This is the first of the three youth pastoral structures in the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi of youths aged between 12-18years. MISSIONARY YOUTH MOVEMENT
IDENTITY SEEKERS
About
Jesus asked the apostles and Christians to make the Gospel known “Go and preach to the whole world” (28:19-20). Every baptized Christian is part of the Church and therefore has the responsibility to be a missionary. T
o be missionary is simply to be a brother or a sister, a neighbor and a friend to those around us and especially those who do not know and love Christ or are far away from the Church, the body of Christ. The MYM are therefore called to learn the human values necessary to live in the 21st century and to help others to do the same. Since they are mostly in high school, they are encouraged to join YCS while in school and participate actively while they are on holiday in the activities organized for them. They are in that critical stage of their lives where their bodies, mental and emotional states are undergoing massive changes that leave them in a sort of crisis of identity. They are torn between a sense of being adults and their need for support and love from adults. They are getting to be aware of what it means to be male or female. Their sexual emotions are throbbing and they do not yet fully know how to handle them even though they think they know. They see life experiences and engagements in terms of pleasure and pain and not whether they are morally good or bad. They feel more than they think. They desire ‘crowd or peer identity’ rather than individual and family identity. They are learning what it means to be a Catholic, a citizen and an adult. It is the task therefore of the animators and teachers to help them to develop a healthy self-awareness, proper value integration to help them build an identity, encourage them to develop a God-centered self-concept as compared to peer and media-based identity. In the process of identity seeking, they may engage in many and wanting behaviors. The animator is therefore called to practice patience and active physical presence and accompaniment, constantly reminding them of what is good and right. This accompaniment must be guided by the teachings of the Church especially the teaching about the unlimited Mercy of God. The MYM are therefore reminded to take solace especially in the sacraments of confession and communion.
