwu as a reference point for the youth, who may aspire to virtue and holiness, but in truth will find it more realistic to identify with people like themselves, such as Big Brother contestants.

Reviewing Big Brother and reality programmes like it affords us an excellent catechetical opportunity, drawing lessons from behaviours that are admirable as well as those that are objectionable. A pertinent discussion point may be the question of why viewers voted to let the adulterous Richard Bezuidenhout win the competition ahead of the more virtuous Ms Molokwu, and what this tells us about values in society.

At the same time, the fact of Big Brother contestants talking openly and without awkwardness about their faith, and even praying together, merits emphasis at a time when many youths seem to regard Catholic practice as somehow uncool.

Of course, in many parishes with an active youth, and in many youth-orientated Church programmes, one will find plenty young Catholics who are indeed cool. Reflecting on Our Lord, one may well find that the description �cool� would apply to him, too. It is a tantalising notion to imagine Jesus in the Big Brother house; we do know that he used to keep even less salubrious company.

Fashionable people such as Ms Molokwu underscore the Catholic cool-factor simply by embracing their faith as a natural part of who they are. When Pope Benedict calls on us to evangelise within our social environment through good example, this forms part of what he is referring to: housemates in the Big Brother house praying before meals; people speaking about their faith, inattentive to possible derision.

The visible manifestation of faith does not necessarily require ostentatious piety (Jesus himself had a thing or two to say about that) or the presentation of apologist tracts. Indeed, there are few better ways of evangelising than by the practitioners of a faith embracing it openly and living it joyfully.

While one may well object to the behaviour exhibited on programmes such as Big Brother, they can also offers us an opportunity to reflect on what it means to live today as a young Christian.