Many of these situations are brought about by the “throwaway culture”:young people are among its first victims. Nevertheless, this culture can also taint the young, Christian communities and their leaders, thereby contributing to the human, social and environmental degradation that afflicts our world. The Church’s response is an appeal for conversion, for solidarity and renewed educational action, as she makes herself especially present in these situations of hardship. The young who live in these situations have precious resources to share with the community and they teach us to measure ourselves against the limit, helping us to grow in humanity. There is no end to the creativity with which a community animated by Gospel joy can present an alternative to malaise and to situations of hardship. In this way society can experience that the stones rejected by the builders can become cornerstones (cf. Ps 118:22; Lk 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:4). Chapter IV Being young today Aspects of today’s youth culture
TheoFonsAt the sources of the faith