Teens seek ways to de-violence culture

More than 90 youth and adults from across the Diocese participated in "Building a Culture of Life," a diocesan youth congress at Bishop Maginn High School in Albany recently.

The gathering, designed to create strategies to prevent or reduce violence in the home, workplace and school, was the kickoff for a year of creating and implementing strategies to reduce violence in the communities that make up the Diocese.

The event grew out of the National Catholic Youth Congress held in the fall of 1995 at which young people said that their number one concern is violence. That, combined with the U.S. bishop's call to confront the culture of violence, encouraged young people and youth ministers in the Albany Diocese to take a proactive stance on violence. As a result, a local task force was formed and the congress was planned.

Peaceable lives

"We're dealing with how we can live more peaceably," said Mary Harrison, associate director for youth ministry of the diocesan Office of Religious Education.

Participants took part table discussions following a presentation on the National Catholic Youth Congress in Minneapolis and a talk by Bishop Howard J. Hubbard that focused on the Church's response to violence.

Participants in the Congress were asked to sign up for committees that will spend the next year implementing the action steps of the national congress and the Diocesan Task Force. The committees include the Peer Retreats Committee, Peer Prevention Programs, Family Support Services, Community Awareness and Media Literacy, Public Policy, and the Networking Committee.

Wide range

According to Mrs. Harrison, violence includes anything that violates a person. Put-downs, foul language, physical abuse and sexual abuse are all considered violence.

Local young people also include substance abuse (including alcohol and tobacco), teen pregnancy, and violent television, movies and music as being a concern.

"Young people get a bad rap because of gangs that perpetrate crimes," Mrs. Harrison said. "However, adults are responsible for creating the culture we're in. Children live what they learn. Young people are asking to be involved. They're looking and searching for ways to end violence."

'Hate and anger'

According to Lilly Minnery, a high school senior and parishioner at St. Peter's Church in Saratoga Springs, violence is a problem for teens in the Diocese. She attended the National Catholic Youth Congress and was among the presenters at the local congress.

"There is violence in schools," she said, "even in Saratoga. Television violence also has an effect. There's also a lot of hate and anger."

She found herself at the receiving end of violence when, as a junior high student, she was beaten up on the bus several times simply because she was different -- she's tall and at that point was taller than other students.

Faith's role

She took martial arts to learn how to protect herself and found she learned self-discipline and control, which were also very useful. Now, she believes that faith plays an important role in the reduction of violence.

"We need faith. It was a big part of the national congress, and we need to bring it to our own communities," she said.

She told participants that they are not alone in their efforts to create more peaceable communities. "Thanks to the national congress, we're not alone. People are doing this all over the United States," she said. "The more people are involved, the more that will happen. This is not a hopeless cause."

Media violence

One pernicious form of violence affecting young people is found in the media, Miss Minnery said. She has noticed that television and other media desensitize people toward violence. What has been most alarming for her has been seeing the violence on children's TV.

Her participation in the national congress and the local task force has caused her to look closer at her own life. She has begun, for example, to make better choices about the television shows and movies she watches.

Impact seen

Don Perkins, a parishioner of Holy Spirit Church in East Greenbush and a high school senior, believes that the local congress will have an impact on violence.

"With the different programs and committees, it will get out to somebody," he said. "It will make a difference to someone."

He is concentrating his efforts on legislation. "I'd like to see legislation on the state level that combats violence," he said, "something to deter people from it and that will make the area safer."

He believes it will take a concerted effort to eradicate violence. While one piece of legislation will not make this a more peaceable world, it would be a start, he said.

Mr. Perkins believes that young people can make a difference with policy makers. As a member of the Diocesan Youth Council, he attended last year's Public Policy Forum sponsored by the New York State Catholic Conference and found that the adult participants "listened to what we had to say."

Family component

Another committee, the Family Support Services committee will encourage campaigns in parishes, schools and communities that teach alternatives to violence as a means of solving problems.

The committee will also support and strengthen family programs in schools and parishes that teach basic moral values, respect for life, and the importance of communication. This group has also agreed to educate families about the many forms of violence that exist.

All participants in the congress took the Family Pledge of Nonviolence, a national effort to promote peace.

Mrs. Harrison said it is important to begin the peace effort with individuals and families.

"Families are primary; we are partners with them," she said. "Children live what they learn. They will change this culture."

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