Youth Session 6: Many Peoples, One Catholic Church
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks,
slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. (1 Cor 12:13)
To promote knowledge, mutual acceptance, and collaboration among the diverse ethnic, cultural, and linguistic groups that form the faith community.
How rich is our diversity, yet how blind we are that it is in our diversity that we truly are the Body of Christ. In trying to be like everyone else, we often miss the unique gifts that God has bestowed on each and every one of us. Let us reflect here and celebrate each other and our awesome Creator who knows us each by name.
Welcome the participants and ask them to briefly introduce themselves in the language of their preference. Start with a simple prayer centered on the theme of Christian unity amidst the diversity of cultures and peoples. Create a welcoming environment, including the use of religious symbols of different cultures, and use songs such as Jaime Cortés's "Somos el Cuerpo de Cristo/We are the Body of Christ" (Breaking Bread, #416, Oregon Catholic Press, 1998). Other song suggestions include: "We Are One Body" by Dana (World Youth Day Song), "Song of the Body of Christ" (Oregon Catholic Press), "God has Done Marvelous Things" by David Haas, and the following songs from the Lead Me Guide Me Hymnal: "In Christ There Is No East Or West," "Oh Freedom," "Plenty of Good Room," "One Bread, One Body."
The increase in cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity is changing the face of our neighborhoods and communities of faith. This diversity enriches the communities in marvelous ways, but it can also create tension. To strike a balance between the needs and aspirations of groups that are so diverse is no easy task. Adequate scheduling of Masses in different languages, representation on the parish council, equal access to parish facilities, and contributions and use of economic resources are some of the areas of frequent tension within the faith community. In the social arena, racism, poverty, and violence are reasons for great concern. To know the culture and to be aware of the aspirations and the challenges faced by the different members of the community creates understanding and mutual acceptance. Open dialogue lessens tensions, overcomes fears, and helps to build a strong and united community. We are all called to form a single Church, nourished by the same Spirit (Tertio Millennio Adveniente, no. 34). This call has a special importance at the dawn of the third millennium. To adequately respond to this call, we must open the doors, both to Christ and to his message of unity that comes to us through the Holy Spirit (Tertio Millennio Adveniente, no. 44).
Discussion questions:
- What positive experiences have you had with individuals of different ethnic or cultural groups?
- As a member of a particular culture/ethnic group, what is one thing that has had the biggest impact on your spiritual growth? (e.g., Eucharist, positive adult involvement, reconciliation, history, family.)
- Discuss the activities, events, etc. which contribute to your ethnic identity. Focus on national and/or local activities which may have more direct impact on your life.
Ask each small group to share their discussion. Comment on any similarities that are shared among the small groups.
St. Paul talks about the importance of the many parts of one body (1 Corinthians 12:12-26). The many parts represent the cultural and ethnic diversities of the one body. While there are many parts, each part enhances the richness of the universal church.
God created a richly diverse humanity and invites us to share the gifts of one another. 1 Corinthians reminds us of the diversity of this one body, but yet highlights the importance of each part and its contribution to the continued growth of this one faith and society as a whole. We are called to share and celebrate this diversity in this millennium year and beyond.
The vision of unity among peoples goes far beyond their differences and shares the same human dignity. The Holy Spirit empowered the apostles to preach to people of many nations and different languages, creating among them a new community united by the same Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit and the intimate connection of the members of the faith community give unity to the body, and in this way, stimulate and produce love between the believers (
Tertio Millennio Adveniente, no. 45). A strong temptation in a diverse society is to expect uniformity from all its members, in order to be a community without tensions. This expectation to assimilate can create a great deal of division and inequity. This was the case at the beginning of the Church when it was expected that the pagans fulfill the requirements of the Mosaic law before they became Christians. After discussing this issue, the apostles affirmed that it is the Holy Spirit who brings true unity to all believers, and not specific Jewish customs (Acts 15:1-12).
This issue of fulfilling the requirements of Mosaic law in order to be accepted as a Christian was the main reason for the first ecumenical council of the Church. This council distinguished between what is essential to our faith and what is a culturally-bound way of expressing, organizing, or celebrating our faith in a particular country or culture. God's incarnation in the person of Jesus Christ speaks to us of the universality of God's redeeming action and of our faith, and how our faith is expressed and lived out in specific ways within each culture.
The Son of God, by taking upon himself our human nature, became incarnate within a particular people, even though his redemptive death brought salvation to all people. . . . The gift of his Spirit and his love are meant for each and every people and culture, in order to bring them all into unity. . . . For this to happen, it is necessary to inculturate preaching in such a way that the Gospel is proclaimed in the language and in the culture of its hearers (Ecclesia in America, no. 70).
Just because a Catholic does not understand or express his or her belonging to a faith community in a way that is conventional to a specific culture, this does not mean that this person is less Catholic than the one who does. To understand and respect this distinction is key to achieving the U.S. bishops' goal of fostering cultural diversity within the unity of the Church (
Go and Make Disciples, p. 18).
Discussion questions:
- What are some cultural expressions or ways in which the various groups in your parish express their Catholic faith tradition?
- How are these similar or different from the way you are accustomed to expressing your faith tradition?
- How does the Spirit of Pentecost and the reading from 1 Corinthians bring Christian unity to the diverse culture, ethnic and linguistic groups in the different areas of parish life?
- To what extent are different cultural and ethnic groups actively involved in the decision-making process of your faith community and in civic society?
Our differences cannot get in the way of our common belief and life in Jesus Christ. Faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Church affirms the dignity of everyone and presents the diversity of races, cultures, and languages as a gift from God, not as a problem. In a call toward unity in Christ, the bishops of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston wrote a pastoral letter in 1994 entitled
Many Members, One Body. In that letter, the bishops advise us that we cannot be satisfied with a coexistence with different cultures from a distance or just with mutual toleration. The catholicity of the Church and our union with Christ require that the different cultures get to know each other and form relationships in the pastoral, liturgical, and social framework (
Many Members, One Body, no. 26). The bishops exhort the faithful to confront "each case of prejudice, each cultural stereotype and each expression of racism that divide the people of God." They also invite them to celebrate the differences that make the Church a beautiful tapestry in which each community shares its unique experience of God (
Many Members, One Body, no. 27).
Action steps:
- Brainstorm actions and projects that promote collaboration and Christian unity among different cultural, ethnic, and linguistic groups in your community. (One example of such an action is to participate in the diocesan eucharistic celebration of the jubilee year.) Try to identify at least one action in each of the following areas of Christian life:
- Liturgy
- Religious education and catechesis
- Building community and leadership development
- Service and advocacy
- Decision-making process
- Organize actions according to their priority and identify lead agents for each action that the community decides to take.
- What helped you participate in this session and what made it difficult?
- What did you learn and accept about others?
- What did you learn about your faith?
- How did people make a commitment to implement a course of action?
- Opening hymn/song
- Invocation or invitation to prayer
- Scriptural reading
- Prayer of thanksgiving or petition
- The Lord's Prayer
- Final prayer and sign of peace
- Closing hymn
Activity 1
- Each youth will be asked to meet two Catholic youth from different countries or states at least 1,000 miles from their hometown.
- Create cards for easy exchange of information.
- As much as possible in Rome, introduce yourself and swap trinkets.
- Ask your new friend if he/she would like to be the electronic pen pal for the youth group. If you have 8 youth going to Rome you would then have 16 pen pals for the youth group.
- Make contact immediately upon return and begin dialogue with youth that were met in Rome
- Exchange letters, E-mail, pictures of family, youth group, etc.
- Read correspondence to the entire youth group
- Possibly establish pen pals with other members in both youth groups
- Using 1 Corinthians, explore the challenges and blessings of the diversity of youth who are called to be one Body in Christ.
- With electronic media, exchange ideas, pictures, video, Internet activities, possibly a worship experience broadcast between the two locations. Friends may be made forever.
Activity 2
After returning home allow the youth to create crosses out of any material.
(The cross can act as a reminder of the World Youth Day cross which "brings the prayers and commitment of all young people who recognize it as a sacred sign of God's love for humanity.")
- Each person is given a piece of cloth (scraps of material are fine) to make a prayer cloth.
- After making the cross and prayer cloth, ask each one to write on little pieces of paper, one of their burdens: an ill of the community that requires prayer, the name of a friend in need, community prayer of the parish, monthly intention of the Holy Father, etc.
- Pin the pieces of paper to the cloth.
- Offer a blessing and prayer over all the cloths as they become a repository for our burdens.
- Each youth is to take cloth and crucifix home and place in their prayer space. (Introduction of quiet time and prayer space should be done ahead of time).
- Use the wording below from the Holy Father's Message to Youth, WYD 2000, as an inspiration at the beginning of private prayer for the items on the cloth and to strengthen their prayer life. Perhaps make a prayer card or bookmark using this quote.
Although the journey is difficult, we can do everything in the One who is our Redeemer. Turn then to no one, except Jesus. Do not look elsewhere for that which only he can give you, because "of all the names in the world given to men [and women] this is the only one by which we can be saved" (Act 4:12). With Christ, saintliness – the divine plan for every baptized person – is possible. Rely on him; believe in the invincible power of the Gospel and place faith as the foundation of your hope. Jesus walks with you, he renews your heart and strengthens you with the vigor of his Spirit.
- Allow the youth to decide how & when to "remove" the burdens. Remind them that the cloth should not become too full for Jesus bears all burdens and makes our yoke lighter.
- Discuss the uniqueness of the cross in the universal church, the power of prayer, yet the uniqueness & difference of "burdens, prayer, etc. (e.g., the burdens are universal as we pray for and with the Holy Father.)
This exercise can lead into discussion on prayer as a universal church, scripture introduction, etc.