JOURNEYING WITH YOUTH
By Fr Chris Middleton SJ, Rector, Xavier College Kew
Last year, I had the privilege of baptising fifteen of our students, ranging from Year 4 to Year 12, with many more being confirmed or receiving their First Holy Communion. It does seem that something is happening with this generation and spirituality, though I’m unsure as to the explanation.
There are varied indicators of this positive movement. In the exit survey of our Year 12s, the two most highly rated experiences at Xavier are the Student Voluntary Masses and the Kairos Retreat. Our four-day voluntary Kairos Retreats in each holiday period are filled within minutes: 140 boys undertake the Retreat each year, with 28 returning as student leaders in an experience that relies strongly on peer ministry. There is a Sodality of the Sacred Heart where about 50 boys who have done Kairos regularly meet over a simple meal with a guided Examen and shared reflection. We have a well-attended discussion group at School, the Catholic Youth Union. Boys are keen to serve on the altar and to be Eucharistic Ministers. We have groups of Year 11 students who assist after school in the sacramental programs at our parish in Hawthorn. Lunchtime meditations in the Memorial Chapel continue to attract numbers. We are also blessed with very strong choral support in our liturgies.
This year In 2025, three young graduates have spent some months at the Xavier Learning Centre in Thailand with The Cardoner Network (the Australian Jesuits’ young adult ministry). The gap year tradition is not really a Melbourne thing, but we had one boy from the Class of 2024 spend a year with Cardoner, living with and teaching English to tribal kids in Thailand. Certainly, over a longer period, immersions and service years have not only had their impact on students but have nourished the place of faith at School. Numbers of young Old Boys continue with service commitments in the years after Xavier. And there are four of our graduates studying for the priesthood, two for the Jesuits and two for the Melbourne Archdiocese.
At Xavier, the strong tradition of Ignatian Service, and particularly the long-standing relationship with the boys tutoring kids from refugee backgrounds at Friday Night School, have had an impact on how the boys see religion. The commitment to service is a valued contribution to the religious sensibility in the College and to seeing the faith foundations for our commitment to justice, while also contributing to the formation of young men with a sense of generous service.
Student Voluntary Masses go back many years at Xavier, but in recent years they have become key touchstones in the Xavier experience. One of the Senior students offers a reflection after the Gospel, generally with a focus on their life story and their wellbeing. The boys are extraordinarily honest and open and the 400-500 who pack the Chapel listen with deep respect. This reflects the much greater focus on wellbeing and mental health in schools today.
And here there is something new in that Ignatian spirituality, with themes like reflection, generosity in service, nurturing gratitude and looking to the good, has much to offer by way of student wellbeing. In a way it is akin to “a faith that does justice”, with the advantage in our context that both the Kairos Retreats and the Student Voluntary Masses offer a natural connection with wellbeing. Certainly, to my mind, drawing links between Ignatian spirituality and mental health is something that has gained credibility with our boys.
There are indications that what we are seeing at Xavier finds resonance with the bigger picture. There are signs of a quiet revival in faith among young people across the Western world: in the US, the UK, France, Belgium, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. There are various reports of increased numbers of young adults being baptised and a number of surveys report rising numbers of those identifying as Catholics among Gen Z. To what extent these are straws in the wind remains to be seen. Why might there be signs of a revival in faith? Perhaps there is a desire among the young to belong to something greater than themselves and, in a world full of the confused voices, the values of the Gospel have appeal, offering direction and a framework of meaning. Perhaps too, the link that can be drawn between spirituality and wellbeing has its appeal to the young. There seems, too, to be a certain lack of baggage for the young in terms of faith. And there is a genuine hunger for the spiritual and a respect for tradition that speaks to the stirrings of the Spirit.
In seeing very promising signs, it is not to say the challenges aren’t immense. Family practice continues to decline, and it is a real question as to whether the local Church has the capacity, or full awareness of change, to take advantage of any positive trends.
Also, one can’t presume anything in terms of knowledge of the faith, and these are real challenges for a Religious Education program that needs to meet the diverse contexts of boys. This generation responds well to invitation, but they are not necessarily great with consistent practice. There is a significant credibility gap for most of our young regarding the Church’s teaching on sexuality, even as they have a more relational understanding of sex that is closer to the Church’s. The revival appears stronger with young males, which suggests the Church still faces challenges with addressing the role of women in contemporary society. And there is a worrying scepticism among our young, fed by the internet, about the existence and/or historicity of Jesus (more so than the God question). Moreover, while we can move the spiritual needle, this doesn’t necessarily translate to practice of the faith.
Banner image: Vivian Richard SJ