The importance of ‘belonging’ in the formation of missionary disciples
National director of Catholic Mission, Fr Brian Lucas, speaking at the 2022 National Catholic Education Conference.A greater emphasis on ‘belonging’ may be one way to address the drift from religious adherence post-school, according to Catholic Mission national director Fr Brian Lucas.
Speaking at the 2022 National Catholic Education Conference last month, Fr Brian said the often quoted three dimensions of religiosity – belonging, believing and behaving – are useful tools to analyse where the emphasis is placed in religious formation of young people.
"Believing emphasises catechesis, doctrine and a stronger faith, while behaving emphasises ritual and a moral code," he said.
Fr Brian referred to research conducted by the German Sociologist of Religion, Linda Dürrich, Pew Research Centre, and Gallup Poll Research.
“The conventional wisdom is, ‘believing leads to belonging’, that is, the deeper one’s faith is, the more likely it is that he or she will desire to belong to a congregation. The reality is just the opposite: It is belonging that leads to believing,” he said.
"The mandate of Catholic Mission, as the Australian arm of the Pontifical Mission Societies, goes beyond fundraising for the churches that are fragile, persecuted and in need, to the formation of missionary disciples."
Fr Brian outlined the formation programs of Catholic Mission and their connection to missionary discipleship. A distinguishing feature of the Catholic Mission approach to immersions is that the young people are to be with others not do things for them. It is peer‐to‐peer witness and engagement.