Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I was just recalling that I went to Rome in June for my Ad Limina visit to Pope Francis. When I met with the Holy Father, he was very eager to inquire about the development and concerns of young people in Macau. The Pope deeply understands that young people need to have the vision to embrace their dreams and realize them. His Holiness’s concern reminded me of the Word of God quoted in the recently concluded Synod of Bishops’ Final Document (hereafter referred to as the Document): “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17)
This year’s Synod of Bishops adopted the Document on October 27th. In it they express the strong desire of the Catholic Church to move forward with the youth of the Church and the world. I would like to share with you the passage from St Luke’s Gospel used in the Document. In Luke’s account of the encounter between disciples Jesus on the road to Emmaus, we have the key for understanding the direction for the Church’s work with young people (cf Luke 24:13-35). The three major parts of the Document are drawn from the structure of this scene (see the Preface to the Document), namely: “He walked with them” (v. 15); “Their eyes were opened” (v. 31); “And they rose that same hour” (v. 33).
The introduction to the Document begins with a clear statement: “The Document will be a map to guide the next steps which the Church is called to take.” Therefore, having a clear understanding of the three parts of this passage of the Gospel is very important for the Catholic Church’s work with youth. Simply put, the first step, “walking with them”, is to maintain communication and contact with young people. I know that young people are extremely eager for their voices to be heard, especially the youngsters from the poor and the exploited. (see Chapter 1 of the Document: “A Church that Listens”). How the Church thinks and provides opportunities for the younger generation to make their voices heard and feel valued is a point we need to constantly reflect upon and renew.
The second step, “their eyes were opened,” involves the way the Church is tasked to provide formation that is appropriate and interesting to them, in order that young people can stand firm in the rapidly changing circumstances of the 21st century, are able to cultivate their awareness of the need for sanctification, shoulder their ability to lead and to exercise their “prophetic office,” lay good foundations for the next generation of the Church and the whole of Macao’s society, and to “identify and accept God’s will in the specific circumstances” of their own lives (see Instrumentum Laboris: “Discernment”).
The third step of the Emmaus story, “they rose that same hour,” dwells on how we can get young people to set out enlightened by the Holy Spirit, responding to their needs and bringing them to our Church and society. This setting out will result in an external, tangible, rich and varied outcome that everyone can see. The forms and range of these events should be decided by the youth themselves and will take place in different levels ranging from diocese, parishes, schools and small groups. The concept of “vocation” in the Document also contains a very important note: “we are not asking that the pastoral vocation be reinforced as a separate and independent sector, but to enliven the entire pastoral activity of the Church by presenting effectively the multiplicity of vocations.” (see Document a.139: Nei cammini di conversione pastorale in atto non si chiede quindi di rafforzare la pastorale vocazionale in quanto settore separato e indipendente, ma di animare l’intera pastorale della Chiesa presentando con efficacia la molteplicità delle vocazioni). The Document concludes that this is the only way to “reach the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (cf. Eph. 4:13).
Based on the above observations, in the next three years of pastoral work in the Diocese, I declare that we will observe the Years of the Youth as our theme, starting from the Feast of the Mother of God in 2019 (January 1) until the eve of the same feast in 2021 (December 31). I will work with pastoral groups and institutions of our diocese, including parishes, diocesan committees, charitable associations, pastoral centers, religious orders, and congregations, etc., to build a platform for young people to have a broader space to express their thoughts, aspirations and ideas. We shall let them plan and implement activities that they feel best expresses their needs and ensure that their ideas can be put into practice.
To this end, the clergy of the Diocese have already selected some brothers and sisters from the youth of the Diocese, and specifically they have set up the “Diocesan Year of the Youth Preparation Committee” and the “Diocesan Year of the Youth Advisory Group.” The group has already met for the first time in November and has begun to plan some directions and goals. It has arranged a youth forum at noon on December 30 of this year – all young people are invited to participate. I will accompany this preparatory group in its growth, letting the Diocese employ the vitality of young people, with the hope of establishing a Diocesan Pastoral Committee for Youth and thus continue to consolidate and deepen our work with youth.
Dear brothers and sisters, “We must be holy to be able to invite young people to become so. Young people have clamored for an authentic, luminous, transparent, joyful Church: only a Church of the saints can live up to these requests” (see Document a.166). This is the best opportunity we have, “through the holiness of the young the Church can renew her spiritual ardor and her apostolic vigor.” (see Document a.167) I encourage you to pray for youth and youth affairs especially in these next three years. I hope that all of you will pay more attention to your children and young people in your family and throughout your daily life, to accompany them as they grow in faith. Together let us all work and pray for the success and growth of our youth ministry.
Finally, I ardently ask the intercession of Our Lady, Mother of God and pray that the joy, the peace and the blessing of our Lord Jesus Christ may descend on you this Christmas and in the New Year of 2019.
+ Most Rev. Stephen Lee Bun Sang
Catholic Diocese of Macau
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