I am grateful to God and also to the organizers of this program: the dean, deanery Fathers, deanery youth chaplain and the youth executives, and the entire youth of the Kaneshie Deanery for inviting me to share my thoughts on the keynote topic for this year’s youth Seminar.
When it comes to youth formation, I am not a neophyte. I have been a formator for several years, and most seminarians, if not all, fall within the youth bracket.
This keynote address allows me to participate in youth empowerment without necessarily focusing on priestly formation.
That is not to say all my encounters with the youth are limited to seminarians and priestly formation. I have had various platforms to engage youths in general.
It is, therefore, very tempting to see it as one of many encounters. However, I have taken this encounter as seriously as it should be, looking at the era we find ourselves in.
The epoch within which we find ourselves is such that youth have a say in matters as compared to some years back when elders decided, and young ones (youth) were only to obey.
The urgency for youth empowerment is evident in the number of rallies going on in our country.
Asawaase Deanery in the Kumasi Archdiocese just ended their youth camping.
Asankragwa Deanery in the Sekondi Takoradi Diocese is organizing a youth camp. In the same diocese, there was a synod on the youth last year in November.
Two weeks ago, the Cape Coast Archdiocese had their diocesan youth rally.
With these happenings, I am grateful and happy to be part of that of Kaneshie Deanery and I hope these awakenings would lead to a better youth growth.
STRUCTURE OF THE PRESENTATION
- Introduction: Here, we will look at some definitions of key terms
- Analysis of demography
- Importance of Youth Empowerment
- Some Observations Concerning Youth Empowerment
- What role does the church have in the youth empowerment
- Conclusions
INTRODUCTION
The keynote topic is IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT: ROLE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. Please permit me to define some key terms in the topic.
i. What is “Youth”?
I must say that there is no universally agreed international definition of the youth age group. Each organization/individual defines it to suit their own purpose. No wonder when you call youth in our church, others exempt themselves. For this talk, let us have a working definition. But before that, I would like to examine how others have defined it.
a. Collins Dictionary: Youth is the quality or state of being young. Here, youth is not about age but state or quality. Thus, an older man or woman who feels that he or she is young can be considered a youth. Something was trending on Facebook that read, ‘Old age is mandatory’ (provided you are alive), ‘but to feel old is a choice.’
b. Merriam Webster: Youth is the time of life when one is young, especially the period between childhood and maturity. This definition is vague. No fixed age. Who determines childhood, and who determines maturity?
c. United Nations: Without prejudice to any other definition, youth are those between the ages of fifteen (15) and twenty-four years (24). They are specific with age bracket but quickly add that it was done for statistical purposes. From this definition, children are those under fourteen (14) years old. However, Article 1 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child defines children as persons up to eighteen (18) years old. Is the UN even inconsistent? I only want to draw your attention to the fact that youth cannot easily be defined.
d. Catholic Church: A youth is between sixteen (16) and thirty-five (35). We shall stick to the church’s definition for the context we find ourselves in. However, that does not mean that all other definitions are wrong. As I said, a youth could be a state, so if you are here and you are above thirty-five but still feel young, generating ideas, then you are a youth.
ii. What is Empowerment?
Gk: dunamis: dynamite, thunderbolt, power:
a. Cambridge Dictionary: The process of gaining freedom and power to do what you want or to control what happens to you. This definition sounds loose. Freedom and power to do what you want gives room for anything. We are not empowered to do wrong things to destroy ourselves and society.
b. Oxford Dictionary: The process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s right. This is clearer than the earlier definition by Cambridge. The definition is specific. One is empowered to be confident and more assertive in claiming one’s right and controlling one’s life.
iii. What is Youth Empowerment?
Youth Empowerment is the process of encouraging the youth to take charge of their lives by creating opportunities where they can build their confidence, discover their talents, and harness their potential.
It is about enabling youth to take charge of their lives and become active, responsible citizens who can contribute to society. It involves empowering young people with the skills, knowledge, resources, and opportunities to succeed.
Ile & Boadu define youth empowerment as the course of improving the capabilities of young adults to make or influence choices and transform those choices into desired outcomes.
Youth Empowerment is for the positive. Some youth fight for freedom to do wrong and destroy society and oneself. Some agents, organizations, and individuals fail to empower the youth because of a fear of rebellion. For example, some youth want to be given positions or roles in the church to simply oppose (challenge) certain decisions or challenge priests, church executives, etc. There is the good intention to be empowered, but the purpose is so bad that it defeats the purpose of youth empowerment.
On the other hand, priests and church executives are not comfortable giving opportunities to the youth because they fear the youth would rebel. Youth Empowerment looks towards positive outcomes. Hence, organizations and the youth should have a positive attitude towards empowerment.
ANALYSIS OF THE WORLD’S DEMOGRAPHY
The importance of youth empowerment would be appreciated if youth demography were highlighted.
UN has posited that the global human population reached 8.0 billion in mid-November.
Of this number, 2.4 billion are youth between 10 and 29, representing 30% of the world’s population. (You can imagine if they added those between 29 and 35).
The age composition of Ghana’s 31 million people, based on the 2020 census data, indicates that about 38% is youth, i.e., from 15-35 years, compared to 35% of children and 4% in the older population.
From the brief analysis, the world’s population is youthful, and so is Ghana’s population.
Therefore, empowering the youth would empower a more significant portion of the world’s population, impacting society and the Catholic Church.
IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
1. Youth empowerment builds self-confidence: A very crucial element necessary for progression in any enterprise is self-confidence and a strong self-image. However talented a person is, they cannot be successful without confidence. When the youth are empowered, they gain confidence in themselves and their abilities.
They are endowed to take risks, make decisions, and pursue their goals. For example, two newly ordained priests were celebrating their Thanksgiving Mass.
One did it so confidently; the other had a bit of fear and mistakes. It was later known that the former could exercise his ministry as a seminarian in his home parish.
The other was not given that opportunity. Hence his struggle. Empowerment truly builds self-confidence.
2. Developing Leadership Skills: Youth Empowerment helps young people develop Leadership Skills. When allowed to take up leadership roles, they learn how to communicate effectively, work in teams, and make decisions that benefit their communities.
3. Fostering innovation: Young people have fresh ideas and perspectives that can lead to innovative solutions to social, economic, and environmental issues. Empowering youth means giving them a platform to showcase their creativity and express their ideas
4. Self-reliance: Youth empowerment makes the youth self-reliant. Self-reliance is the ability to do things and make decisions without needing others to help you. It is a quality of depending on yourself instead of relying on others. When empowered, the youth can rely on themselves and use available opportunities.
SOME OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
- 1. The youth are not adequately prepared to meet the demands of contemporary social and economic conditions.
- The majority of the youth are not trained and equipped sufficiently to take up leadership roles in the church and the secular world.
- The current pastoral initiatives of the Church to respond to demands of skills development, financial literacy, marriage, and family life appear to be inadequate.
- The youth are not made to feel a sense of ownership of the church’s decisions and activities, leading to disengagement and disinclination to take initiative.
- There is a lack of initiative in our parishes to create income-generating ventures to create employment for the youth. Simultaneously, the youth themselves seem to lack the initiative to take advantage of the existing opportunities to invest and build wealth.
ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
All society stakeholders must ensure that youth are economically, emotionally, socially, politically, and spiritually empowered to assume their rightful place in the country’s development. The church is not exempted from this role. According to Karanu & al., churches are expected to lead in developing communities in response to God’s command to serve the disadvantaged.
The Catholic Church can, therefore, employ various strategies and initiatives to empower youth. Here are some potential actions the Church could take:
1. Youth-oriented programs: The Church can develop and implement programs specifically designed to engage and empower young people. These programs could include youth groups, retreats, conferences, workshops, and seminars that address the unique challenges and interests of youth.
2. Education and catechesis: The Church can prioritize comprehensive religious education and catechesis for young people. This involves teaching the faith in a way that resonates with their experiences and questions, providing them with a solid foundation and understanding of Catholic teachings and traditions.
3. Leadership opportunities: Empowering youth involves giving them leadership roles and responsibilities within the Church community. This could mean involving them in decision-making processes, allowing them to participate in liturgical ministries, encouraging them to organize and lead events, and supporting their initiatives.
4. Mentorship and guidance: The Church can provide mentorship and guidance programs where older, experienced members of the Church can support and guide younger individuals. This could involve pairing young people with mentors who can offer advice, spiritual direction, and encouragement.
5. Social justice and volunteerism: Encouraging youth to participate in social justice initiatives and volunteer work actively can empower them to make a positive impact on society. The Church can organize and support initiatives addressing poverty, inequality, environmental stewardship, and human rights.
6. Technology and media: Recognizing the influence of technology and media on young people, the Church can leverage these platforms to engage and empower youth. This could involve creating online resources, podcasts, videos, and social media campaigns that relate to their interests and provide guidance on living out their faith.
7. Inter-generational dialogue: Facilitating meaningful dialogue and interactions between youth and older generations within the Church can foster understanding, mentorship, and mutual empowerment. Encouraging inter-generational events, discussions, and projects can help bridge the generation gap and create a sense of belonging for youth.
8.Reinforcement: the Church has to reinforce the strengths and the positive initiatives of the youth. It’s important to note that empowering youth requires an ongoing commitment, active listening, and an understanding of their unique needs and aspirations. By implementing these strategies and adapting to the evolving needs of young people, the Catholic Church can effectively empower and engage the youth in its mission.
CONCLUSION
As I bring the talk to a conclusion, let me highlight the answer of Magdany Acosta Gallardo, an 18-year-old boy, who was asked what he thought was the role of young people these days. He said that Young people play a crucial role regardless of our society.
We not only represent the country’s future, but we are also one of society’s main agents of change and progress. We have a significant effect on economic development, too. We build many social relationships and develop a personality that defines us as a new generation. What we do when we become adults depends on how we think and act today.
Youth Empowerment has a significant impact on the youth. Young people only have one role, and it is the same they have always had. It does not change because their role is to transform and improve their heritage and their lot. All the society and the church can do is empower them, creating the opportunity to see the youth develop themselves, the church, and their culture.
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