The Dicastery listens to young people

After weeks of sharing and discernment, twenty members of the International Youth Advisory Body met for the second time with the Secretary and the Youth Office of our Dicastery. During the meeting, which was held online on 19 September, the youth discussed various ideas for implementing the Synod of 2018 and the Apostolic Exhortation Christus vivit.

The members of the Youth Advisory Body, organized into different working groups, have met many times over the past few months to reflect on the current challenges of their generation an on the inspirations arising from the latest Apostolic Exhortation. At the conclusion of their work, they presented to the Dicastery those themes which they consider crucial for better understanding the youth of today and for reaching them with the message of the Gospel. Such themes include: youth leadership and its role in the Church; the various social challenges young people face; dialogue and diversity (whether interreligious, intergenerational, or intercultural) within the Church; the language to be adopted in dialogue with young people; vocational discernment and spiritual accompaniment (including via digital forms); pastoral ministry for families and schools; and Christian anthropology and care for creation as inspired by the Encyclical Laudato si’.

“Meeting as the International Youth Advisory Body is always very special”—says Tommaso Sereni, one of the members of the group—“I’m grateful to God for these times, because we have the good fortune to be able to see the entire Church, in all her diversity of languages, cultures, and sensibilities. It is wonderful to know that, as young people, we can do something and that we have the opportunity to be heard and to be the voice of all those whom we are trusted to represent. It is a great responsibility, but it is also very exciting!”

The International Youth Advisory Body also presented some concrete proposals for formation within the field of youth ministry and for its advancement within the world, as well as some ideas for improving mutual cooperation within youth ministry so as to benefit from the diversity of talents placed at the service of the Church.

The establishment of the International Youth Advisory Body was announced last year on the Solemnity of Christ the King. The members, all under thirty years of age, are appointed for a three-year term.