Remedy for despair: Hope in Christ’s love

4 mins read
Pope Francis greets Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia before a session of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican on Oct. 16. CNS photo via Vatican Media

While there are many reasons it is imperative for Catholics to continue to have faith in the Church during challenging times, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, OFM Cap., of Philadelphia, highlights one. In an interview with Our Sunday Visitor, the archbishop — who was in Rome as a member of the permanent committee of the Synod of Bishops on the theme “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment,” from Oct. 3-28 — acknowledged that while the Church faces tough times, “One of the things we all need to recover is an accurate sense of history. It’s a great antidote to despair.”

The U.S. prelate also shared his direct pastoral experience with young people, and he described their greatest challenges. He also shared episodes that gave him hope, and he gave practical advice on how young people can best live their faith.

Our Sunday Visitor: What do you see as the biggest challenges that young people face today? And what do you think matters most to them?

Archbishop Chaput

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput: One of the biggest challenges, at least in the so-called “developed” countries, is noise. Young people live in an envelope of distractions. Many have never been outside that envelope, so the Church and her message seem irrelevant to them. We can’t know God, we can’t even really know ourselves, without some measure of silence in our lives. Silence allows us to rest, and think, and ask questions. But everything in American culture is designed to do the opposite: to create restlessness, a constant appetite for things that are new and “loud” in the sense of demanding our attention.

I hear all the time that young people crave “authenticity.” I think their real need is meaning. Without God, man doesn’t have a purpose. Only very strong and privileged people can sustain the illusion of creating their own meaning. The rest of us are stuck with a longing for something more than the consumer junk and narcotics our culture offers. We have a daily life that’s packed with material stuff but that lacks beauty. This is why so many young persons are sad. It’s why they’re so angry. Life seems to make no sense.

OSV: Could you share some episodes of your encounters with young people that left an impression on you, especially those which give you hope?

Archbishop Chaput: The hundreds of thousands of young adults, children and families at the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia were astonishing for their faith and enthusiasm. That was a huge boost in hope for anyone who attended. And, likewise, anyone who takes part in the national gatherings of FOCUS [Fellowship of Catholic University Students] will come away changed for the better by the joy and confidence among the young people. They’re alive with the Gospel. …

Synodal Reports
During the first three weeks of the 2018 Synod of Bishops, 14 working groups — divided by language — presented three rounds of reports detailing their small group reflections. These reports will be used to form the final document in future months to summarize the findings of the synod.
 

OSV: Why is knowing they are loved by God essential for a young person? But, equally so, how does living their faith by going to Mass — and through regular prayer, reception of the sacraments and trying to follow the advice of the saints — give meaning to the lives of young people?

Archbishop Chaput: That gets back to your first question, and the absence of meaning in so many young people’s lives. It’s reflected in today’s young adult suicide rates. God anchors a genuinely human life. We need God, which is why faith is so important. Of course, faith is more than just words and good intentions. You actually need to live your faith in your daily actions. That takes patience and determination, and also humility. Faith is made real by practice, and by immersing ourselves in the rhythm of Church life, which implies the need for prayer, confession, Mass and seeking out Christian friendships.

OSV: Do you observe those living their faith, or who see God and Jesus giving meaning to their lives, are happier than those who do not?

Archbishop Chaput: They’re obviously happier. It’s the difference between someone who’s going somewhere and knows it, and someone who’s wandering around lost.

OSV: What elements of being Catholic — or of Catholic living (such as Mass, prayers, adoration, retreats, reading about the saints lives, confession) — do you think are the biggest help to young people in their daily lives?

Archbishop Chaput: All of the above. Mass is fundamental, but the Sacrament of Penance is very powerful. So is the habit of adoration.

OSV: What gives you hope about the future of the Church, especially during this current time of turmoil?

Archbishop Chaput: One of the things we all need to recover is an accurate sense of history. It’s a great antidote to despair. The Church faces some very painful times in the decades ahead. We need to be realistic about that. But we’ve been through worse, many times before. I know too many outstanding young priests and lay leaders to be afraid. Fear, worry, melancholy, despair — these things are from the devil, who’s a liar. Pope Francis talks about Jesus as “eternally young.” It’s a wonderful image. We get tired. God doesn’t. He informs and sustains the world — and his Church — with his love. Once we really believe that, there’s no better reason to have hope. And it’s the only reason we need.

Deborah Castellano Lubov writes from Rome.

Deborah Castellano Lubov

Deborah Castellano Lubov writes from Rome.