Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • April 6, 2018 3 April 8 Confirmation, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, The Woodlands, TX, 1 p.m., 6 p.m. April 10 Foundation Meeting, 3 p.m. April 12 Presbyteral Council Meeting, 10:30 a.m. April 12 St. Joseph Parish and St. Therese of Liseux Confirmation, Gulfport, 6 p.m. April 13 Confirmation, St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Picayune, 6 p.m. April 14 Knights of Peter Claver Induction, 11 a.m. April 14 Vigil Mass, Nativity BVM Cathedral, 4 p.m. April 15 Confirmation, St. Peter Parish, Bassfield, 10 a.m. April 17 Confirmation St. James Parish, Gulfport, 7 p.m. April 18 Association of Priests meeting, Jackson April 19 Confirmation, Sacred Heart Parish, Hattiesburg, 6 p.m. Youth say they want a Church that’s transparent, up-to-date VATICAN CITY ( CNA/EWTN News ) -- At the end of a week-long meeting held at the Vatican, young people from around the world have urged the Church to be more authentic, modern and creative in the way it interacts with young people, and in addressing contro- versial contemporary issues. “We want to say, especially to the hier- archy of the Church, that they should be a transparent, welcoming, honest, inviting, communicative, accessible, joyful and inter- active community,” the youth delegates said in the final document of this week’s pre-syn- od meeting in Rome. “A credible Church,” they said, “is one which is not afraid to allow itself to be seen as vulnerable.” Pope Francis at World Youth Day in Poland, July 2016. Credit: Marcin Kadziolka/Shutterstock The document, released March 24, is the product of a week-long discussion with some 300 young people from different cultural and religious backgrounds, who gath- ered in Rome for a March 19-24 pre-synod meeting, which is a precursor to the October synod of bishops on “Young People, the Faith and the Discernment of Vo- cation.” Youth were divided into 20 dif- ferent language groups, in which they reflected on several questions throughout the week. Those who weren’t able to attend the meeting took part via so- cial media, specifically through six differ- ent Facebook groups in different languages, which were moderated by other youth and discussed the same topics addressed in the Rome gathering. Between the Rome gathering and social media participation, some 15,300 young people took part in the discussion. Drafting groups were tasked with taking the conclu- sions of the 26 different groups and compil- ing them into one comprehensive text. An initial draft was written and presented to the group Thursday, and several of the youth participants made comments. Adjust- ments were made and the final draft was ap- proved Saturday morning. It was given to Pope Francis during his March 24 Palm Sun- day Mass, which also marked the diocesan celebration of World Youth Day. The 16-page document is divided into three sections: the challenges and opportuni- ties of young people; faith, vocation, discern- ment and accompaniment and the Church’s formative and pastoral activities. According to the document’s introduc- tion, it is not intended to be “a theological treatise” and nor was it written “to establish new Church teaching.” Rather, it is meant to serve as “a compass” for bishops in their Oc- tober discussion as they seek to understand the reality of youth today. The text said that young people want to be listened to and taken seriously, and noted that they often seek communities that are supportive and which “empower them,” giv- ing them a sense of identity and belonging. “Young people look for a sense of self by seeking communities that are supportive, up- lifting, authentic and accessible: communi- ties that empower them,” the document said, while noting that for some, religion is now “a private matter,” and said that at times, it seems that “the sacred appears to be some- thing separated from our daily lives.” “The Church oftentimes appears as too severe and is often associated with excessive moralism,” they said, adding that “some- times, in the Church, it is hard to overcome the logic of ‘it has always been done this way.’” Rather, the text said “we need a Church that is welcoming and merciful, which ap- preciates its roots and patrimony and which loves everyone, even those who are not fol- lowing the perceived standards.” “Sadly not all of us believe sainthood is something achievable and that it is a path to happiness,” the document said. Young people, they wrote, “are deeply vested in and concerned about topics such as sexuality, addiction, failed marriages, broken families as well as larger-scale social issues such as organized crime, human trafficking, violence, corruption, exploitation, femicide, all forms of persecution and the degradation of our natural environment.” However, one paragraph mentioned that among young people there is clear disagree- ment on certain “controversial” Church teachings dealing with issues such as con- traception, abortion, homosexuality, cohabi- tation, the permanency of marriage, and the priesthood. The paragraph noted that many don’t un- derstand Church teaching on these issues, and that of those who do, not all of them are in agreement. Young people “may want the Church to change her teaching as a result, or at least have access to a better explanation,” they said, but “even so, they desire to be part of the Church.” Other young Catholics, the document said “accept these teachings and find in them a source of joy. They desire the Church to not only hold fast to them amid unpopularity but also to proclaim them with greater depth of teaching.” SEE YOUTH MEETING, PAGE 10 Bishop Kihneman’s Schedule Gulf Pine Catholic (ISSN No. 0746-3804) April 6, 2018 Volume 35, Issue 16 The GULF PINE CATHOLIC , published every other week, is an official publication of the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi. Editorial offices are located at 1790 Popps Ferry Road Biloxi, MS 39532. Periodical postage paid at Gulfport, MS. —POSTMASTER— Send address changes to: The GULF PINE CATHOLIC 1790 Popps Ferry Road Biloxi, MS 39532 —PUBLISHER— Most Rev. Louis F. 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