Upcoming Synod & Youth

[Reuben_J]

What people have said is they wonder about the fruitfulness of devoting an entire synod to this particular demographic.

I would see this differently. I would see we should invest in our youth because they are our future, the future of the Church and therefore effort must be made to get them grounded and formed in the faith.

In many cases, in parishes or dioceses, they do not have any role, ignored and not much attention given to them.

How many of our children are really participating in the Church? My children did, up to the university level; because we made sure they participated in the Church as youth. But that cannot be said to others (youth) who would rather mixed with different company that are not church related and therefore these youth eventually would not find interest and life in the church.

It has been the trend that he Church recognized the need to given proper attention to our youth. The Synod is one of the visible activities where our youth can gather together, be a body within the Church and most of all, participate.

There is an obsession with youth today. It’s idolized.

This is your personal observation and how you feel about it. I do not agree nor it is correct to say this in all parts of the world.

If there is obsession, perhaps there is the worry that our youth are straying from the Church because we do not bring them up in the faith.

What about your children? Are they well-catechised or not? Do their Catholic peers look up to them in matter of faith? What do they do outside of their home? Are church’s activities parts of their life and interest?

If we go around to churches, at least in the Western countries, sadly many are empty and mostly filled with old people. Where are the youth?

They need to be brought back to the Church or we suffer the same consequences of the last few decades – a Church that’s slowly dying and families not practicing.

It might be useful to reflect on that and ask whether it’s wise or appropriate. They offer a lot to the community. They also have a lot left to learn. And given how poorly we’ve trained them of late in faith matters,

Agreed.

this synod seems to be an example of the blind leading the blind.

No, it is an opportunity for them to come together, to feel that they are needed and have a place where they can speak out about their issues, to know each other, to get connected and build relationship, sisterhood and brotherhood among them. If they are not given venue to do so, then they don’t. Suppressing them also is not the way.

Ultimately, youth groups are shepherded by their respective Bishops and thus under the Pope.

 

[gracepoole]

I would see this differently. I would see we should invest in our youth because they are our future

It’s the cliche quality of this kind of thing that just sounds so…hollow.

There is an obsession with youth today. It’s idolized.

This is your personal observation and how you feel about it.

It is my personal observation and how I feel about it. But I’m certainly not the only one who sees this reality. There’s a wide body of published work on the topic.

What about your children? Are they well-catechised or not? Do their Catholic peers look up to them in matter of faith? What do they do outside of their home? Are church’s activities parts of their life and interest?

What does it matter?

 

[ConfusedLucy]

I would argue that as well as seeing youth as the church of the future we should also be seeing them as people who should already be a contributing, participating part of the church.

For too long it has been accepted as normal that the youth will drift from the church. We need to wake up to the fact that many/most of these drifters won’t come back and look at how we can keep the youth feeling like a valued part of their parish so they don’t drift.

 

[RandomAlias]

The Church asked a group of young people what they think, and the young people responded. The Church didn’t ask them to work on it until it was theologically correct. It just asked them to say what they think.

Even if their thinking is incomplete or erroneous, even if they are poorly catechized, even if they have unreasonable expectations, we are better off knowing than not knowing.

Therefore do not worry. It appears that the Church is doing what it should do in preparation for the synod on young people and the faith. Only God knows what fruit the synod will bear, and I find that reassuring.

 

[DarkLight]

I know in my area, part of the focus on the youth is the particular need for vocations. We’re running low on priests and many orders are dying. Youth would give us a chance to revitalize these things.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

I would also be in favour of a draft, and an obligatory tithe to pay for the increase in vocations.

 

[Genesis315]

Some of the language in the document seems to come almost word for word from statements that bishops and other clergy who are of a more liberal bent have made over recent years since Pope Francis was elected. It its not only possible but most likely probable that certain bishops were projecting their own opinions in place of the young Catholics who were surveyed

It reminds me of this meme I’ve come across a few times:

 

[RandomAlias]

With the red cap and sweatshirt, he does look a bit like a Cardinal.

 

[Erikaspirit16]

If you have read any of my other posts, you know I’m a big believer in polls.

With this synod, as with, say, a political primary or a local political organization, you’ve got a small group of people who are excited about one or more issues and thus have an agenda. This is not necessary the agenda of the bulk of the population (or “youth” if you like). It’s a self-selected group. It’s not randomly chosen. It represents those who feel very strongly about some issue. Therefore, to me at least, it’s irrelevant.