Ecclesial Community and Servant Models Towards Holistic Shepherding of the Youth: a Case of St Peter Claver’s Catholic Parish, Nairobi County

Abstract

Urban youth face existential issues and problems that call for the church‟s response in order to empower this vibrant generation to tackle the issues courageously and emerge victorious. The study examined ecclesial community and servant models towards effective shepherding of urban youth. A case of St Peter Claver‟s Catholic Parish in Nairobi County was used. It investigated the nature, problems and life situations of the youth in St Peter Claver‟s Catholic Parish. The historical ecclesial models that inspire shepherding ministry have also been analyzed. The study has further examined the “Church community” and “servant Church” models through the lenses of Inculturation-Liberation theology towards holistic shepherding of the youth. The relevance and effectiveness of the co-models has also been evaluated in view of holistic shepherding of the youth. A case study research design was utilized, and primary data was gathered through questionnaires, in-depth interviews and group discussions. Secondary data was gathered through desk review of relevant literature including ecclesial documents. The data collected has been analysed qualitatively. Three complementary theories namely: social learning theory which is propagated by Bandura; mediation theory whose exponents are Leonardo Boff and Clodovis Boff and the redaction criticism theory by Kasemann, Bornkamm, Conzelman et al guided the study in data collection and analysis. The study‟s findings show that there are numerous insidious problems that urban youth encounter particularly as Christian youth in a “worldly” society which is both secularized as well as facing the strong wave of relativism and dangerous individualism. Furthermore, history has valuable complementary ecclesial models that have been applied in shepherding. This study creatively intertwines the two-pronged models of “Church-community” and “Churchservant” through the lenses of Inculturation and Liberation theologies towards effective shepherding of the youth. The two models are invaluable for holistic transformation of the youth. The study thus recommends that for more effective shepherding of the youth to be achieved, it is imperative for the evangelizers of the Good News to be conscious of the nature, problems and the existential life situations of the diverse urban youth. Pastoral agents should creatively innovate new ways of evangelization in tandem with the „signs of the times.‟ Additionally, there should be a paradigm shift towards new ways of evangelization of youth through sourcing from complementary Church models like the two-pronged models of “Community” and “Servant” models utilized in the study. Establishment of vibrant youth SCCs and well guided and informed devotional groups are recommended as invaluable basic levels where this can be achieved.