CBCP: Fewer young people going to Mass

Piety among the Filipino youth seems to be waning as fewer of them are attending Mass these days, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has observed.

Masbate Bishop Joel Baylon, chairman of the CBCP Commission on Youth, admitted yesterday that this concern on the re-evangelization of the youth is one of the more serious challenges the Catholic Church in the Philippines is facing.

"That is true. Nababawasan na ang mga kabataang nagsisimba (There are fewer youngsters attending Mass). And even those who actively go to Church, we still have to check on their motives," Baylon said at CBCP’s weekly radio program on the Church-run Radio Veritas.

Although the bishop stressed this problem applies not only to the youth but to the laity as a whole, he said young people are most affected.

"We consider the youth as the ones most affected by this problem because they are very susceptible to external influences. The new generation today sees a lot of things and is easily influenced," Baylon pointed out.

Baylon, who had just taken over the leadership of the commission, said his term is off to a good start.

"The commission has been doing well in serving the youth," he said, but added: "There are still things we can do to serve them better. We want to focus on programs that would reach out to the youth outside the church."

The prelate said the Church should also be "outward-looking" and give due attention to those who are not part of the youth ministry.

"The commission has been serving already a lot of young people and these are active young people in the Church and youth leaders." Baylon added.

He also noted that this priority program could be one of the solutions to the CBCP’s concern on the perceived weakening devotion of the youth to Church.

The CBCP made this observation as the first nine-day novena of Advent began last Thursday.

With this, the CBCP called on Filipino families to celebrate Christmas despite the economic hardships they may face.

CBCP secretary-general Msgr. Hernando Coronel earlier said the bishops want Filipino families to attend the "Simbang Gabi" novena Masses and prepare a meaningful Christmas Eve feast or noche buena to commemorate the welcome given to the Christ Child or Sto. Niño however they can.

Christians see Christmas as a season of hope and the Church teaches that Christ was not born to rich or powerful parents, but to a simple lass and her carpenter husband, who were provided with only stables for shelter when her time to deliver her baby came. According to Christian doctrine, such simple beginnings were the mustard seed from which the Son of God grew.

By encouraging a simple celebration of Christmas, the CBCP hopes to restore the true meaning of the dawn Masses — which is to prepare oneself to receive the newborn Christ, not fulfill wishes, as is the popular belief.