Friendships and Community
The church in this picture is the parish I grew up in - St. Joseph Cathedral in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. My dad was transferred a few times before we landed in this place, and I was really small. It's the place where I was raised, not just by my parents, but by the community.
A few years ago, one of our old cathedral neighborhood neighbors was looking for families we knew as kids - he wanted to get us all together somehow. He found a few, who found a few more, and now we are pretty complete - the neighbor kids who grew up together. It's been fun to recall all the things we did - alley games, night games, poker in garages, picnics, days at the pool and park and recreation fun.
Last week Matt, one of the neighbors, posted about how when we used to play kickball or baseball in the alley they dreaded the balls going over the fence around my yard. "Mr. Fiorello (my dad) would keep the balls and you had to come to the door, talk with him and swear you wouldn't do it again before you got the ball back. He often gave compliments on a great arm, or a kicking leg that just needed a bit more training." He would also send them home with something from the garden - where the balls most likely landed. Matt also said, “Wouldn't it be great if we knew our parents when they were our age? I would really like some of them - Mr. Fiorello was cool before I knew what cool was!"
It made me think about how important neighbors and friends are in our growing up. We need a community! The Search Institute has done great research on this very topic. Their Early Asset work spoke of the need for every child to have around twenty-seven adults in their life in order to grow up healthy and happy. They continue this research and still study relationships of all kinds that surround children and adolescents. It takes a village for sure! ( http://www.search-institute.org)
A few questions for us today: How is your faith community supporting, encouraging and helping to shape the children and youth you serve? How are young people and their parents mentored and accompanied? Who advocates for youth in your parish?
What could you do right now, even in the time of pandemic, to grow community and make sure your children, youth, and families have all the support they need? Who's checking in with them? How are you checking in? What are some creative ways to reach out during this time that don't cost much or take a staff member to do?
We can't wait for some of these things until the pandemic is over. The young church needs to be cared for, loved, mentored, encouraged and given our very best during this time. What can you commit to today to make sure your young people have a connection with the community - and a way to safely and creatively tap into the incredible adults we know and love in our parishes?
You can do this!!
Blessings,
Jane
