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The
Frassati Society of Young Adult Catholics
PRAISED BE JESUS
CHRIST!
(Now and Forever)
Shortly after becoming bishop in 1984, I held a series of listening
sessions with young adult Catholics here in our Local Church. It was
both interesting and revealing.
When I was doing parish work, parents often complained to me about the
superficiality of the religious instruction their children were
receiving in parish religious education classes. As often as not, when
confronted with that observation, I was defensive of the texts used and
the volunteer instructors. If the formation wasn’t what it should be, it
had to be the fault of the kids. They didn’t take their religious
formation seriously. They didn’t listen. That was my mindset. Yet there
I was, the bishop, and young adults were telling me that they did not
know what the Catholic Church teaches on a variety of topics of interest
to them. “Just tell us what the Church teaches,” they said. “We will
decide what we will accept, but we want to know. Tell us!”
Since that experience, serious steps have been taken to improve the
quality of religious formation in this Local Church. Catechist
certification is expected of those who teach religion. More is needed
than good will. We also now have a well established lay ecclesial
ministry program geared to provide lay leaders with doctrinal and
spiritual formation. Reaching young adults, however, remains a
challenge.
Seeing that challenge, a Catholic organization unique to our diocese was
founded several years ago to reach out to 18- to 35-year-olds, married
as well as single. The goal is to provide young adults with solid
material upon which they can build and enrich their Catholic faith
through prayer, service and fellowship. Why 18 to 35? Because that is
the Vatican definition of a young adult.
It’s called the Frassati Society of Young Adult Catholics. Its
constitution calls for a community of young adults who desire to live
lives of holiness in imitation of Christ in the midst of the modern era.
It takes its name from Pier Giorgio Frassati, who was born in Italy in
1901. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in May of 1990.
From his early years, Pier Giorgio Frassati demonstrated a special love
for God through prayer and service to the poor. An average student but
an outstanding athlete, he made many friends in high school and later
when he attended the university. He was an active member of several
Catholic organizations that ministered to the poor, promoted Eucharistic
adoration and Marian devotion, and was a staunch defender of chastity.
His strong political views led him to join movements which challenged
society in its movement away from Christian values.
Although Pier Giorgio Frassati was the son of a rich and politically
influential family, he spent his money on the needy, regularly visiting
the sick. It was during one of those visits that he contracted polio and
died within a few days at the age of 24. It was 1925.
At his beatification, Pope John Paul II said of Pier Giorgio that his
life was a testimonial to the fact that holiness is possible for
everyone. And, what is holiness? The simple definition is the perfection
of charity. The Holy Father noted that Pier, by his example, proclaimed
that a life lived in Christ’s spirit, the spirit of the beatitudes, is
“blessed,” and that only the person who becomes a man or woman of the
beatitudes can succeed in communicating love and peace to others.
Through the sacraments of initiation, we are in fact called to holiness.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “All Christians in any
state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and
to the perfection of charity. All are called to holiness (2013).”
St. Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians lays out a practical plan for
growth in holiness. “Put on,” he says “heartfelt compassion, humility,
gentleness and patience, bearing with one another. If one has a
grievance against another, as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you
also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of
perfection” (Col. 3:12-15).
This is not mission impossible, although holiness does challenge us to
step back from the cultural flow of permissiveness and
self-gratification to witness to the values of Jesus Christ. The key is
to have understanding of those values. That is what the Frassati Society
attempts to make known to young adults.
The Frassati Society holds an annual conference. This year it will be
held July 27-29 at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate
Conception in Lafayette.
Activities include speakers, workshops, Eucharistic procession and
adoration, the sacrament of reconciliation, Mass, fellowship,
question-and-answer sessions, as well as time for reflection and prayer.
The conference begins at 6 p.m. Friday and continues through 2 p.m. on
Sunday. The cost is modest: $90 for those who live in the Lafayette area
who will provide their own lodging, more for those who choose to be
housed in a Holiday Inn Select that is within walking distance of the
cathedral.
The theme of the Frassati conference this year is “Male and Female He
Created Them: Understanding our Human Identity in Christ.” Major
presenters are Katrina Zeno and Mark Houck.
Katrina Zeno is author of Every Woman’s Journey: Answering, “Who Am I,”
for the Feminine Heart. She is coordinator of the John Paul II Resource
Center for Theology of the Body and Culture for the Diocese of Phoenix.
She has served as host for a 13-part series on the “Genius of Women” for
Catholic Family Land TV. She has also acted as co-host of a 13-part
series for EWTN on John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.
Mark Houck is co-founder and president of The King’s Men. A 1997
graduate of Catholic University of America, after pursuing dreams of
becoming a professional football player, he worked as a recruiter,
salesman, production manager, and counselor at a juvenile correctional
facility. He currently devotes his energy to giving pro-life talks and
talks on chastity to teens as well as their parents throughout the
United States and Canada.
Young adults may register for the Frassati Conference by visiting
www.frassati.org or by calling Jenny Johnson at 317-663-4018.
While trying to decide whether it’s worth your time, you might ponder
the following prayer:
“Father, you gave to the young Pier Giorgio Frassati the joy of meeting
Christ and of living his faith in service of the poor and the sick.
Through his intercession may we, too, walk the path of the beatitudes
and follow the example of his generosity, spreading the spirit of the
Gospel in society. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.” |
