On Saturday August 19, the San Bernardino Diocesan Office of Young Catholics held a Ministers Gathering at Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in San Bernardino to meet, share and discuss how their office will collaborate with parish youth ministers for the upcoming ministry year.
One hundred youth ministers from various parishes and schools participated in the gathering, which had a theme of “Together, as one body of Christ.” The gathering was to help provide a space for faith sharing, networking and dialogue among those who accompany young people in our diocese. The Office of Young Catholics shared with the youth ministers the upcoming services they will be offering in the new ministry year.
“These include ministry and leadership formation, spiritual nourishment, and evangelization opportunities to experience the larger Universal Church,” said Edgardo Juarez Director of the Diocesan Office of Young Catholics. “We ultimately hope to convey a message of encounter with God’s love through the tangible and practical roads of accompaniment as a synodal Church, that unitedly listens and acts in the spirit.”
In addition to sharing the services that the Office of Young Catholics will be providing to parish youth ministers, one of the other main focuses of the evening was to continue the conversation on Synodality among those who accompany the youth in our diocese, stressing the importance of togetherness.
“Building community among those that accompany young people in our parishes and schools was one of the major objectives of this gathering,” Juarez said. “Each of the participants enrich our conversations through their faith, experience and ministry journey.”
Father David Andel, J.C.L., Judicial Vicar and Director of Canonical Services for the Diocese, was the day’s guest speaker. Fr. Andel led a reflection on the synodal journey and the importance of becoming a synodal church.
With Synodality as one of the main focuses of the gathering and togetherness as the theme, the youth ministers were invited to deeply listen to the situations and lived experiences of the young people they accompany. Ministers also had an opportunity to engage in small group listening sessions through the Conversation in the Spirit process.
“Conversation between brothers and sisters in faith opens the space to listen and discern the voice of the Holy Spirit in their lives and their ministries,” Juarez said.
The youth ministers gathering was for all youth, young adult, and campus ministry leaders in our diocese. All who participated were able to participate in the synodal journey by sharing, deep listening and discernment to better assist the youth in our diocese in the upcoming year.
Elena Macias is the Managing Editor of the Inland Catholic BYTE.