By Mary Emrich
As I write this, we are in a near-global lockdown, isolated and distanced from one another to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.
When I was invited to reflect on
Christ is Alive
a month ago, I knew I would focus on what I believe is the essence of youth ministry: accompaniment. For me, that means showing up, even when I have no idea what to say. It is walking with someone where they are, rather than expecting them to meet me on my terms. It’s listening and paying attention to ensure that the other feels seen and heard. It’s meeting youth on their turf and investing time and presence in ways that foster authentic, meaningful conversations and belonging.
In paragraph 185 of
Christ is Alive
, Pope Francis sums it up quite simply with a single sentence (that I highlighted, underlined, and starred when I read it): “The Church needs to make a commitment to accompanying these young people…”
Engagement looks radically different now from even one month ago, much less 5-10 years ago and especially from when I was a teenager in the 1980s. The world is turned upside down and “showing up” for each other is limited to text, Instagram, FaceTime, Zoom and other virtual spaces. How does anyone foster openness and connection while at a minimum distance of six feet apart? And while immersed in uncertainty, anxiety and isolation? Authentic engagement requires some vulnerability — letting yourself be seen as you are and, thus, inviting others to do the same. Attempting that online can feel superficial. Fabricated. Phony.
In
Christ is Alive
, Pope Francis addresses the limitations and deficiencies inherent in virtual communities. “It is not healthy to confuse communication with mere virtual contact. Online relationships can become inhuman … Digital spaces blind us to the vulnerability of another human being and prevent us from our own self-reflection.” He also acknowledges that “the web and social networks … provide an extraordinary opportunity for dialogue, encounter and exchange between persons…”
I am woefully unprepared to navigate the virtual world as the primary means of connecting with the students I serve. I barely manage the campus ministry Instagram and Twitter accounts I have. My teenage daughters help me learn about new apps, but this is mostly uncharted territory for me.
Pope Francis counsels us that “Anxiety can work against us by making us give up whenever we do not see instant results.” My first attempt at creating and posting a video on YouTube took three days and included...
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