RITE & REASON:'YouCat' makes the catechism far more accessible to the younger generation
I THINK my wife, family and friends would all agree with me when I say I’m a big child at heart. I still get very excited about opening gifts and parcels even though many of the parcels I have ordered myself.
It brings me back to World Youth Day 2000 in Rome – when I received my pilgrim’s pack, I was impressed. I had no idea that I was going to receive a bag pack full of goodies and knick-knacks.
World Youth Day 2011 starts in Madrid today and its pilgrim’s pack is even more exciting, with the inclusion of a special gift from Pope Benedict XVI, a copy of YouCat. YouCat stands for Youth Catechism, a catechism designed for young people, offering a contemporary explanation of the Catholic faith.
I don’t think anybody could accuse me of exaggerating when I say reading the catechism is something that we don’t associate with young people. But how many of us have read rule books for sports we play?
Books like these are usually unattractive, comprehensive, wordy, complicated and functional. We trust that other people who have a more hands-on administrative role will keep us informed or we can use Google or Wikipedia to find out something we need to know. However, how many of us are missing out by not taking time to read, study and contemplate these ourselves?
“You need to know what you believe. You need to know your faith with that same precision with which an IT specialist knows the inner workings of a computer.
“You need to understand it like a good musician knows the piece he is playing. Yes, you need to be more deeply rooted in the faith than the generation of your parents so that you can engage the challenges and temptations of this time with strength and determination,” said the Pope.
Following publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in 1992, a number of young people requested something more adapted to them. The result is a book more accessible than the larger catechism.
That’s why YouCat is exciting, presenting the catechism in a compelling and engaging way. This 300-page guide presents the faith to young people in a user-friendly refreshing way where they can learn the ABCs of Catholicism in a language tailored to their generation. Colour, size, pictures and cartoon graphics make it look attractive.
What’s more, YouCat is keyed to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, so there is an option for people to go deeper.
It explains what Catholics believe and why (doctrine); how Catholics celebrate the mysteries of the faith (sacraments); how Catholics are to live (moral life); and how they should pray (prayer and spirituality).
The questions are direct and honest, even at times tough; the answers straightforward, relevant and compelling.
YouCat will likely be the “go-to” place for young people to learn the truth about the Catholic faith.
It should become the primary resource in youth ministry up and down the country.
This is a wonderful gift from the pope to young people. I hope, when they open the pilgrim bag pack with excitement and anticipation, that they will value this book as a genuine resource to help them develop their faith and relationship with Jesus.
Matthew McFadden is youth director in the Catholic Diocese of Clogher. World Youth Day is in Madrid this year and continues until Sunday