Year of Youth starts December 3
The Australian Bishops have identified the liturgical year of 2018, beginning on the first Sunday of Advent (December 3, 2017) as a national Year of Youth. The theme of the Year of Youth is Open New Horizons for Spreading Joy.
The Year of Youth invites the church into dialogue about the importance and life-giving presence of young people in the Church and society. It calls for dialogue and active engagement focused on the connection and renewal of a new generation of young people in the life of the Church. Youth Ministry in Australia encompasses the age range 12 – 30 year olds.
In the Year of Youth we ask the question “How are we as a Church called to serve young people, all young people?”
We are also called to bring a Year of Youth ‘lens’ to all our activities.
Dioceses, parishes, schools and other communities are all asked to incorporate the Year of Youth in their planning, considering how they might celebrate locally or in conjunction with neighbours.
These are the aims of the Year of Youth:
- prayerfully discern the Australian Bishops vision for ministry with young people, Anointed and Sent;
- authentic and personal engagement by Church leaders in the challenges and success in young people’s lives;
- acknowledging the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of young people, and young people acting upon the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church; and
- upholding the dignity of young people, ensuring a safe environment from physical, emotional and spiritual harm
Happily happening in the same year as the Australian Year of Youth is the world-wide General Synod on Youth in Rome 2018 with its theme: Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment. On the Vatican’s Synod website the Australian Year of Youth video is featured on the front page right next to Pope Francis. The video has images from the WYD Journey of the Cross in 2008 in Ballarat diocese. See the video at the start of this article or go here.
Bishop Paul is celebrating the start of the Year of Youth by participating in the Australian Catholic Youth Festival in Sydney together with over 100 pilgrims from Ballarat Diocese.
Year of Youth resources for parishes, schools and other groups will be available shortly. Information is regularly posted on the Ballarat Diocese Youth and Young Adult pages.
e: youth@ballarat.catholic.org.au p: 5337 7125.