The Church of Now: Young People and Global Catholicism Today

:: Day 2, World Catholicism Week 2022 ::

This international online conference recognizes that young people are not just the Church of the future--they are the Church of the present as well. As Pope Francis pointed out in his 2019 apostolic exhortation, Christus Vivit, "Young Catholics are not merely on the receiving end of pastoral activity: they are living members of​ the one ecclesial body." 

The whole Church needs to find new ways to listen to and empower young people. To that end, this event brings together scholars and activists from Lebanon, Indonesia, Nigeria, India, Brazil, Burundi, Central African Republic, China, Mexico, the Philippines, Uganda, and the United States to address questions of

• Vocation and discernment 
• Faith formation
• Trauma and moral courage
• Sustainable development
• Young people's leadership in the Church

:::::::::::::::::::::::::: SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY, MAY 7 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::

9:00-11:00am    ROUNDTABLE—Youth Leadership in the Church

• Jeramie Molino & Rito Baring—Reviewing Catholic Youth Leadership in the Church through Religious Identity from a Filipino Sample
• Fr. Charles Ssennyondo—Catholic Youth in a Relativistic World 
• Fr. Joseph Fitzgerald, CM—Taking Charge of Their Roots: Indigenous Youth Leadership in Church and Society

11:00-11:30am    BREAK

11:30am-1:30pm    KEYNOTE PANEL with members of the Vatican International Youth Advisory Body (IYAB)

• Brenda Noriega—There is Hope: Young People & Catholic Social Teaching on Solidarity
• Agatha Natania—Title TBA
• Émile Abou Chaar—Rooted in Our Mission, We are the Salt and Light of the Middle East

1:30-2:30pm    BREAK

2:30-4:30pm     ROUNDTABLE—Environmental & Sustainable Development

• Marinel Ubaldo—The Role of Filipino Catholic Youth in Environmental & Sustainable Development
• Prince Papa—Catholic Youth and their Response to Climate Change and Development in East Africa
• Saúl Zenteno-Bueno—The Jugglers of Development

4:45-5:15pm    BREAKOUT CHAT

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, including the speaker lineup, please visit the conference website: http://worldcathweek.depaul.edu

(About the photo featured above: Young adult participants at the XI International Youth Forum at St. Peter's in Rome, June 2019)