Youth

The Youth Office of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life—once known as the Youth Section of the Pontifical Council for the Laity—was established in 1986 by John Paul II to give visibility and concreteness to the importance that the Pope and the whole Church attribute to the world of the young.

Within the universal Church, the Youth Office publicizes the Holy Father’s initiatives; it is at the service of the Episcopal Conferences in the field of youth ministry; it addresses youth movements, associations, and international communities, promoting collaboration and meetings between the various ecclesial realities; and it organizes conferences on youth ministry at international and continental levels.

The central element of its activity is the preparation of the international World Youth Days (WYD) that, every two or three years in different countries, gather hundreds of thousands of young people from around the world around the Pope. The WYD, established by John Paul II in 1985, also plans annual celebrations in local churches.

On behalf of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, the Youth Office finally supports the activities of the San Lorenzo International Youth Center, which is entrusted with the mission of welcoming and evangelizing young people who go to Rome to study or on pilgrimage.

 

 

News

WYD Lisbon 2023
The stand of the IYAB Advisory Board youth among those present

  They welcome in different languages, make friends, present and comment on the Apostolic Exhortation "Christus Vivit." They discuss commitment and peace, hope, intergenerational ...

WYD Lisbon 2023
Card. Lacroix: “Transforming the heart is called to be integral and touches every aspect of our lives”

  Each morning from now until Aug. 4, meetings called "Rise up!" will be held in Lisbon and the WYD pilgrims are invited to participate and listen to each other and dialogue, in synodal ...

WYD Lisbon 2023
XXXVII World Youth Day starts with Patriarch of Lisbon's welcome

  The WYD Lisbon officially opened with the celebration of Mass at Parque Eduardo VII in front of a huge gathering of young people from all over the world. Currently, there are about 350 thousand ...