A “Study week” held on September 15 – 19, 2025 is the culmination of our priority this year on youth, and also one of the foundations of our read map toward 2027. On the first day, Fr. Frans Kristi Adi Prasetya Pr, Secretary General of the youth commission of Indonesian Bishop Conference, invited us to look at the heart of the youth as “sacred soil”, based on Christus Vivit, (CV) number 67. In spite of their weaknesses and limitations, there is also much potential within them. We have to approach the youth with the Eyes of merciful Father who waited for his prodigal son to return. For this, we need an attitude of humility to take our stand-not judging and controlling them, but listen to them attentively. The frame work of accompanying the youth today is; reaching out them (merengkuh), inviting them to grow together (bertumbuh) so that we can bear useful fruits (berbuah). Fr. Kristi Adi then presented the stages of our study. First is to settle the foundation-the spirituality and new belief on youth. Second, our strategy, using the pedagogy of Jesus and areas of accompaniment. Third, to design program according to the needs of the youth, and fourth monitoring and evaluation.
As a foundation, we are invited to reflect and internalize the spirituality of merciful father, based on Luke 15: 12 – 32. This passage was our reflection at the end of the first day. The love of the father is bigger than the sins of the prodigal son. Before the son arrived, the merciful father ran fast to embrace and welcome him. Here, we are asked to have a spirit of humility who still believe in the good potential of youth despite their crises. Like the merciful father, we are invited not judge but to come closer to listen to the context of the youth, where their sacred soil is covered by many layers of crisis- beginning with the self-image crisis – where the world commercialize being ever youthful for those could afford it but who lack self-esteem for their imperfections, as mentioned in the Christus Vivit 79. Secondly, family crises arises due to strict and conservative traditions, generational conflict, different kinds of abused, and even separations that in many ways victimize the youth. Cultural wars and conflict make many youth victims, while others become predators, creating a negative image of youth. Furthermore, developments in Science and Technology create internal crises for youth as they believe they have the right to do whatever they want to their body and lack of appreciation for their limited nature, involving cyber issues, online gambling, and more. Due to joblessness, many migrated, and even become victims of human trafficking with empty promise of easy job with fantastic salaries. Because of all these crises, avoid talking about God, reject religion and Church, but Jesus remains their model and strength. Therefore, we are invited as Church, not to focus on ourselves but to let the figure of Christ become central in our life and mission as CV number 39 says. The Church will continue its youngness when we continue to return to its source; The World of God, Eucharist and being guided by Holy Spirit (CV 35). Only in the communion with Jesus and His merciful father we are able to see the sacred soil of young people-that the youth are the Children of God in this ever-changing world; that youth are leader for themselves, their surrounding as well as agent of change, as we seen political changes in Indonesia, Nepal and other countries. Deep inside what are express, there are many unique potentials. What they need is a process of accompaniment to be aware of and develop these potentials in order to bear useful fruits for them, Church and society.
In order to discover the Sacred soil in the hearts of the youth, we need to employ special strategy following the triple pedagogy of Jesus (John 11: 35 and Luke 19:41); context, closeness and creativity. Realizing the complexity of youth, we need to find various entry point into their context –both theoretically and their profiles: demographical (age, gender, education and culture) and psychographic (personality, potency, hobbies-activities, way of life) along with many other internal and external challenges. The second strategy is closeness. We will understand their context and find the unique potentials behind their crises when we are really close to them. Closeness is key to making them comfortable with us and presenting their real self, their goodness within. We are invited to listen to the Holy Spirit with the youth. Listening to the youth means listening to the Holy Spirit. Pope Francis emphacized the important of listening with full attention without judgment. Our closeness should not be a moment and pace for judgment, but a space of sincere dialogue as Jesus did (CV 39). The presence of the youth in the Eucharist, liturgy of the word and other activities will keep our Church young. And the third strategy is creativity. In accompanying youth, we need to leave the old ways of doing things behind. This is old saying; “entering through their ways and going out in our ways”. We need to find new ways- both theirs and our way. We are invited to be flexible according to their situation. They are in crisis and we cannot create another crisis through our old approaches and prejudices. Shortly, in approaching the youth, we are called to become merciful Father who comes closer and embraces his lost son and as “Mother Church” who dries their tears. We are invited to empathize with their deepest crisis. By this approach, we represent Jesus whom they are searching for, heal their wounds, and accompany from worldly fear toward Christian hope. We are invited to follow pedagogy of Jesus who approached the context of youth positively, having dialogue that liberates them from their personal crises, upgrades their self-esteem, initiate the growth of their unique capacities, so that they can make autonomously and responsible decisions.
To help us design programs, resource persons from the Youth Commission of the Bishop Conference presented areas of crisis that are also opportunities to work with youth. Currently, many youth are unemployed or having been fired from their jobs. In this area of crisis, Maria Isabel provided encouraging input on youth and entrepreneur, sharing how some youth become as successful in their own places with their interests. Bella, who has experience in the same field, presented a program proposed by the Indonesian Youth Commission that encourages us to response to the crisis of unemployement by creating a new jobs from and for youth. To follow up, “Samaritan youth” from Batam, accompanied by Fr. Chisanctus Pascalis Saturnus who work on socialization about human trafficking, shared their experience on preventing youth from falling into traps of human trafficking. Nowadays, youth are the main target of the human trafficking, in the many different ways. On the negative effect of technology and AI, Lisa Esty, awakened our awareness of both the negative and positive aspects of technology and AI. She invited us to accompany youth in coping with this digital area and encouraged us to accompany youth in following the digital program of Indonesian Gold 2045. Youth can prepare themselves to participate in creating three big pillars of Indonesia’s digital ecosystem; a modern and responsive Digital Government, a Digital Innovative Economy, based on digital technology, and an empowered Indonesian cultural Digital Society. In the area of family problems, especially for women who mostly become victims, young psychologist, Mieke Verawati expanded our knowledge and awareness on mental health, family and women empowerment. We are reminded that mental health is an issue cross generations, cultures, and system and mental health should be part of youth programs-for the youth facilitators, youth themselves, families, and other external elements. We need to provide support system for mental health and create a healthy environment for youth. Youth who benefit from mental health services even play roles as mediator and peacemakers for their families. Margaretha Quina from the Indonesian Youth Commission expanded our awareness on ecological crisis and showcased youth around Indonesia who did great work caring for the earth. According to the American Psychology Association, 2017, the ecological crisis has created eco anxiety-a chronic fear. Research presented by Hickman (2021) shows that 84 % of youth worldwide experience eco anxiety. She then proposed environmental action where youth can participate. This action begins from the comfort zone to the fear zone and from the learning zone to the growth zone. She invited us to accompany youth in this ecological crisis from fear to Christian Hope, following the call of Laudato Sii and Laudato Deum. And lastly, in the area of politic and plurality, another Youth Commission member, Desiana Samosir, helped us to understand our political situation and the need of youth formation in politics, preparing militant youth to participate in political awareness as well as grassroots political movements that bring change for society especially the marginalized and needy.
Taking all the input and study from the week, we moved to coordinating our areas and designing programs following the roadmap of our province. There will be youth gatherings next year in each area as preparation for the SSCC youth gathering in 2027. Let us pray and keep this learning spirit and respond creatively to the needs of our youth so that together we can be fruitful for the Church and society.
Pankrasius Olak SS.CC.
Provincial Superior