Synod on Young People receives lukewarm response

Dioceses and movements in France have until Friday to submit the results of a consultation with local young people to the French Bishops' Conference in preparation for the upcoming Synod in October 2018. But Pope Francis' goal to mobilize young people who have distanced themselves from the Church does not appear to have been achieved.

The Catholic Rural Youth Movement (MRJC) is involved in preparing the Synod. / Corinne Simon/Ciric

On a June afternoon, in a parish hall not far from the Basilica of St Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, a discussion of the place of young people in the Church is taking place.

"Be careful! It's not the Church's role to be a Church only for youth," warns a layperson from the Mission de France.

"But it is young people who provide the impetus for change," responds a much younger woman from the French Youth Forum.

"No, it is the whole people of God!" replies the first.

Around 30 young people from a dozen church movements responded to an invitation from the Christian Movement of Rural Youth (MRJC) to share their views for a collective proposal for the Synod on Young People and Vocations, which will take place in Rome in October 2018.

Similarly, the Church of France has been reaching out to young people over the last few months in an effort to understand their aspirations and desires for change in preparation for the Synod.

This consultation phase is coming to an end. Movements and dioceses have until Friday this week to submit the synthesis of their work to the French Bishop's Conference (CEF).

Florence Varaigne, episcopal delegate for young people in the Diocese of Angers, admits that they have "had few responses", even though five young people were involved in the development of the questionnaire.

These included a high school student, a university student, a young professional, a person doing civic service and a seminarian, all aged between 16 and 29.

Those who responded to the questionnaire were mostly young involved Catholics.

"They appreciate large gatherings such as World Youth Day, but they also need other involvements within their own parishes the rest of the time," Varaigne believes.

"Many insist on the importance of having priests and laypeople who"make them feel welcome", she continues.

She also confirmed the concern expressed by many young people regarding the youth who do not practice their faith.

"Pope Francis wants all young people to have a say, but it is very difficult to reach out to those who are far from the Church," she explains.

"After some reflection, I realized that Pope Francis' letter to young people was mostly accessible only to Catholics," comments Laurence Boher, head of youth ministry in the diocese of Albi in the Tarn region.

In Albi, the pope's letter, which was published in January along with the preparatory document for the Synod, was mainly shared in the form of a leaflet.

Boher regrets that there was only a "short time" between the publication of the letter and the deadline for responses. Nevertheless, the results were positive, she believes.

"We received around fifty responses, which is not bad for our diocese," she says.

Boher was also impressed by the "joy" expressed by many respondents at finding themselves the center of attention in the Church.

The Diocese of Évry in the Essonne region tried another method, releasing three different questionnaires, one addressed to young people, one to ministers and priests, and another to "people of good will".

The Diocese received 64, 36 and 37 responses respectively. The threefold survey also made it possible to identify what the faithful outside the Synod's targeted age range (16-29 years) had to say.

"The older generation is preoccupied with the issue of transmission," says Fr Antoine de la Fayolle, a Dominican priest in charge of youth ministry. "They see de-christianization taking place and ask themselves what their role is."

The young people of the Evry region, which has a large immigrant population, also raised questions regarding the place of Catholicism with respect to Islam.

"In a de-christianized society that lacks fixed reference points, many are asking how they can find an authentic, intelligent and intelligible faith," Fr de la Fayolle adds.

It is now up to the CEF to forward the results of the consultations to the Vatican.

A National Service for the Evangelization of Youth and Vocations working group, which is accompanied by Bishop Laurent Percerou of Moulins, is due to meet at the end of August to prepare a synthesis that will be sent to Rome by October.

Bishop Percerou is also the Chairman of the Council for Youth Pastoral Care.

The Synod's instrumentum laboris (working instrument) will summarize all national contributions and will be published during the summer of 2018.