Council for young people meets in Palmerston North

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Council for Young People (CYP) met in Palmerston North last month for their biannual meeting. The council serves the national bishops’ conference and advises in matters about young Church across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Pictured with the ancestral pou, Tane-nui a-rangi of Rangitāne iwi o Papaioea: (l-r), rear – Nick Wilson, Palmerston North; Alex Bailey (chair), Hamilton; middle – Louise Lloyd, Wellington; Linea Simons, Dunedin; Miriama Allen (Tūranga Māori) Bishop Michael Gielen (bishops’ representative) and James Bryant, Christchurch; front – Jil Miller, Hamilton; Sam Brebner, Auckland.Photo: Supplied

Nick Wilson

The New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Council for Young People (CYP) met in Palmerston North last month for their biannual meeting. The council serves the national bishops’ conference and advises in matters about young Church across Aotearoa New Zealand.

CYP has members from each rohe (diocese), an independent chair and a Tūranga Māori Adviser, to serve and advise the national bishops’ conference in matters about young Church across Aotearoa New Zealand.

The council was welcomed to Palmerston North with a mihi whakatau before getting into the mahi of its projects that impact young people. Topics included safeguarding, the mental health and spiritual well-being of young people, World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, and reflecting on the bishops’ new Aroha and Diversity document. 

CYP is made up of representatives from Catholic youth ministries across Aotearoa New Zealand.

It works on behalf of the NZ Catholic Bishops’ Conference, implementing agreed national projects that influence and assist dioceses and all faith communities in their local ministry with young people, and sharing best practice across organisations that minister with young people.

The Council is passionate about animating young Church. Please visit www.youngpeople.church to learn more. 

CYP meets monthly online and biannually in person. Its next face-to-face meeting is in March 2023.