At the final briefing on the youth synod, the participants reflected on what they have learned from the experience.
Archbishop Eamon Martin, from Ireland, found the synod to be very useful in reflecting on the concrete realities of young people.He discovered that young people had sadly lost trust in the Church and other institutions. They also struggled to make life-long commitments.
MSGR. EAMON MARTIN
Archbishop of Armagh (Ireland)
“They are drowning amidst a sea of messages, often very contradictory messages, which are pushing and pulling them, and driving them this way and that.”
He believes the Church needs to be courageous and offer the youth clear teachings. He also hopes on his return home to challenge the youth to be counter-cultural and claim their faith in Christ.
MSGR. EAMON MARTIN
Archbishop of Armagh (Ireland)
“The Church needs to present strong and clear reference points, including moral reference points that young people can hold on to. [They need] stepping stones to help them negotiate the journeys that they have to make.” “To call them to be heroes, to call them in some ways to be counter-cultural, not always going with the flow with everything that is going on around them.”
He desires that youth receive the Church's enduring message, to have a reason for living, and a reason for hoping.
According to Archbishop Anthony Muheria, from Kenya, for all of the bishops participating at the youth synod, it has been a moment of self-examination.
MSGR. ANTHONY MUHERIA
Archbishop of Nyeri (Kenya)
“Each bishop present would somehow measure himself to what he was hearing, and that is the whole work of discernment. In listening, you examine and you assess and hopefully, you start making a program in going forward.”
The bishops at the synod are now studying the final document. It will be voted and presented to the pope before the closing Mass of the youth synod.
