A proposed youth accompaniment program in the archdiocese of Medan, Indonesia: Inspired by the late pope John Paul II

Abstract

A. Background of the Study Young people hold an important and strategic part in the Church and society. In this modem life, they have become so confused and misguided because of the tremendous influence of consumerism, conformism and hedonism which have contributed to moral decadence. Aside from the support and guidance that they need from their families, the Church has to invest a great deal of time to accompany the youth, to help them become more self-reliant, effective and productive. The researcher was so impressed by the great encouragement and attention of the late John Paul II on the youth. His warm, heart-to-heart talks with young people provided a strong and well-guided direction for this young generation. As he stressed: 'the youth, you are the future of the world, and the future of the Church. 1. Religious in Indonesia and the Province of Medan Indonesia consists of five big islands (Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Irian Jaya) with over 17,000 smaller islands (See Appendix 1). The country spans almost two million square kilometers between Asia and Australia. The Indonesian land area is 1,811,570 sq kms (699,477 sq miles) with a population of 238,452,952 (2005). The official religions are Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. Islam is the main religion in Indonesia, with around 88% of the total population adhering to it (the 2000 religion-related census).3 Historically, Islam was first introduced in Java and some parts of Sumatra. Through transmigration programs, it was later brought to Bali, Kalimantan (formerly Borneo), Sulawesi, Maluku (the Moluccas), and Irian Jaya, making Indonesia the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world. The rest of the population are Christians (8%), Hindus (3%) and Buddhists (1%) with small communities of Jews and other small denominations (See Appendix 2). All Indonesians are required to choose an approved religion.