Young People and the Church in a Changing World

“During the Synod we shared, we toiled together, we worked together, we rejoiced together to be a Church together”: with these words His Eminence, Cardinal. Lorenzo Baldisseri took the young people who had gathered in Ciampino from all over the world for the XI International Youth Forum right into the heart of the Synod dedicated to them, reliving together their inspiring and fruitful experience along the synodal path.

The first day of work started with a greeting by His Emnence, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, dedicated appropriately to the theme: “The Synodal Path and its impact on the Local Churches” .

The task of narrating the event was given to Father Giacomo Costa, Special Secretary of the Youth Synod, who underlined the climate of welcome, authenticity and freedom in which the works were being performed: “Along the synodal path, dialogue between the Bishops and the young people has been fruitful and many the questions they raised: the desire to be listened to, the importance of and difficulties with their families and the working world, the issues that the digital world, globalization, immigration, ecological issues pose, the experience of a certain coldness in the life of the ecclesial communities and the liturgies and above all the desire for an authentic Church, close, transparent and committed”.

The other addresses during he morning, given by young Synod auditors and by youth pastoral care operators who had worked to organize the Synod itself, confirmed this climate of listening and affection and the strong impression created by the attention and concern shown towrds them every day, during the works, by the Synodal Fathers and, first and foremost, Pope Francis.

The working groups in the afternoon concentrated more on the second part of the theme –the impact on the Local Churches –with an assessment, still in progress,  beginning with the awareness that in several realities reception of the Synod is not the same but nevertheless important that attention has been focussed on young people: in any case, the Synod is a process, not a closed event and it is up to us to implement it in the daily life of the Local Churches.

The day ended with the Holy Mass celebrated by His Eminence Cardinal Baldisseri.