Print Issue: August 15, 2002
Called to Share Your Faith
 Sporting the colorful kerchiefs that identified them as members of the World Youth Day contingent are Atlantans Katie and Kristen Wolfe, and Angelica Munoz of the Regnum Christi lay apostolate of the Legionaires of Christ. |
By BARBARA GARVIN, Special To The Bulletin
In 1997 the National Conference of Catholic Bishops revisited their pastoral paper on youth ministry and released "Renewing the Vision, A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry." This document is about empowering you, our young church, to take an active role in the church today. Through this document our bishops set three goals for ministry with adolescents. These goals are:
- To empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today.
- To draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community.
- To foster the total personal and spiritual growth of each young person.
These are all three empowering statements to the active role our youth must play within our community of faith. How do you live as a disciple of Jesus Christ? How do you participate in the liturgy, sacraments, corporal and spiritual works of the church? How is your prayer life and spiritual growth being nurtured by your faith community? These are all questions that we need to ask ourselves as members of the Catholic faith community.
Recently while attending World Youth Day in Toronto, I again heard the need to empower and support our young people as full, active members of our faith community. Pope John Paul II sent a very clear message that you, our youth, are the "Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World" and that you are loved and cared about by the Roman Catholic Church. In all three of his addresses to you, the young church of today, he challenged you to take an active role in spreading the faith, to live your life as disciples of Jesus Christ and to be willing to stand up for your beliefs.
Our young people are not only the church of the future; you are a very important part of the young church today. It is your spirit of love and compassion that embraced the Holy Father in Toronto and gives all of us hope for our church at home.
In our world today you, our young people, are faced with many challenges and distractions. Following the path of Jesus Christ is not easy and there are many obstacles along the way - alcohol, drugs, peer pressure, apathy - and many more. It is important that you be willing to look to your church for leadership and guidance while also being willing to share your many gifts and talents with the church.
Our Catholic faith is the foundation we need to find happiness and success in life. Having a strong relationship with Jesus Christ and his church takes work. Our Holy Father challenged the young people of the world to reach out and share the gospel message of Jesus Christ with their friends and family while embracing the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and the graces of the sacraments. It is through full active participation in our Catholic faith we are rooted in the ministry of Jesus Christ.
Today I would like to challenge the young people of the Archdiocese of Atlanta to reach out and embrace their faith by becoming more involved in the life and mission of their parish communities. Take the time out of your busy schedule to get involved in your parish youth group or community and to grow in your own spirituality. Take the time to share your gifts and talents within your faith community. Take the time to learn more about the traditions and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. You are loved, you are needed and you are an important part of the building up of the body of Christ within our church.
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