Synod on youth wraps up

The synod of bishops held in Rome October 3 to 28 brought attention to the needs of young people. The young adults who audited the event or attended pre-event input sessions emphasized several pastoral needs within the synod’s theme of “young people, faith, and vocation discernment.” Among the concerns they uplifted were:

• A desire for the church to listen to, accept, and reach out to young people where they are

•  A desire for authentic witnesses and mentors

• A desire for the church to respond to their concrete life concerns, including things like freedom from violence, emotional wellness, employment, sustainable development, etc.

Sister Nathalie Becquart, Xav., former director of the National Service for Youth Evangelization and Vocations in France and a collaborator with NRVC, addressed the synod, emphasizing the need to listen before speaking or acting. She told cruxnow.com: “It’s a long process of being silent, listening to young people, and understanding their realities. Then you can speak.”

Other themes that emerged at the synod included church sexual abuse, migration, women's roles in Catholicism, secularism, digital media, and the challenge of communicating the church teaching on sexuality. Find more information on the synod at synod2018.va.