Youth in Ireland

Discussion in 'Ireland' started by Roger Buck, Oct 22, 2015.

  1. Roger Buck

    Roger Buck Angels

    Starting this thread may be like opening a can of worms leading to gloom-ridden thoughts.

    However, I want to share something that slightly shocked me last night. I was sitting in a meeting in my parish with a lot of middle-aged and older people.

    And the subject of the youth in Ireland came up, including from people there who were teachers. And what I heard was really disturbing. Everyone there thought the Irish youth were in a bad way.

    I don't just mean the obvious stuff like completely uncatechised (or rather: catechised by the media instead of the Church.) I mean disrespectful, chaotic, violent … And these people didn't mean the usual problems of growing up, but something more recent and worse.

    I only have a 21 year old daughter. I have little idea what Irish teenagers are like. I would be interested to know what others think if this doesn't feel too heavy. And what can be done? I must be very out of touch … I was disturbed.
     
  2. "Quis ut Deus"

    "Quis ut Deus" ADMIN Staff Member

    I think that may have been the problem ;);)

    I remember hearing the same debate 30 or so years ago when I was a teenager growing up in Belfast, my own experience of this youthful generation ( leaving religion to aside ) is one of helpfulness, inquisitiveness, compassionate and rebellious to injustice..

    Sometimes its best to sit among the accused to hear their side of the argument..;)(y)
     
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  3. miker

    miker Powers

    I can only give you my experiences as an American and father of 4- two in their teens and w in their mid to late 20s. I think it all comes down to a personal encounter and engagement. Certainly while they are "under your roof" you can force kids to go to Mass- yes it might create resentment, but I also think it plants seeds. And then like any gardener, you have to water it, tend it, and sometimes prune them. I guess their is no "magic" formula. And pray for them - let God's grace - the "Master" gardener help the seeds to grow. It's not easy and in my experience as they get older can be even painful as you see them sometimes reject. But deep down, I firmly believe this generation of young people are good- they are seeking answers and I truly think not seeking the "world". And maybe the bigger question is to us- the generation above them- have we been good examples . We can blame others and even blame the Church, but in the end we made the vow in the sacrament of marriage that if God blessed us with children, we would be their first and primary teachers of the faith. Our jobs as parents is to help them get to heaven. So, my wife and I own that and we need to continue to look inward and pray God give us the grace to continue in our vocation no matter how old our children get. I can't help but think of our dearly departed Miriam, a good soul, who did her best to raise her son. Isn't it just so wonderful that even after her passing, and I believe through her intercession that many on this forum are now praying for her sons conversion.
     
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  4. "Quis ut Deus"

    "Quis ut Deus" ADMIN Staff Member

    Wow miker as you were typing that I recalled and was listening to the song by mike and the mechanics

    Every generation blames the one before ?? how true..

     
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  5. miker

    miker Powers

    Great lyric

    "You can listen as well as your hear". Not sure if this is what the artist meant, but I think we need to not just hear but really listen to our kids. We may not agree with what we hear, but listen, and offer advice, "agree to disagree". But in the end love them and I have no doubt that in that imperfect love, they will sense and come to the eternal and perfect love of Jesus. I think this is the time where all this is coming to a head - I think Charlie J calls it Trust-Do-Love. This can't be humanly done and can only happen with the grace and guidance and perhaps the soon physical intervention of God Himself.
     
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  6. Roger Buck

    Roger Buck Angels

    I appreciate all the balance and wisdom here. I actually felt strange after posting the above - was just really shocked. Particularly by a teacher. Thank you all.
     
  7. Sanctus

    Sanctus "Jesus I trust in you!"

    I think Ireland is in need of prayers at the moment and an increase in the rosary and chaplet of Divine Mercy to bring people back. Very few people are going to mass and practising the faith and the general atmosphere is very anti-christian.
     
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  8. padraig

    padraig Powers

    I was moved to a new department at work the other week. I sit in a little sideroom while the rest of them are in a big room next door. There are about eight of the , Catholics and Protestants and none of them practice their faith. Most of them are young.

    I overheard them discussing me the other day. How I go to mass at lunchtime and fast. How they say I am very religious. They all gave their reasons for abandoning their faith, telling how when they were young their parents, 'forced them' to go to Church . They laughed at Faith and my own Faith and saw if as the equivalent of believing in the Little People, in Fairies. They just saw it as crazy.

    It is not that they are atheists or agnostics. They don't think about things enough for that. They have simply walked away from it all.

    It made me so sad and sorry for them all. For they are so very,very sad themselves. Miserable mostly. Also they have no inner reserves to deal with trouble, they would fold like a deck of cards to a gust of wind. Also often angry, and quarrelsome. Lacking in inner peace.

    But I would not say they were exceptional. My own impression is that the majority of people, especially the young have just upped and walked away.

    I do feel, very, very sorry for them all.
     
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  9. I bet a few 'little folk' have got to heaven. We always believed Protestants were doomed anyway. Disney's Derby O'Gill and The Little People scared the daylights out of me as a child. Great stuff. Nothing like a good nightmare to make the kids behave better!
     
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  10. I remember a cousin of mine in Donegal congratulation himself after being on the cratur "well at least you didn't talk to them little folks this time."
     
  11. CrewDog

    CrewDog Guest

    THE STORM will bring them back ... those that survive anyway! Adversity always brings folks back to God when they see the helplessness of Man when faced with inexplicable catastrophe ..... and all the pointy-headed know-it-alls without answers.

    GOD SAVE ALL HERE!!
     
  12. maryrose

    maryrose Powers

    Yes they have walked away, but then there is no leadership from Church or state in this country. Sport is the religion now. I was talking to a man yesterday who's 16 year old refuses to go to church. The son tells the father that the priests are away with the fairies. So yes they equate Mass with the fairies. There is no real discussion here on faith. It's the subject everyone avoids for serious discussion. Lots of prayer needed. I pray God will send us leaders who can arouse people from their sleep.
     
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  13. You know when I discuss confession with people of any age and faith and present it as an exercise to be better in touch with reality, one that helps settle strife, one that encourages change for the better, one that gives a better understanding of love and relationships, one that teaches us the secrets of the Spirit and reconciles us to all things, and one that actually has quite strict conditions to make it meaningful, I tell them much more and even share how it helps me you can actually see them sit up and take notice. The same thing happens when I talk about infallibility and point out how rare it is and how valuable this gift is, and when I actually explain the difference between the Virgin birth and the Immaculate Conception which are both mocked in ignorance and how this is tied into Communion and how this evolves us in love for life after death in heaven they certainly take notice. They see a value and meaning high and above the evolution offered by Darwin. When I talk about the joy of a mother with a new born in her hands after a horrendous labour and birth and use this to help understand a little about the weights and balances of suffering and how in heaven the pain - no matter how bad - will be utterly gone and nothing but unimaginable joy and happiness awaits - I admit I forget this sometimes and know this is so hard to imagine - but I believe 100% - and how free will is necessary for true love and how this is the point of attack for those dark forces that would deprive us of happiness forever - it grabs their attention - how nothing bad comes from God - only from the evil one - how God lets it happen because the price of love is sacrifice, freely offered, and repeated until the race is run. This is our ticket to heaven not because God wants us to suffer for its own sake but for love of us snd his desire for us to be totally happy forever. Suffering is the price of human love and neither can exist without free will. I use every day language and every day examples and they listen. And they start to convert simply because they recognize the truth and want a share. They want to be good and they want to go to heaven. They want to know God and be known. They want what we have. Its late and I am tired and I should have been working. mmm maybe I was.
     
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  14. padraig

    padraig Powers

    Why yes, Joe, I can well see why they would, all of them, listen to you and mend their ways. :)

    You're a prettty amazing guy. :);)
     
  15. Ha ha! They might have thought "better go along with this nut for now" .
    You old cynic you! No harm done. God be with you.
     
  16. Sanctus

    Sanctus "Jesus I trust in you!"

    Unfortunately it was also the vote of the young people in Ireland that swayed the vote in Ireland towards the introduction of same-sex marriage. Please God Marriage will be restored in Ireland to its rightful place in the future.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2016
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  17. padraig

    padraig Powers

    To be wonderful is wonderful Joe.

    To be wonderful and know we are wonderful put's one in a place apart.

    To be wonderful, to know one is wonderful and to have the urge to let the whole world at large know how wonderful we are , Joe.

    Well what can I say, well....

    .....the whole thing's pretty wonderful. :)
     
  18. Another way I talk to youth about the Faith is to introduce humour. I talk about the woman at the well chatting up Jesus and nearly falling in when he showed He had her sussed - 5 men - there is nothing new -etc. I talk about the wedding feast of Cana - changing water to wine - and how if others could do that the whole of Ireland would re convert. Then I sneak in the serious bits like "Do what He tells you." I talk about how everything has a purpose and if misused it breaks down - how our faith comes in a context - the context of love - how marriage and sex reflect the way God loves us - and how love can be perverted and break down. I talk about knowing something/Someone so wonderful you are just bursting to share. How we love to name drop - Jesus' name, the ultimate celebrity. I talk about the mystical and the properties of the glorified body of Christ and how the same is waiting for us - not just evolution but transubstantiation. It's amazing the interest this stimulates - the power of words - the power of consecration - the the power of vulnerability -the power of love. And all this while I am treating their bodies.

    I am not wonderful. As a real saint once said - "of myself I am nothing plus sin." "I live, not I but Christ lives in me," He is wonderful and is busting to get out and show himself to all around. He Thirsts for our love. I hate being over exposed but love covers a multitude of sins. Just as well for me. God has given me a gift that sometimes shines in the darkness of life and gives direction and hope to others. His gift shines - I don't. He is my Light and I won't hide Him under a bushel. Wow, it was hard not to be sarcastic in return.

    Thursday's child has far to go. I was born on a Thursday.
     
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  19. Surprisingly I also talk about Pope Francis and how example is a better way than preaching to draw others to Christ. Walking the walk. His words, not mine.
     
  20. padraig

    padraig Powers

    'Wow, it was hard not to be sarcastic in return.'

    Well done Joe. :) Wonderful in fact. You are a class act.;)

    Never, though, mistake the esteem of men, for the love of men. They are rarely the same gift.

    I'll leave you to get on with whatever it is you are doing.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2016

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