“Patronizing, oppressing, bureaucratic, stiff, old-fashioned, hierarchical, sadistic, false…” The list of cliches and prejudices about the Catholic Church dominating the contemporary public discourse seems endless. In comparison to the so called modern, hyper-individualistic culture and its crooked idea of freedom the Church could indeed be the incarnation of the Devil, had it not, in its moral relativism, stopped believing that there was even something like an absolute good and evil.
To dismantle this multi-layered mixture of disinformation, pride, disappointment and undeniable mistakes made in the past it requires patience, understanding and sensitivity. Hence it is essential to demonstrate its falsehood to those not yet contaminated by it: the children.
That is why the DYC Team, supported by local volunteers, used the sacramental talk in Maghera to speak about the Church and show in a fun way, what it is about: the people of God coming together. As part of their preparation for the sacraments of Confession, Holy Communion and Confirmation 120 children were invited to explore and expand their understanding of the Church. What do you think of, when you think about it? What would your Church look like? Since the result were deeply influenced by the young personalities, they wrote their names into the church which they had drawn. But along with them they also bring their lives into the Church, their families, friends, hopes, worries, successes and failures: everything that God has gifted them. Knowing this they realized, that Church is more than a building, an institution, a club or a corset of rules, it is always an encounter with others and with the loving God.
Therefore a game of Human Bingo was played challenging the children to speak to people they did not know. Then prayer, the personal relationship with Jesus, concluded the evening, for he is the one calling us to Church, he is the head of its body, as St. Paul wrote, and he wants every one to come to it, because when every part of the body works together, we can reach the aim he has for us, the Kingdom of Heaven, whose seed is already present in the Church..
