The general sentiment that is given by one who is a staunch Traditionalist or Trad Behaving Badly in the Church, is that youth ministry is frowned upon, giving the kids a "goopy" Jesus and all fun, not the real stuff. That or it's tolerable, but not as good as other holy things, like the TLM, for feeding the youth. It is as if Traditional Catholicism and the Novus Ordo "culture" should never cross paths, or can't. Once again, it seems like the winds of things are changing for the better in the Church.
Personally speaking, youth ministry brought me back out of the 7 years of darkness I experienced in drifting away from the faith, despite it's leadership at the time. Without youth ministry I never would have desired in the present to have any part of Traditional Catholicism including Latin Mass serving. It was where I regained the spark of active participation in my Faith, and I just went forward from there.
Now, you say, how does that mean anything for the intersecting of Traditional Catholicism and Novus Ordo culture? Well, Lifeteen (International) is a Catholic youth ministry program which was created in North America in the 80's and since then, has been overhauled to be more conservative in its leanings, with faithfulness to the Magisterium and Catholic teaching (in the Catechism,) all the while providing community and enrichment of the lives of Catholic youth. Numerous churches in Canada, even Ontario, have adopted the program, or used it as a base for their parish-created teen ministries.
But what I am about to show you, will show you a sign of hope about our younger generation, that yes, both forms of the Roman Rite can intersect, and mutually enrich each other. Take this example of Lifeteen's Camp Hidden Lake in the United States of America. I subscribe to the feed on my Facebook, and came across this last week for their camp from July 28th to August 2 ....
What`s this? Not one but two mantillas at a Novus Ordo Mass? Whoa! May I remind you these are also teenage girls doing this, not old ladies? Impressive!
I'll start here by saying that this IS the Novus Ordo, and women can lector in this form of the Mass. Indult or not, that's how it is, so keep your "women cannot lector" comments to yourself! What I see here, is positive witness, to go up there in front of her fellow teens with a mantilla on, to (hopefully) proclaim Scripture. Doing this is saying "me, wearing my mantilla, is acceptable." While I'm at it, hey! the server is in classic black cassock and surplice!
Eucharistic adoration .... with a Mantilla! Hopefully this was also done on First Friday too, as it occurred last week.
And finally, the coupe d'gras ......
WHOA!!!! Teenage Girl + Mantilla + COMMUNION ON THE TONGUE! How's that for mutual enrichment of the Roman Rite, in youth ministry!!!
So you see people, there is some light at the end of this horrible tunnel. Less and less, things are dissipating from the original shake-up in the false "Spirit of Vatican II" and "brick-by-brick," both our clergy, but especially our Catholic laity (including the youth!) are making waves in restoring the tradition and beauty of our Catholic Faith, heavily discarded by the rebellious clergy and laity of the past couple of generations.
Regardless of whether these mantilla-bearers are dual-form or TLM attendees only, or even other rites in the Church, their choice to wear the mantillas, in the Novus Ordo Masses and not bow down to the peer-pressure of adults and their friends (common amongst teens), are just a couple of the many signs of hope that we should continue the good and holy fight, and that we are passing our own liturgical "D-day." While it does depend on the leadership in charge of these ministries, as a whole Catholic youth ministry is playing a part in the Reform of the Reform.
Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.
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