Youth ministry at the service of vocational discernment in the light of Christus Vivit

On Saturday, August 8, Fr. Alexandre Awi Mello participated in the III Vocational Table, a videoconference that had the participation of Youth Ministry advisers of the Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile. The Secretary of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life began by recalling the importance of the long journey of listening to the youth during the synodal process and invited the final document of the pre-synodal meeting to be taken into account. 

There the young people ask that vocation be presented in a simple and clear manner, underlining the meaning of the call and of the mission, and that it not be seen as synonymous only with priesthood or consecrated life (n. 8). They consider vocational discernment as a great challenge (n. 9) and an opportunity for the Church to offer adequate accompaniment, which is a profound need for today's youth (n. 10).  

Starting from the synodal journey, which is currently in its full implementation phase, Fr. Awi Mello presented three impulses for a youth ministry at the service of vocational discernment: a renewed vision in relation to vocation, which must be seen as mission, as “being there for others ”, bringing out the best of oneself to give it to God and to others, and not only as a path of personal fulfillment (cf. ChV 253-258); a renewed vision in relation to Youth Ministry from a vocational perspective, since the vocational question must always be present, with a missionary perspective, generating a “vocational culture” in all the Church’s pastoral activities (cf. Final Document of the Synod 2018, n 138-141); and a renewed vision in relation to accompaniment for vocational discernment, a personal accompaniment, as well as that of the community, which helps young people to build on their dreams, make choices and, in particular, carry out their life project, on a path of personal freedom and dialogue with God (cf. ChV 242-247; 291-298).