It is well known that many young people, once they have received the Sacrament of Confirmation, "park" their faith and demand with all their might their moral autonomy, their right to decide for themselves. It is the moment of adolescence: the awakening of the sexual mechanism, rebellion against established authority, generational inbreeding, etc. Together with the enormous social pressure that an intrinsically anti-Christian model of society tries to impose, they make up a very difficult problem to handle.

Many media and an important part of society present the Christian family as an outdated and obsolete model that restricts individual freedom, both of parents and children, and that must evolve to more open configurations. Dostoevsky writes in his novel 'The Idiot': "Beauty will save the world". That beauty? The Christian answer is resounding: The beauty of love in the Christian family.

So how to show this beauty to young teenagers? Their own family is not a reference for them at this time; his teachers try to curtail his freedom; their friends have the same problem as them; relativism pushes them to the incessant search for immediate pleasure; “classical” catechesis has been shown to be ineffective. To do?

The pastoral work proposed has proven to be an effective means for young adolescents who enjoy their time while learning what the Christian family is. The youngsters are structured in groups of 6-8 with a priest and a trusted couple who form an authentic Christian family with their children.

The dynamics of the pastoral ministry is orchestrated around basic themes of faith, which are studied in depth for a month: The Commandments of the Law of God, the Virtues, the Capital Sins, the Works of Mercy, etc. They meet on Friday afternoons to kick off the fun of the weekend by putting the Lord at the center of life. Three Fridays of the month they meet in the homes of the couples who carry out the pastoral care and the fourth in the parish, where they attend a Liturgical Celebration of the Word and where they are offered a special space for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The couples in charge of each group moderate it and serve as catalysts that favor dialogue and the exchange of opinions among young people. They are not catechists, nor educators, nor friends, just Christian family. And the same young people, seeing this reality and conversing with each other, advance in faith and come to know the risen Christ.

Finally, as the closing of each academic year, together the young people of all the groups with the priests and the couples of the Pastoral, attend a 5-day summer camp, until now in Houston, TX. The catechetical work necessary to face the summer vacation is reconciled with multiple recreational and sports activities that make the camp a huge success.

(Source https://www.parroquiavirgendelcortijo.es/?page_id=937)