The Challenge

Well I told you that I was working hard to launch the STATIC Program, and as you can see by the press release I posted, The STATIC Portal is launched. Now I would love to say I have had hundreds of churches sign up, but that would be a lie, and I would love to say that my email have been flooded with request for more information, but that would be a lie, but what I can say is, I have launched what I consider to be a very well thought out and produced faith formation program. One that truly challenges the youth to new levels of faith, not only the youth, but also the teacher. The STATIC Program is one program with many faces. It is, in a way, a traditional class room (well not really), but it is much, much more. The STATIC Program challenges all who participate to in the program, the youth, the teachers, ministers and parents, all are challenged to examine there faith. We ask them to open up there minds and hearts and to allow there souls the ability to breath, to take in the Holy Spirit. STATIC allows for this growth, encouraging  it and fostering it. Like no other program, STAITC truly challenges the participants to examine there faith to grow in there faith and to learn and discover there faith.

Now the question is, what do we do as adults to do the same? How do we challenge our faith, how do we grow in our faith? What action do we take, what steps to deepening our faith are we currently one?  We, as Catholics, are called to learn more, to deep out faith and to always be ready and able to defend out fait, can you? Are you ready to defend your faith? Are you studying more, reading more, attending more and being more? Are you fulfilling your calling to the faith?

I would say no, most of us are not, I know I could be doing more, we all could be. But as a youth I was never challenged to own my faith, my options and    questions were never of value to others with in the faith, I as a youth truly had no opinion. STATIC is trying to change that, we are challenging the concept of youth should be seen and not heard, and sadly in some churches they should not be seen nor heard. Sad as that may sound. But I was always one who questioned, I wanted to know more, I have always had a love for my faith and because of that love, I have always wanted to know more. So I developing this program, I have had to studied and learn more, to dig deeper in to the faith.

The youth are a vibrant part of our community, they give us life and add a layer of light heartedness, they are part of the body of Christ, they are the very children Christ himself called to him, remember Jesus tells us that we must be like children to enter in to the kingdom of God.

We read this passage and forget it as fast as we read it. It does not fit in to our world view of youth, it flows counter to our culture. But wasn’t that just like Jesus, to challenge us to be more, do more and live a fuller life in Him.  But ain’t that just like humans to pick and choose what part of the teachings of Jesus we want to follow, believe in and take deep in our hearts.

The youth of our parishes are the life line and the blood of our faith community. Yet we all to often choose to push them to the side, to ignore them. All to often the youth are seen as the clean up crew, but we at STATIC see them as much more. We see them as active, vibrant and essential to the faith life of our faith life. We view the youth as not the clean up crew but as part of the over all parish life.

So, even though I can not say that the STATIC site has been overwhelmed with hits, and churches are just clamoring to sigh up, but they are not, but I also know that they will, in time they will sigh up, when they decide that the youth are important to them, they will sign up, I know…

So this is the challenge I face, how do I show the Church the value of youth, and of the STATIC Program?

Paul