On mission at the university. Yes, but how?

In a secularized, post-pandemic era, a chaplain of a public university, alone and outside the contexts of the Society of Jesus and the Church, how can he live such a mission? From Reggio Calabria, this is the reflection of Fr Piero Lamazza.

How many young people sitting at the tables in the corridors, often with their heads bent over their books, studying, but at other times a bit lost on their smartphones… How can I approach them, at 45 years of age, with all the difference in age, and at a different moment of life and outlook? At some point, an idea occurred to me…

“Hello! Excuse me, I am a priest, and I have been asked to work with students at the university. Specifically, they want me to write an article called “University Students and the Spiritual Life.” The problem is that I don’t know what to write in it, because I know very little about young people. But I have prepared a questionnaire. Your answers might help me write the article. Do you have five minutes?”

The questions range from: “How would you define your current moment in life: a. Feeling good about myself; b. Searching for meaning; c. Confused; d. Other.”
“Do you believe in God?”
“Or what do you believe in?”
“Do you think it is easy or difficult to engage in deep connections in the university?”; “Jesus of Nazareth was a. an idealist; b. deluded; c. one who loved; d. not sure.”
“If you had a minute alone with the Pope, what would you say to him?”; “What do you think are the deep needs of a university student?”

And so on…
Sometimes good conversations and other interesting questions arose from these questions. Several students appreciated the incentive. Someone told me, “you should ask yourself these questions at least once a month!

I noticed that almost no one said, “I don’t believe in God. The students are inclined to admit the existence of God, but when asked, “What is the spiritual life for you?” the answer was very often, “I don’t know….” At the same time, most of those interviewed are far from practicing the sacraments.

The questionnaire proved to be a simple tool to establish contact, to inform about the existence of the University Chapel. It gave me the opportunity to listen to the fears and hopes of young people. And I know that it felt as an expression of that open Church that is so dear to Pope Francis…