Young Catholics are taking over the world… and that just can’t be censored. The mainstream media can try to bury the fact that the Catholic Church is alive and well, but the truth remains – the Church is thriving and Catholic youth around the world are rising up and being a witness to the faith.
Courtesy of Catholic Memes
The above meme has been floating around cyberspace over the past few days and I couldn’t help but smile when I saw it, because it’s so true.
The mainstream media and other people in the public eye would like to focus on scandal within the Church and pretend that the Catholic Church is irrelevant in today’s world. Some may say that the Catholic Church is living in ancient times, that no one goes to Mass anymore, especially not people under the age of 35. And young people are definitely not practicing chastity or standing up against abortion or gay marriage.
Well, those people are wrong.
3.2 Million young people in Rio over the weekend revealed the truth about young people and the Catholic Church.
Catholic young people are on fire for their faith and they are not afraid to show it. They know what they believe and why they believe it. They want to proclaim the Gospel in today’s world and are becoming revolutionaries for the faith.
Photo courtesy of the Derry Franciscans
To the people who say that the Catholic Church is fading away or becoming obsolete… Sorry, I don’t think the Church can hear you over the 3.2 Million young people gathered on Copacabana Beach in Rio over the weekend. That’s over 3 million Scripture-reading, Rosary-praying, Pope-loving, faithful, praising God, Catholics on a beach in Brazil. Absolutely awe-inspiring!
The media would have you believe that the Catholic Church is made up of old people who have lost touch with reality, and that young people want nothing to do with the Christian faith. But, World Youth Day revealed that the Church is alive and well, and that Catholic youth around the globe are on fire for their faith and are yearning for the fullness and truth found within the Catholic Church.
Over 3 million young people travelled from across the world to spend a week in Rio De Janeiro. Praying together, singing, praising God, learning about their faith, and coming together on common ground – the common ground of our faith.
These young people were inspired and fired up, and are now on their way back to their homeland’s across the world, ready to spread the Good News.
During World Youth Day in Rio, one of the major focuses of Pope Francis was to challenge the youth in the ways of the faith and encourage them to be revolutionaries for Christ. One of my favorite and I think one of the most powerful quotes from last week, was:
Photo courtesy of Catholic News Service/Reuters“I ask you, instead, to be revolutionaries, to swim against the tide; yes, I am asking you to rebel against this culture that sees everything as temporary and that ultimately believes that you are incapable of responsibility, that you are incapable of true love. I have confidence in you and I pray for you. Have the courage “to swim against the tide.”
– Pope Francis, World Youth Day 2013, Rio de Janeiro
The Church needs revolutionaries – we need rebels for the faith. Christ asks us repeatedly to swim against the tide and to rebel against the evils of the world. But, he also challenges us to live in the world and to use our experiences in the world to convert the masses.
What we saw last week during World Youth Day was exactly that. Young people travelled all from all corners of the world to spend a week celebrating their faith, learning about their faith, and rebelling against the evils of the world, to celebrate the light – who is Christ. And now they return home, to swim against the tide and to bring the masses to Christ, the light of our world.
Let us continue to be revolutionaries for the faith and encourage the youth to be rebels for the faith. Rebel against the evils of the world, and bring the masses to the light through example.