New Voices: By and about young adults

This will be my final regular column contribution. I look forward to seeing this space occupied by a different young adult voice. Thank you for listening for the past three years, and may we all find space to hear the voices of young, old and in the middle as we journey together.

“You’re always finding the third way,” said one of my classmates to me. I chuckled at this, noticing immediately the reference (unknown to them) to my Mennonite upbringing. Though I was surprised this wasn’t common in a room full of peacebuilders, I noticed how my deeply rooted values instilled from nearly three decades of association with the Mennonite church emerged unconsciously.

I’ve noticed several such particularities as I’ve ventured beyond the Mennonite enclaves in which I grew up. I spent three years in the United Kingdom, with only one English-speaking Mennonite church in the country. Its minority representation made clear the unique values and beliefs of Mennonites, one being discipleship. Mennonites espouse discipleship and believe that following Jesus necessitates impact in one’s daily life choices. I was amazed to hear this was a new concept for many Church of England and other Christian adherents. I hadn’t ever conceived of my faith without a direct daily impact.

I’ve also noticed distinctives clarified in contrast to my new culture as a student at the University of Notre Dame. I was warned by some friends that the university had money. Notre Dame has a beautiful campus—a real gift for those who cross its lawns and enjoy its lakes and trees and enter its ornate buildings filled with solid wood and marble, some topped with gold paint. Yet I notice my Mennonite sensitivities when I ask, “Does it need to be this beautiful?”

I don’t want the campus to be uglier, but I’d call for the abundant resources used in the “perfection” of its beauty to be shared among those who struggle with daily realities like shelter and food. As a Catholic university, Notre Dame prides itself on core ideals of scholarship, faith and, particularly, service. Many of its activities raise money for charities, and it tries to be eco-conscious and emphasize the importance of its students and faculty giving back to the community—both at home and around the world.

I feel a clear disconnect between this strong sense of service and the wealth evident on the campus. The constant consideration of the poor among us—not as charity cases but as real people to be considered—stems from my Mennonite roots.

This fall, I attended Mass, something I’ll likely do several times while living in this Catholic world, and recognized by its absence another deeply rooted Mennonite value: community. I entered the sanctuary with just a handful of people, no one speaking a word, and everyone sitting in a pew by themselves. It was a solitary experience.

Mennonites value community. It would be difficult to be part of a worship service in a Mennonite church and not have a conversation with another person or sit among strangers or friends in a pew and not share words. The act of gathering is not only for worshipful acts of prayer and praise but to join other believers in community. There are exceptions. I attended a Mass in which vibrant conversation before and after the Mass took place at a community center positioned to be among the poor in the area. This Mass looked more like a Mennonite church. But overall, I’ve felt the Mennonite value of community is distinctive when compared with the Catholic world.

Through my diverse encounters I’ve also learned from those outside the Mennonite church. I’ve learned about welcome through attitudes of acceptance from Unitarian Universalists and about ritual and sacred space from Catholics. I also firmly believe God cannot be confined and met only within four walls on a Sunday morning and I’ve appreciated connecting with God through interacting with others, experiencing nature and developing capacities to pause in daily life. Yet I’m also grateful for the important values and beliefs Mennonites have offered me, some of which were taught overtly from pulpits, while others were more a part of the Mennonite air I’ve breathed. Noticed or unnoticed, I will always carry these with me.

Sharon Kniss is in a master’s program in International Peace Studies from the Kroc Institute at the University of Notre Dame.