Birmingham Remembers Don BUM
" MODERN YOUTH HAS NOT REJECTED GOD—IT HAS GROWN UP WITHOUT HAVING KNOWN HIM. A NEW CRUSADE OF YOUTH TO SAVE YOUTH IS WHAT WE NEED."
The words were the Rev. T S. Copsey''s, of the Diocesan Youth Centre, Stratford-on-Avon ; the place St. Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham, where, on Sunday, the Vicar Capitular, Mgr. Bright, pontificated at a Solemn High Mass in celebration of the feast day of St. John Bosco, patron of the Diocesan youth organisations.
Most of the congregation were members of the city's Catholic youth clubs, or school groups, and, after receiving communion at their parish churches, had ma de their way to the Cathedral despite freezing weather and a heavy fall of snow, They heard a warning and a call to action.
" We have all come here together to-day as a representative body of Christians of this city, from many different homes, and many of us have never seen each other before, but we have one thing in common—we have one Lord and one faith," said Fr. Copsey.
" There are many public gatherings ot youth, but how few of them have a dedication of youth to God. Many of them know nothing about Him. Modern youth has not rejected God—it has grown up without having known Him.
THE WORLD LACKS .
"God is not known, so they turn to other ideals; successful organisation, renewed progress in power, knowledge and wealth, things good in themselves, but not enough. No man, woman or girl can be made good and happy in heart by material progress.
" The world lacks spiritual force to dominate the power and spirhual light to direct it. Christianity can put it right. " To-day Christianity is openly attacked as an obstacle to true progress, rel:gion, weakened in its hold on the world, is left to those who like it. We have to live and work in a world which is neither Christian nor Catholic.
"Alert, vigorous, full of courage, you go into your first job and find It very different from what you expect. Older people who know nothing of our ideals, sometimes run them down. They seem to live in a different world altogether and the pressure of that world is SO great and we feel so small and cut off, that one can't wonder that some are beaten at the start and others fight only to get disheartened.
THE REMEDY 'Is there a remedy for that lack of spiritual force and 11gh:7 ' Have confidence in Me, I have overcome the world,' said Our Lord, Who has already won the victory if we had the confidence to use it.
" We want more then that — we want to win back to God those young people who do not know Him. A new crusade of youth to save youth is what we need. The social and cultural facilities provided by clubs are not enough. We need deeper spiritual reunion in Christ to succeed. That is a matter for each one of you perronally. Communally we need a pooling of that spiritual life if we are going to flourish as a Cathorc Youth Movement in this city and diocese."