They categorically declare that they need to relate with authentic and credible educators. Reaching distant youngsters is the first challenge, and the main meeting place is the street, followed by study centers and sports activities. Surprisingly, the social networks rank only in eighth place.
What's urgent is the need to create a culture of accompaniment in Youth Ministry and a Youth Ministry that always leads to vocational discernment. Furthermore, young people acknowledge the fundamental role of the family. They underscore the great impact that a World Youth Day - as an opportunity for an intense meeting with Jesus, to transmit a positive image of the Church and to define their own vocational path.
Also stated was the need for greater formation on the themes of the Social Doctrine of the Church and the promotion of initiatives that help transform the world. They insist, finally, that the Church be a model to reactivate the relationship between young people and adults.
These indications are the results of the questionnaire returned from 47 dioceses, 12 movements, 12 congregations and 2 secular institutes. In total, 5,253 young people took part.
The Spanish Salesians have gathered their contributions through two channels. "We participated through the CONFER Youth Vocational Pastoral Area, offering a choral response from all the congregations and secular institutes," explained Fr Xabier Camino, Coordinator of Vocational Animation of the Salesian Province "Spain-Saint James Major." At the same time, the National Salesian Center for Youth Ministry gathered the answers of the young people from the various Salesian environments to send them to the Youth Ministry Department of the Salesian Congregation.
But the role of the Salesians in the Synod on young people went even further: the General Councilor for Youth Ministry, Fr Fabio Attard, participated, in fact, in drafting the preparatory document, while Fr Rossano Sala, SDB, was recently appointed Special Secretary for the Synod.
