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Forming those who form others

Youth & Young Adult Ministry: The Synodal Nature of Young Adult Ministry

In Christus Vivit, Pope Francis writes, “Youth ministry has to be synodal” (206). The original Spanish text gives this more emphasis: “it is the only way.” What does Pope Francis mean by “youth ministry” and what does he mean by “synodal”?

“Youth Ministry” in Christus Vivit
For many of us, “youth ministry” refers to ministry with adolescents, either in junior high or high school (12-18 years old). The Synod for Youth, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment classifies a young person as 16-30 years old, an age group that the USCCB had previously defined as “young adult” (16-39 years old).

This distinction is important. Francis is not suggesting that a ministry to 14 to 15-year-olds should be synodal. I would argue that the synodal nature of ministry to those in their late teens and twenties is what distinguishes it from the kind of ministry needed by adolescents.

Ministries with young adults in the United States have suffered when methodologies that were effective with teenagers (at least in certain contexts) were also applied to that older age group. Though the groups may only be a few years apart in age, they are at very different stages of development and live in different cultural contexts.

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Dr. Bob Rice is an internationally known speaker, acclaimed musician, and innovative writer. He is Professor of Catechetics and the Director of the Masters of Arts in Catechetics and Evangelization at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He has a PhD in Theology from Liverpool Hope University where he researched Catholic youth and evangelization. He is a highly sought after presenter at youth conferences, young-adult gatherings, men’s conferences, parish missions, and catechetical workshops. Bob has authored many books, articles, and award-winning scripts that have helped people come to a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith. Bob has recorded numerous CDs and leads worship for over ten thousand people every year, mostly through the Steubenville Adult and Youth Conferences. He is the host of EWTN’s Franciscan University Presents. Bob lives in Steubenville with his beautiful wife Jennifer and their seven adorable children. You can find out more about him at bob-rice.com. He is the author of the life of Christ novel, Between the Saivior and the Sea, written through St. Peter's eyes and the spiriutality book, A 40-Day Spiritual Workout for Catholics.

This article is from The Catechetical Review (Online Edition ISSN 2379-6324) and may be copied for catechetical purposes only. It may not be reprinted in another published work without the permission of The Catechetical Review by contacting [email protected]

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