December 22, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rene Reid
Work phone: 775-825-9196; Cell phone: 775-772-1210
Rene.Reid@CatholicChurchReformIntl.org
www.CatholicChurchReformIntl.org
Catholic Church Reform Int’l urges Pope Francis to have young people present in massive numbers at the Synod on Youth and Vocations scheduled for October 2018. This synod should not look like those in the past:
Rather, if anything is to be accomplished, the Synod on Youth and Vocations should look like this:
It is a well-known fact that many young people have turned away from the Church. Why? Because they are more open to a rapidly changing world, having grown up in it without the prejudices of prior generations. From this vantage point, they see the grace of God in fresher and more vibrant terms than a Church governed by older generations. Regarding the laity, Pope Francis has urged the clergy to overcome “the temptation to manipulate them and infantilize them.” This synod should be about young people sharing their insights and Bishops listening and engaging them in dialogue. Young people are the future of the Church. If there is to be a future for the Church, the fresh perspectives of millennials must be integrated into the life the Church. How they view the world is likely to make a constructive contribution to the Church’s discernment on a number of issues: co-habitation, pre-marital relationships, inter-racial and inter-faith partners, LGBT relationships, birth control and family planning to mention just a few.
Make this Synod truly a synod with young people represented in large numbers and invited to address issues which they are able to see with fresh eyes. Whenever Pope Francis speaks to young people, he encourages them to “make some noise.” What better place than at this Synod on Youth and Vocations!
