Abstract:
The study analyses how Catholic spirituality and Catholic pastoral work contribute to the
development of resilience in young people between 18 and 29 years old. Resilience is defined
as a behavioural or psychological process, which entails the overcoming of adverse and
traumatic situations. The promotion of the protective factors (external) and the resilience
pillars (internal) of the very same youngster can motivate, prompt or help the process to
continue. Some of the characteristics of current young religiosity/spirituality are studied, and
the contributions to the development of resilience made by Catholic religiosity/spirituality and
Catholic pastoral work are discussed, linking the elements to which the pastoral publications of the
Catholic Church have given priority with the protection factors and pillars described in
literature regarding resilience. For the qualitative investigation, 13 young, catholic and highly-
resilience, São Leopoldo/RS residents, between 18 and 29 years old, were selected. Most of
them have been exposed to risk factors and undergone a constellation of critical and/or
traumatic situations. According to literature, the protection factors that favour the process of
resilience are two: the unconditional acceptance of at least one person and the social support
networks, formal or informal (for instance, family, friends, educational and social institutions,
Church groups and communities, health network, etc.). The resilience pillars that can be
promoted are: self-esteem, some specific personal abilities and competencies, sense of
humour, and the religiosity/spirituality or meaning of life. In field investigation, the
youngsters define themselves as Catholics and state that help from God and their families is
essential to overcome adverse and traumatic situations. Catholic authorities or leaders are not
mentioned as significant, but some Church groups are. Most of those interviewed do not have
any collective institutional practice at the Catholic Church after the First Communion.
However, many frequent other churches, without coming into conflict with their catholic
identity. Personal and spontaneous prayer at home is a privileged and common practice.
Personal, subjective and emotional dimension is one feature of their religiosity/spirituality.
The study analyses how people, groups, institutions and pastoral proposals can promote
resilience, along with the possibilities, perspectives and challenges resilience posits to the
reflection and work the Catholic Church does with the young, covering both the prevention
and the overcoming of adverse and traumatic situations.
