Youth to meet with Pope Francis during October synod

Vatican City, Sep 18, 2018 / 09:21 am

The Synod of Bishops announced Tuesday that the upcoming assembly of bishops will include a meeting of young people with Pope Francis and the Synod Fathers in the Vatican's Pope Paul VI hall.

Taking place starting at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, the encounter is intended to allow "young people to offer concrete experiences about their life in study and work, their feelings, their future and their vocational choice," a press release stated.

Pope Francis will be present for the entirety of the encounter, which follows a pre-synod gathering that was held at the Vatican in March, with around 300 youth participants. The press statement noted that Pope Francis wants to meet young people again with the Synod Fathers to listen to them and to consider their proposals for the final document of the synod.

The gathering will include testimonies from young people interspersed with musical and artistic performances and will focus on three themes: the search for identity, relationships, and life as service and gift.

"Young people are particularly invited, and we hope they will be numerous in order to make their voice and their warmth heard by the Synod Assembly," the statement read.

Called "NOI PER – Unici, solidali, creativi," the meeting can be attended with a ticket requested from the Congregation for Catholic Education, which is organizing the event.

The Extraordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will take place Oct. 3-28. According to its preparatory document, the synod's purpose is to reflect on the Church's call "to accompany all young people, without exception, towards the joy of love."