"Young people and families need affection and special accompaniment."Brock MartinYoung people are the future leaders of the Church"."Youth, Opus Dei's project for young people, launches new websiteThe U.S. bishops approved a new pastoral framework for youth ministry during their spring 2024 meeting. The document, entitled "Listen, teach and live"(EEV), is a response to the Synod on Youth held in Rome in 2019 and its post-synodal apostolic exhortation "Christus Vivit" by Pope Francis. EEV aims to revitalize pastoral care with adolescents, youth and young adults, as well as to renew intergenerational accompaniment in families.
The text takes as its point of reference the story of the road to Emmaus (Lk, 24, 13-35) "Jesus gave us an example of how to accompany young adults on their life journeys. Like the Lord, we first listen to the stories, joys and concerns of those we meet along the way. Then we respond with dynamic teaching and finally we set the conditions to send young people out to follow God's call in their lives, so they can transform the world with love," said Bishop Robert Barron, Bishop of Winona-Rochester and chair of the Committee on the Laity, MarriageThe document was prepared by the USCCB's Family Life and Youth Program, which was responsible for drafting the document.
In addition to the preface and introduction, EEV contains three parts defined around three themes: listening, teaching and sending. In the first section, the text states that the Church is called to listen to young people, understand their stories and be attentive to their needs. In this regard, it warns of the risks that young people face today, including secularization, racial and cultural divisions, divorce, the attack on the traditional family, as well as "the rise of mobile technology, the prevalence of social networks (with their impact on health and mental well-being), the widespread culture of relativism, and the sexual abuse crises in society and in the Church itself."
Absence of young people
One of the points of alarm emphasized by the bishops is the absence of young people in the Church and the abandonment of the faith, which has implications for vocations: "In recent years we have seen a statistically significant increase in the number of people who no longer identify with any religious tradition or faith community (often called the "nones"). We are also saddened that fewer and fewer young adults are seeking marriage in the Church or the priesthood or consecrated life." Faced with this reality, the bishops stress the importance of the family and parents in counteracting this trend. They, the bishops say, are the "first catechists of their children" and therefore are of crucial importance in transmitting the faith from generation to generation. In this sense, EEV emphasizes the importance of evangelization by paying special attention to the language and style of communication, so that the new generations can understand it.
In the second chapter, dedicated to the theme of "teaching", EEV proposes the encounter or re-encounter of Christ through the sacraments, which dispel darkness and increase joys because they allow Jesus to transform their lives by provoking a conversion of heart: "open yourselves to conversion of heart, to the way of Jesus to become a missionary disciple, on fire with faith, bearing witness to Christ, accompanying others and giving your life to the Lord for others", the prelates exhort the young people. However, the bishops recognize that this can bring difficulties: "The teachings of Christ are counter-cultural and transformative because they involve seeking first and foremost the Kingdom of God, loving one's enemies, living a moral life and sacrificing for the good of others (especially those who are marginalized and forgotten)."
Young people as protagonists
Young people must be the protagonists in the task of evangelization, as indicated in the section called "sending": "The church must send young people as evangelizing witnesses to promote charity, justice and empower them to be protagonists in their communities". The North American bishops recognize that youth ministry will not always be easy, nor will things change overnight, but "with the Lord at our side, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and with the intercession of our Blessed Mother, we hope to walk this sacred path of pastoral accompaniment.
Although this text is published on the fifth anniversary of "Christus vivit," it is not the first time the U.S. bishops have spoken out on youth ministry. Previous documents addressing the topic include "A Vision for Youth Ministry" (1976); "Empowered by the Spirit" (1985) on ministry on college campuses; "Sons and Daughters of the Light" (1996) on ministry with young adults; and "Renewing the Vision" (1997). The USCCB has also written a section devoted to Hispanic youth ministry in the text "Missionary Disciples Moving Forward with Joy: A National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry" (2023).
