Dr. Ansel Augustine, a Who Dat, shouts out for the pope

Alpaugh had an interesting proposition for the New Orleans Catholic youth leader: Would Augustine be willing to travel the following month to Helena, Montana, to become Pope Francis for two days?
 

The idea was for Augustine, who has a heart for the church as well as a resonant voice for those pining to know what God might actually sound like, to record the English audio version of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation, “Christus Vivit: To Young People and to the Entire People of God.” 
 

In the 32,656-word exhortation – the one with 299 paragraphs, excluding the footnotes – Pope Francis offers his formal vision for ministry to youth and young adults as the fruit of the 2018 Synod on Young People at the Vatican.
 

Do not try speaking 32,656 words in two days unless you have the meticulously trained vocal cords of a Who Dat. In the recording studios of Doug Tooke, a Catholic youth ministry leader in the Diocese of Helena, Augustine channeled the energy of a battle-tested Saints’ fan coming to the aid of the defense on third-and-17.
 

“You have to drink a lot of water,” Augustine said, laughing. “It was fairly straightforward, and since Doug and I are friends, we had a lot of laughs, especially when I was reading in the first person how I was elected pope. I would say, ‘I told you, the pope is from New Orleans!’ We would just bust out laughing.  
 

“We even did a few out-takes as a joke. We sent Matthew a snippet of me pretending to be Pope Francis in an Italian accent, and he was rolling on the floor. He told us, ‘Please don’t tell me the whole book is like this!’”
 

Augustine’s New Orleans sense of camaraderie and good cheer is a trademark of his work with youth and young adults, especially with those in the African-American Catholic community. He is such a powerful speaker that he has been asked to lead retreats and present keynote addresses at youth conferences across the country.
 

He says young people are thirsty for the truth, and they know when it is – and is not – presented to them. That’s an echo of what Pope Francis proclaims.
 

“I guess for me the best affirmation is the pope continually reminds us that true ministry happens in the grassroots,” Augustine said. “We’re not called to ‘fix’ young people. He reminds us that Christ is in them already. We are there to accompany them as they discover life and Christ within them. We need to let them be a resource to us, especially in a rapidly changing world.”
 

The church cannot offer “cookie cutter” answers to youth who are searching for  a way to handle problems in their lives, Augustine says Pope Francis has made clear.
 

“Jesus meets us where we’re at, in our imperfections,” Augustine said. “That’s why I think I’ve dedicated my life to being an advocate for young people. I want to create a safe space for them in the church. Pope Francis tells young people to be their unique selves. We as church sometimes find it hard to accept cultures that we’re not used to.”
 

In his ministry, Augustine frequently sees young people choosing “spirituality” over organized religion, but he sees in that journey “a yearning for something bigger and greater.”
 

“They need relationships,” he said. “The data show many of them don’t even know one adult they can trust in their lives. Most of their interactions may be inauthentic or on social media.”
 

Augustine says what keeps him going are the examples of young people he has mentored over the years who have blossomed and are leading amazing, joy-filled lives.
 

“That’s where I see hope,” Augustine said.
 

As Francis might say – and actually did – “Who Dat!”
 

Peter Finney Jr. can be reached at pfinney@clarionherald.org.