Young New Zealanders called to share their voice with the Vatican

WelCom August 2017: Young New Zealanders are being called to take part in an international conversation with the Catholic Church. The New Zealand Catholic Bishops are asking those aged 16 to…

WelCom August 2017: Young New Zealanders are being called to take part in an international conversation with the Catholic Church. The New Zealand Catholic Bishops are asking those aged 16 to 29 years to share their views about life, faith, and their experience of Church through an online survey, which went live on Sunday 24 July 2017.

The survey is part of an international effort by Pope Francis to better understand the lives, attitudes and concerns of young people around the world, in the lead up to the Synod on Young people, faith and vocational discernment in Rome, October 2018.

Pope Francis says, ‘Every young person has something to say to others…all of us need to listen to you!’ He added ‘even young people who consider themselves agnostics; even young people whose faith is lukewarm; even young people who no longer go to Church; even young people who consider themselves atheists’.

Bishop Charles Drennan, Secretary of the Bishops’ Conference, says, ‘this is a fantastic opportunity for young New Zealanders to have their voice heard on the international stage on a range of topics concerning their faith and place within the Church. Young people’s questions and experiences form part of the Church’s constant korero or conversation about how to live our universal faith in the here and now.’

New Zealanders aged 16–29 years are encouraged to answer the survey individually or in groups, to tell their friends about it and share the link with their networks. The online survey runs for five weeks and closes at midnight Sunday 27 August 2017. It can be found at www.facebook.com/voicetovaticanNZ and on the home page of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ website at www.catholic.org.nz
Photos: Cardinal John Dew; Life Teen Wellington; Young Church Ministry, Archdiocese of Wellington.