Synod 2018 : Pre-Synodal Meeting for Young People in Vatican, 19-24 March 2018
The purpose of the Pre-Synodal Meeting, to take place in Rome from 19 to 24 March 2018, is to provide the opportunity for young people to produce a document, which expresses their view on the state of things, their ideas, their feelings and their recommendations, to be presented to the Synodal Fathers, who will meet in October 2018 to treat the topic: Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment. Participating in this meeting will be around 300 young people, representing young people from the 5 continents.
At the same time, we want, as much as possible, to involve young people the world over. By means of the social network, those who do not physically take part in the Pre-Synodal Meeting, can interact with those who will meet in Rome. Everyone is invited to join together in the discussion and to make their voices heard, so that the fruits of the Pre-Synodal Meeting will best express the ideas of young people throughout the world.
This documentation includes:
1) The Work Outline of the Pre-Synodal Meeting;
2) The Letter of Invitation to participate in this event through the social network; and
3) 15 # hashtags for comments.
In this way:
- We want to listen to young people, providing channels for communication and gathering information which are able to prompt their participation.
- We seek to adopt the ways and means which characterize the communication of young people today, so that the dialogue with them is as clear and effective as possible.
- We hope to remove, as much as possible, any difficulty in communication and to adopt a more immediately understandable language, so as to make communication with young people easier. Young people will be able to express themselves in a language that is familiar to them and the Church can transmit her message in a way that can be better understood.
- We intend to find the right means to address the inevitable diversity of cultures. We know well that today being born and raised in Africa is different from being born and raised in North America. Likewise, being born and raised in Europe is different from being born and raised in Australia. Therefore, effort has been made to identify a method that does not simply require translating languages, but one which can also fully comprehend the different cultures and traditions in the world.
The Work Outline
The Work Outline will be the reference point for the work of the Pre-Synodal Meeting and is to be read in light of the Preparatory Document and the Letter of the Pope to Young People, which are seamlessly associated to it.
Much of the reasoning underlying the idea of “15# (hashtags) for comments” can be found in The Work Outline. “The Church wants to listen to the voice, sensitivities, the faith and also some of the doubts and criticism of the young — we must listen to young people.” (Pope Francis, Catechesis, 4 October 2017). We seek in this way to best realize the objectives as expressed in point 7 of The Work Outline: “The publication of this Work Outline, containing questions to guide the Pre-Synodal Meeting, is intended to provide a means for every young person and youth groups throughout the world to become involved, so that they can prepare themselves to make their contribution online during the Pre-Synodal Meeting”.
The Letter of Invitation
Some young people are inviting other young people to participate in the event. The invitation is open to everyone: to those who, in varying degrees, are actively involved in the Catholic Church, to those in other Christian denominations or other religions and to those who do not believe in God. The Synod is concerned with all young people. Responding to the invitation is to take part in the journey which the Church is making.
This Letter has four chapters and 15 # hashtags (key words that will be used in gathering and organizing participation on the social network set up by the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops) which will serve as a guide for young people in preparing their comments for submission during the Pre-Synodal Meeting.
15 #Hashtags for Comments
Indications for personal or group reflection in preparation for participating in the Pre-Synodal Meeting of Young People through the Social Media.
Comments can be made at the following #hashtags:
#WhoAmI
#differences
#future
#DigitalWorld
#InteriorLife
#Jesus
#IBelieve
#called
#choices
#guide
#Church
#ActivelyInvolved
#places
#proposals
#WaysAndMeans
Each #hashtag will be connected to a brief explanatory text as an assistance in commenting. These texts will be found at www.synod2018.va.
The texts are meant to encourage young people to examine the subject, discuss it and make comments. Likewise, young people are asked to take some time to look into things and think things through.
The texts can be used by individuals or groups (with or without a formator being present).
During the Pre-Synodal Meeting, young people can also participate in the work by sending comments to one of the linguistic groups. It is necessary to register for a group in advance. To register, visit www.synod2018.va or facebook.com/synod2018.
Finally, work during the Pre-Synodal Meeting is based on The Work Outline. The Letter of Invitation provides a “link” to young people around the world, inviting them to participate. The 15 #hashtags for comments are the means for interacting with those who are in Rome. In this way, we want to make young people throughout the world feel involved in this journey of sharing and listening, which is very important to the Church today.
Text & Photo Courtesy : http://www.synod2018.va/
