Forming Adolescents for the Better Kind of Politics Called for by Pope Francis

Abstract

Pope Francis has called for a “new kind of politics” and has called for this current generation of young people to be the lead agents in forming a new future. This article considers the current fragmentation between the professed beliefs and the expressed practices of this young generation and proposes a liturgical and eucharistic theology that can bring unity to this fragmentation. It draws on insights from Pauline theology, the writings of the late Edward Farley, the practices of Cyril of Jerusalem, and from the prayers found in the Roman Missal itself. It concludes with a guide for integrating participation in the liturgy and the actions needed for a new kind of politics.