By Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing, OFM
How do you evangelise? Especially, how do you evangelise young people? Needless to say, this is an extremely important issue! Sharing the Good News is a mission entrusted to us by Jesus before ascended to heaven, and since the youth are the next generation, it is indeed a top priority to reach out to them. But, as we all know, it is not easy.
Although it is said that there is no panacea for evangelising the youth, the Alpha Youth programme, which was completed last year by Alpha Hong Kong, the evangelical organisation, in collaboration with our diocese, is a very good tool which is should be recommended to all.
It is a series of 13 professionally produced, fast-paced, lively and entertaining videos tailored to young people, that provides a concise introduction to the faith. Rather than a long, one-way sermon, they spark conversation and create space for dialogue, allowing teens to build a relationship with Jesus and embark on a journey of discovery about life and faith.
What is in it? The contents are just the ABCs of faith, such as: “Life, what is it?” “Jesus, who is he?” “Prayer, what is it?” “Why did Jesus have to die?” “What do you mean by believing in Jesus?” and so on.
This series does not replace the catechism programme, but is a prelude to it. At each meeting, there will be light refreshments so that participants can open up their conversations with a little sip and savour. There is a lot of room for sharing in small groups. There is no rush to provide standardised answers, but rather, focus on generating interest and friendship amongst the group so that they are willing to continue to explore and ultimately embark on the journey of catechesis.
Since the launch of the Catholic edition of Alpha Youth two years ago, it has been used by several parishes, all of which have achieved very positive results. On December 10 at 2:30pm, they will attend a promotional meeting at St. Francis of Assisi Church, Shek Kip Mei, to share their experience to let more brothers and sisters to know about Alpha Youth.
We hope that more people, especially the young, can come to know Jesus Christ and enjoy a richer life. If you are a pastoral team member of a parish, a youth pastoral worker or a member of the evangelisation team, you are welcome to join us and be inspired!
