Young Adults Rathmines group
There are some people with genuine questions, and it is our duty to answer each one of them and hopefully bring them closer to God says, Rohith Kinattukara
As a fellow Generation-Z-man who is a devout Catholic, times are looking tougher than ever before. With the age of freedom and pop culture further drifting the minds of young people, it is fair to say that we need a strong mind and will power to stay true to ground – which can be extremely difficult at times. But that is what makes us different from the rest. To have a strong Catholic mind, it takes more than just saying “I am Catholic” or attending Mass, and from my experience recently, also a need to defend the reason why one should be a committed Catholic. Let’s dive deeper on ways in which one can stray away from modern culture and maybe help others to get closer to God:
Prayer in your life
As young adults, we often have limited time to ourselves. Many have new year resolutions, but just don’t have the time, or that’s the often-used excuse. Prayer doesn’t take long, a small prayer before sleeping or the first thing in the morning makes a huge difference on thanking God for everything He has done. This act of thanking will help you becoming grateful in life, happier and more fulfilled – something the current generation lacks. Instead of complaining, understanding that God created you with a purpose is the ultimate motivation to get up and continue your hard work and it all starts with a single prayer.
Meeting like-minded people
Joining a youth group is a great start. Many churches around the country have started to have youth groups where people can connect within a Catholic community. Not only does this help in meeting like-minded people, but it is also a great form of networking. These youth groups help in socialising, asking questions related to faith and have different activities that align with the faith.
I am part of the Young Adult Rathmines group based in the Rathmines Parish in Dublin. Their latest session, taken by the leader of the group Eoin McCormack, on ‘Speed Apologetics’, gave me the idea to write this article. Being part of the group has not only boosted my faith, but also made me understand the true meaning of community-building and to witness how the youth is also called to spread the Faith, which inspires others who would like to see and understand more about it. I personally have learned a lot more, and I do my best to share my faith with same passion.
Defending Faith
This is a topic that would resonate with many people, especially younger Catholics. In this day and age, there is no tougher task than defending the Faith. I have dealt with all sorts of questions. Staying calm and understanding where they are coming from makes a lot of difference. The bible verse Luke 10:16 says and reminds us that “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” This a powerful statement clearly gives you all the reasons to continue being a committed Catholic and proclaiming the good news. There are some people with genuine questions, and it is our duty to answer each one of them and hopefully bring them closer to God. Remember, if no one is there for you, to listen to you, He is always there to give you strength, and this is a beautiful reason to why we should keep defending the Faith. In Mathew 28:20 Jesus reminds us “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of ages,” and there is nothing more comforting and encouraging than this.
Saints as a role model
The amazing stories of the saints have always inspired me. The saints walked this Earth, like us. However, their lives have a twist. They answered the universal call to holiness from God to accept their dignity and to spread the good news. What we can learn from the saints is that they had their struggles, their weaknesses – as St Augustine said, “There is no saint without a past nor a sinner without a future” – but also enjoyed activities with friends, family or community never forgetting their relationship with God.
A great example is the soon-to-be canonised Carlo Acutis. A teenager who used to love playing games, loved TV shows and, what he was most famous for, his love for computers. He used that knowledge of building websites, and his main purpose was to spread the Eucharist and share the Faith with young people. This is a great example of how younger people can use their hobbies, social media, and so on to spread the idea of God and show the world how happiness is received by having God by your side.
Conclusion
Times are getting tougher. While Jesus was in the desert for 40 days, He was tempted by the devil, and He always stayed true to himself. This is even more relevant in our current times, with distractions filling our everyday life. The art of saying ‘no’ makes a huge difference in life, as the late Steve Jobs used to say, “It’s only by saying ‘no’ that you can concentrate on the things that are important” and I can’t stress this enough. Let us all pray for the youth, and forgive those who denounce the Lord, as Jesus mentioned in Mathew 5:44, “But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” There is nothing more inspiring. God Bless!
Rohith Kinattukara is a Catholic student from Griffith College Dublin studying MSc in Procurement and Supply Chain Management who loves to write and breathes tech.