Scottish Catholic Observer

Of all the many tragedies related to the abuse of children by members of the clergy, one of the greatest is that the Church’s attempts to help children are now looked on with mistrust by many. In fact the Church is, was and remains perfectly placed to play a vital role in the lives of children and young people. The teachings of Christ can provide a stabilising structure in the increasingly turbulent lives of the young and help to impart them with the values of right and wrong that will guide them for the rest of their lives.

In addition to the colossal human tragedy of abuse, how many more lives have been damaged, because they have come to mistrust the Church over the actions of the few?

Fortunately this week’s Scottish Catholic Observer reveals just how positive an impact the Church can still have on children and teenagers.

Here in Scotland, the Caritas Award continues to be a wonderful recognition of the great good that can be achieved by our young people while also helping to drive them to higher heights.

The achievements of the Caritas Award winners (above) —who came from many faith backgrounds—are profoundly impressive. Some organised games and events for younger children, while others set up Society of St Vincent De Paul groups in their schools. One pupil even travelled to Romania to help those less fortunate.

As Pope Francis himself noted, the young people who received this award are ‘like street preachers taking up various forms of activism and volunteer work’ and he urged them to ‘continue to courageously witness to the love that God has for every individual person.’

In Rome, Pope Francis was practising what he preached by reaching out to some of the poorest children in Italy. When he met with 400 of them last Saturday, they were overcome with excitement and joy.

“You can make a better world,” the Holy Father told them. “And that task is done with love. With love. Everyone together, as brothers, struggling alongside the other for love. And for this, I will tell you something: when the Apostle John, who was a very close friend of Jesus—a very close friend—wanted to say who God is, do you know what he said? ‘God is love.’ It’s beautiful.”

A simple message but not one any of those children will ever forget and who knows just how powerful an impact it will have as they journey through the rest of their life.

The Church must treasure its young people and not patronise them, but treat them with the respect they deserve, while guiding them towards the light of God’s love.