The summer of young people
by Salvatore Alletto
Several decades have passed since Don Bosco, the saint of young people, said that summer was "the devil's harvest", that is, the time of the year in which children were most at risk of deviance, due to idleness and the slowdown of usual activities. The Turin saint was certainly not a "bigot" but, knowing the souls of young people well, he knew well that they should always be kept cheerful and well occupied. School ended, dad and mom were often at work and the street seemed to be the only one willing to welcome them. Today society has changed, the street is no longer so busy, while the web and social media act as "guardians" of children. The holiday period risks turning into a time of apathy and disengagement while waiting to return to school or university. And it is precisely for this reason that the many parish communities and oratories scattered throughout Italy do their utmost to offer alternative holiday proposals in which to regenerate and recharge at the school of the Gospel.
They range from the inevitable summer camps, in which young and very young people dedicate their time by putting themselves at the service of animating the little ones, to the parish camps towards which the children are eager to strengthen friendships and listen to a good Word among the many words they have crowded their minds throughout the year. Then there are the pilgrimages on foot to significant places where the saints lived and worked (Santiago de Compostela, Lourdes, Assisi) and the service and volunteering camps, in which young people "get their hands dirty" and donate a little of their their time to those in difficulty or they dedicate their energy to recovering places or buildings "at risk".
What are kids looking for during the summer? The new generations are aware of the importance of lighting flames in their youth, so that in the age of maturity they can then warm themselves in the embers of these fires. They want to use their time to do something useful for themselves and others. Yes, they too will then spend some time sprawled out on the beach or with some cool drinks under the umbrella, but they will learn that only the time donated will return multiplied. A day on the road or in the desert, a biblical meditation or a walk pushing a pram can also help children discover their place in the world. Summer experiences are also the place where God speaks to young people, suggesting the path to follow, thanks to the many mediations encountered (spiritual guides, friends, the poor), provided that these experiences are not bolts from the blue, but are an integral part of a journey of human and Christian growth accomplished in the ordinariness of life and of the year. Being in contact with the kids, especially at the end of a camp or a pilgrimage, we easily notice the desire that that summer and that experience for them could never end. Yet, for the summer to bear good fruit (to be stolen from the devil!) we must return to everyday life and put into practice what we have learned and experienced. With winter, it is then up to educators and spiritual guides to start the journey again from those fervors and those hot flashes ignited during the summer time. it is from there that we must start so that young people can grow in their social and ecclesial commitment.
What proposals do you make to young people? Without a doubt, courageous proposals in which they themselves are protagonists of a new way of seeing and understanding the Church and society. Summer and its experiences can become a place for training and sharing great values such as silence, care for one's spiritual life, legality, justice, hospitality, service. The "millennials" (as the new generations are called) prefer busy and demanding holidays in contrast with the fact that makes them appear a bit like indecisive children. Not infrequently, it is precisely these slightly out-of-the-ordinary experiences that allow them to bring out the best. From those who least expect it you will see them taking a long walk under the sun, painting a railing or putting a wall back up, cleaning dishes and pots, worshiping under the stars, swimming in the pool with someone who can't move well. . Small gestures that can make an entire summer great and meaningful. By doing so, in September we will be ready to bet that God will make a good harvest by "subtracting" the fruits of the summer from the devil and during the year we will be able to taste the good wine once again: that of joy, of service, of being together, central ingredients for the life of every young person and every season!