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The Baptismal Catechumenate As a Source for Youth Ministry in a Secular Age by Christopher Paul Ryan MGL B Theol

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The Baptismal Catechumenate as a Source for Youth Ministry in a Secular Age by Christopher Paul Ryan MGL B Theol (Hons) (MCD) A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of DoCtor of Philosophy University of Divinity 26 October 2018 1 Abstract Both practitioners and other eCClesial leaders have inCreasingly framed Australian CatholiC youth ministry as an exerCise in evangelisation sinCe the 1980s. This understanding of youth ministry has largely been driven by the deCline in belief and practiCe among adolesCents. Despite this evangeliCal goal, however, youth ministry praxis has suffered from an inadequate engagement with the theology of evangelisation that has developed sinCe the SeCond VatiCan CounCil, and from a poor understanding of the phenomenon of ‘seCularism’. As a practiCal theologiCal projeCt, this thesis seeks to remedy this situation by firstly exploring the relationship between evangelisation and the ConCept of seCularism in Australian youth ministry to date. The thesis then investigates the present soCioCultural Context for youth ministry by examining several soCiologiCal studies of young Australians’ belief and practiCe through the lens of Charles Taylor’s depiCtion of seCularity, or the Conditions of belief whiCh shape young people’s deCisions ConCerning their faith Commitments. The thesis then identifies a proCess of evangelisation that was first artiCulated at VatiCan II and then reiterated in subsequent magisterial statements. This proCess is expressed paradigmatiCally in the baptismal CateChumenate, or the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), and is proposed as a prinCipal theologiCal resourCe for youth ministry. The thesis ConCludes by developing a model for youth ministry praxis that takes its inspiration from the baptismal CateChumenate. The results of this examination of the baptismal CateChumenate’s import for youth ministry are greater Clarity ConCerning youth ministry’s evangeliCal goal, a more acCurate 2 artiCulation of how this may be achieved via a proCess modelled upon the RCIA, and the reCognition that the realization of this evangeliCal goal is also dependent upon a richer understanding of the soCioCultural Context that Taylor Captures in his acCount of our seCular age. 3 Declaration of Originality I hereby Certify that this thesis Contains no material that has been acCepted for the reward of any other degree or diploma in any university or academiC institution. I affirm that to the best of my knowledge, the thesis Contains no material previously published or written by another person, exCept that whiCh is appropriately referenCed in the text and footnotes of the thesis. Christopher Paul Ryan MGL Candidate 26 OCtober 2018 Publications During Candidature My Chapter, “Towards an Evangelising Youth Ministry” in Australian Catholic Youth Ministry: Theological and Pastoral Foundations for Faithful Ministry, edited by Christian Fini and Christopher Ryan (Mulgrave, ViC.: Garratt, 2014) 53-76, arose from early researCh towards this thesis. 4 Acknowledgements I would like to begin by thanking my two supervisors. As prinCipal supervisor Dr Kevin Lenehan has been an astute theologiCal interloCutor who provided invaluable guidanCe along the doCtoral journey. I am most grateful for his adviCe, support and direCtion during the projeCt. I have been privileged to have Dr Bob McCarty as a seCond supervisor: as the former ExeCutive DireCtor for the National Federation for CatholiC Youth Ministry in the United States, Bob’s vision, wisdom, and pastoral insight have stimulated my researCh at every turn. Perhaps above all, his deep love for young people and his desire to see young people live out their voCation in the heart of the ChurCh have Constantly inspired and enCouraged me. I was also a blessed reCipient of Bob and his wife Maggie’s hospitality when I visited the United States in 2012. I want to thank Rev Dr Ken Barker MGL, the founder and moderator of the Missionaries of God’s Love for enabling me to pursue my doCtoral researCh. He has been an enthusiastiC supporter of my study from start to finish, and has granted me a sabbatiCal and several periods of study leave from my responsibilities as reCtor of the MGL seminary. Fr Ken’s own understanding and practiCe in youth ministry has informed my own theology and practiCe in immeasurable ways. I am also grateful to my Confreres on the MGL seminary staff: Frs Simon Wayte MGL, Daniel StriCkland MGL and Tony SChiCk MGL, for their support, disCussion ConCerning the projeCt and willingness to shoulder my responsibilities when time away for researCh took me away from the seminary program. Their personal support and enCouragement has been inCalCulable. I also want to thank Fr Steve Fletcher MGL, who acted in my stead as administrator of the parishes of St DeClan’s, Penshurst and Our Lady of Fatima, Peakhurst 5 when my researCh and family CirCumstanCes delayed my arrival there as parish priest. The staff and parishioners of both parishes were very patient and supportive during this delay and of the time needed to finalise my thesis onCe I began in the parish, and for this I am deeply appreCiative also. The faculty of CatholiC TheologiCal College, Melbourne has shaped my theologiCal journey sinCe it began as a twenty-one year-old undergraduate seminarian in 1996. In partiCular, I want to thank AssoCiate Professor Shane Mackinlay, the Master of the College for his support of my doCtoral studies, along with the Deputy Master, Dr FranCes Baker RSM, and Dr Elio Capra SDB for Conversations about the RCIA. I am espeCially grateful to the Mannix Library staff who exCelled in their assistanCe at every turn. As a part-time doCtoral Candidate I have sought out various loCations away from my ‘day job’ to pursue my researCh. I am most grateful to Fr Paul Winter for his assistanCe in finding a place to stay during my sabbatiCal in 2012. Paul and MiChaela Collins frequently lent me their holiday home, as did Phil and Jennie Ryall in the final stages of the thesis. I espeCially want to thank Dr +Mark Edwards OMI, for inviting me to stay with him for several months in 2017 while I worked full-time on my researCh. His interest in the thesis was stimulating, thought provoking and deeply appreCiated, as was his enCouragement to “get it done!” I was fortunate to be able to spend several months working in the researCh offiCe at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture in Canberra in 2016. I am very grateful to Professor SCott Cowdell for seCuring this for me, and to Professor Stephen PiCkard, ExeCutive DireCtor of the Centre, for his support during my time there. While at the ACC&C, I benefited greatly from Conversations with SCott and Stephen, as well as with Professor John Painter and Dr Jonathan Cole, who was my regular Companion in the researCh offiCe. I 6 would espeCially like to thank Professor Wayne Hudson for a Conversation over Coffee that greatly Clarified the speCifiC foCus of my researCh. I am grateful to Colleagues in the International AssoCiation for the Study of Youth Ministry (IASYM) who gave me opportunities to present and disCuss my researCh at various stages at both the Australasian and international ConferenCes of the assoCiation. It was at my first IASYM ConferenCe that I met Rowan Lewis and Graham Stanton, who were also undertaking doCtoral researCh in youth ministry. What a providential gift to have found Companions on the same journey at the same time. Our regular gatherings were a time for great Conversation, Challenge and enCouragement. As an AngliCan and a Baptist, Graham and Rowan went out of their way to understand both CatholiC magisterial teaching and the RCIA in order to be able to engage with my work. It was an experienCe of both academiC Collegiality and eCumenism at its very best. Moreover, Rowan and Graham have proved to be great friends and true brothers in Christ. While Graham, Rowan and I were usually a trio for our regular meals, we were blessed one evening to also share a meal with Dr Andrew Root. MuCh of the Conversation that night Centered upon the thought of Charles Taylor, and Andy and I have sinCe Continued our Conversation on this subjeCt via email. Notwithstanding (and indeed often beCause of) our divergent readings of Taylor and the theologiCal impliCations of his analysis of our seCular age, I have been deeply enriChed by Andy’s insights and grateful for his gracious engagement with my thoughts and work. So many friends and Colleagues involved in Australian CatholiC youth ministry have expressed support for my doCtoral researCh. In partiCular, I want to thank MalColm Hart and Gabrielle SinClair, the direCtor and former projeCts offiCer of the Australian CatholiC Bishops ConferenCe’s OffiCe for Youth. They have been generous in supporting both my work and my attendanCe at ConferenCes and gatherings of young people. My Colleagues on the 7 Australian CatholiC Youth CounCil and the members of the ACYC researCh task group have also been supportive and understanding of the Constraints that the researCh has placed upon my time. The members of the ArChdioCese of Melbourne’s OffiCe for Youth also spent lots of time listening to my thoughts and ideas, and gave me the opportunity to road-test many of them in different fora. I also want to thank Fr Dan Serratore MGL, Steve Angrisano and Robert FeduCCia for the many Conversations we have had about youth ministry. I am grateful for email CorrespondenCe with both Thomas Zanzig and Tom Tomaszek. Tom Zanzig provided valuable background information ConCerning the ‘wedge model of youth ministry’, while Tom Tomaszek Chased down Don Kimball’s final iteration of the wedge model for me. Dr Mary Gautier graciously provided a Copy of the 2014 CARA report on the implementation of the USA’s national statutes on the CateChumenate.
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