Finding Catholic heroes

The group was glued to the screen. Laughing, intently sitting in silence, thinking… I was impressed. This was no mainstream Hollywood movie, but it was touching hearts.

This is the scene that I’ve experienced a number of times while I was doing mission work in the United States at the screening of a reality film called Mystery Trip.
It’s a film about a group of young Catholics that goes on a bus trip without knowing the destination or the purpose. This is a story of real people growing in faith, which Dumb Ox Productions, who I was training with, has been sharing around the world. It is an expression of what is known as the New Evangelisation—a call to spread the good news of our faith in new and meaningful ways that will catch, impact and change lives.
A lot of young Catholics today are missing the Good News of Christ’s love and our fulfilment in him. Music, TV, and movies paint a picture of materialism and utilitarianism— “using” people and things in attempt to bring us happiness. Many young people find this flood of media so overpowering that they believe it to be the only truth. Have you seen young people who are speaking, dressing and trying to live like those they see on TV?
Don’t get me wrong, the media isn’t all bad; far from it. We need good and honest information. But I know many young Catholics who can tell you that it’s hard to live out their faith when they hear and see what’s on MTV and in some movies.
There are some young Catholics who are seeing this reality and choosing to share their faith in new ways and make a difference. Throughout his pontificate, Bl John Paul II called this the “new evangelisation”, bringing the Gospel to the modern world, meeting the unique needs of each culture, in ways that are new in ardour, methods and expression.
Earlier this year, Pope Benedict presented a document talking about the next synod’s focus on this “new evangelisation”.
If we are to reach out to those young people around us who haven’t heard the fullness of our faith, or maybe aren’t a part of the Church, then new methods are needed. These methods must authentically and genuinely share our faith while keeping Christ as the focus.
We need Catholic heroes, modern day saints, who will stand up and use their gifts and talents to share Christ—courageous and honest beacons of light who will be a part of parish ministries, youth groups and diocesan initiatives.
This isn’t an unrealistic idea. I know of priests and laypeople in Durban and Cape Town who are using film and media to share inspiring messages of our Catholic faith. I know of youth groups who are running “out-the-box”, creative and vibrant camps and retreats which challenge teens to go deeper.
I’ve met young adults in the US who are organising pro-life events and societies at their universities, teenagers who are openly discerning the call to priesthood and religious life, as well as people like Tom Peterson from CatholicsComeHome.org who are helping to build our Church using TV and the Internet.
And that’s not to mention our Catholic heroes who are already in the field doing valuable work, such as our priests, seminarians, youth leaders, parents. We need to support and love them all as they strive to be faithful examples of Christ.
How are young people living out their faith? Have they grown in their faith or fallen away from it by using modern means of communication like Facebook, film, media? What gifts do you have that you can use to support our young people in the faith?