JUST when you thought there has been a lack of entertaining youth-oriented Christian materials since the Super Book and Flying House became defunct, look around and you’d be surprised to find a variety of magazines, websites, and books which provide spiritual guidance to the youth without losing their aesthetic value and entertainment appeal.
These youth-oriented resources are dedicated to nourishing the teenagers’ relationship with Christ through helpful articles and other features which have been especially conceptualized with the youth’s taste and interests in mind.
At first blush, these resources may look like their pop counterparts, but their contents will reveal the difference. Unlike other mass-produced resources, contemporary Christian materials present topics that veer away from sex, vanity, and violence. They are committed to the mission to bring young people closer to Christ.
Magazines
Loaded with inspirational articles and stories for and by teenagers, Catholic magazines tackle topics usually taken for granted: matters concerning faith and God in a manner young audience can relate to.
Most of these magazines even feature music and movie reviews from a Catholic perspective. They incorporate issues on Christianity and God in a subtle manner without being preachy.
Locally published Fish magazine is currently one of the rare publications in the country which caters to the Catholic youth. Even admittedly non-religious teenagers will find the magazine’s contents fun and informative. Fish, which is under the same publishing outfit as Kerygma magazine, provides sidelights on pop culture while focusing on substantial features which delve more on Catholicity, like the teen advice section and articles on current Church and moral issues affecting the youth.
Meanwhile, more accessible versions of printed Catholic magazines are readily available via the Internet. E-zines, or electronic magazines, like Onerock Online and Catholic Youth Online likewise offer a broad range of documents and articles about practically everything teenagers would want to know about Catholicism, from the significance of sacraments to what the Church says about pre-marital sex.
These e-zines, aside from providing almost all the regular stuff featured in their printed counterparts, also create a virtual community for Catholic teens through bulletin boards and chat rooms.
Comics
Graphic and visually appealing, comic books and series are sure to attract the attention of children and teenagers. No wonder comics are utilized in evangelizing Church teachings among youth.
“We have to preach the Gospel to all the people, so we have to use all the media,” former Vatican spokesman Father Ciro Benedettini said. “The comics are a good medium for the children.”
Famous Bible characters, saints, and even the late Pope John Paul II have all starred in comic books, most of which are still available in the market.
In 1982, Marvel Comics, publishers of, “Spiderman” and “Incredible Hulk,” released “The Life of Pope John Paul II,” which chronicled the pontiff’s life from childhood to the 1981 attempt on his life.
Marvel also published comics on St. Francis of Assisi and Mother Teresa.
During the 1950’s, there were long-running and widely read Catholic comics in the United States such as Treasure Chest, Catechetical Guild’s TOPIX, and Heroes All. Comics, an ingenious avenue in preaching the Gospel, should be revived again.
Local counterpart includes Gospel Komiks Magazine which features biblical stories for high school students. Gospel Komiks, which is available in English and Filipino versions, also has editions for pre-school and elementary pupils.
One of the contemporary Catholic comics available over the internet is Faithmouse.com.
Websites
Aside from research materials for homeworks and school projects, the World Wide Web is probably the most accessible and youth-friendly tool for Catholic teenagers.
Phatmass.com is a one-stop website for Catholic youth, from Apologetics resources to interactive features like discussion forums.
“Preaching Holy Apostolic Truth” is the “phat” in Phatmass and is what the website is all about. Created in 2000 for the purpose of defending Catholicism from misconceptions, Phatmass now includes fun features. The website also promotes artists and Catholic bands such as Remnant, Pierced, and Backyard Galaxy.
Other sites devoted to promoting and developing contemporary Catholic music for youth are Omega Rock Online and Catholic Vibe. These websites feature online listening booths, band information, and links to Catholic artists’ websites. Some songs in the website also have music videos which can be readily played. Mary Rose M. Pabelonia and Kathleen T. Valle
