Uczestnictwo młodzieży w liturgii eucharystycznej (spostrzeżenia, uwagi, propozycje)

Abstract

Existing theological publications on this topic are too general and have little to contribute to the problem. The author worked as a pastor of the young for almost twenty years, in a period of rapid change in the Church. Owing to that, he is able to make some practical postulates. He begins by explaining the content of the two basic terms, „youth” and „participation” in the liturgy. Next he discusses the changes in the participation of young people in the liturgy in Poland and considers the advantages and draw backs of the changed situation. Finally, he puts forward a few postulates aiming at enlivening young people’s particip ation in the Eucharistic liturgy. The author considera th at priests should: take advantage of the experience of many small groups and communities and the achievements of the deuterocatechumenical („Oasis”) movement; send young people to retreats, pilgrimages, days of prayer and other religious events and then gather the participants in communities that would discharge specific liturgical functions; retain the young people’s Mass, prepare its liturgy with the young and address the homily to them; form the correct inner disposition, among other things through silence, which ought to regain its due place in the liturgy; make an effort to remove any elements of paternalism and artificiality from the liturgy so as to respond to young people’s need for sincerity, authenticity and rebellion against hypocrisy; awaken a sense of mystery and of the sacred, which is so im portant in an epoch of abolition of mystery and adulation of the profane.