December newsletter

Dear Young People of Our Parish,

Over the past months, our community has been engaged in the important work of reflecting on who we are and who God is calling us to become. As part of this process, we recently shared a report inviting everyone to participate in shaping a new pastoral plan for our parish. Today, I want to speak directly to you, our young people (ages seventeen to thirty), because your voices, your presence, and your questions are essential to this journey.

I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to watch Pope Leo XIV’s virtual conversation with youth in the United States, as well as his moving encounter with young people during his visit to Beirut last week. In both moments, I was struck by how deeply the Holy Father values the contribution of young people. He emphasized again and agairi, that youth are not simply the “future” of the Church, they are the present. You carry insights, hopes, and convictions that the whole Church needs right now.

The Pope acknowledged something honest: that young people often navigate a world that feels uncertain, full of rapid change, shifting opportunities, and questions about identity and direction. And yet, he insisted that young people possess a clarity of heart that can guide all of us. You instinctively understand the dignity of every person. You care about the gift of creation and the responsibility we share to protect it. You understand technology in ways that can help us communicate more effectively and use our digital tools with wisdom. You have a natural curiosity that keeps faith alive and growing. You know how to value friendship, how to sit in silence when
silence is needed, and how to reach for community when life becomes overwhelming.

You may not always feel this way, but the Church sees these gifts in you, and our parish needs them.

As we shape our pastoral plan, your participation is not just welcome; it is vital. We need your questions, especially the hard ones. We need your dreams for what a parish community can look like, how it can serve, pray, listen, celebrate, and accompany. We need your honesty about what is helpful and what feels absent. We need your creativity, your energy, and your sense of justice. Most of all, we need your presence.

Looking ahead, we are eager to take a first step together. On Saturday, January 31th at 6.00 pm., we invite all young adults of the parish to a simple social gathering, a space to meet one another and to begin an open conversation about parish life, how you might like to be involved, and what opportunities would genuinely support your faith and friendships. Your perspective will help us build something meaningful from the ground up.

Our parish desires to be a place where you can grow in faith, build meaningful friendships, explore your future, and discover the ways God is inviting you to serve. But for that to happen, we need to walk this path together. Your generation has a remarkable ability to gather people, to collaborate, and to offer compassion in practical ways. These qualities strengthen the entire body of Christ.

So I ask you: lend us your voice. Be present at parish gatherings. Join the conversation as we develop our pastoral plan. Share your experiences, both the joys and the struggles. Let us learn from you, as you continue to learn from the Gospel and from the lived wisdom of the whole community.

Thank you forthe important role you already play in our parish. Thank you for your courage, your hope, and your willingness to seek God in a complicated world. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide you, strengthen you, and inspire you.

Msgr. Con.

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