HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT

In this episode, the Diocesan Director of Communications and Fr. Manu, Director of Youth Ministry, discuss the Diocese of Tucson’s pilgrimage to the Jubilee in Rome.A delegation of 45 teens traveled to Rome to take part in the Jubilee celebrations during Easter week. However, the unexpected passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday brought a profound and unforeseen shift to the itinerary.

Some of us have heard that God and the Church call to various vocations; apart from marriage, the Church has religious life and priesthood. However, these vocations often seem overlooked or quickly dismissed by many young people, maybe because they don’t appeal as fulfilling or simply because we do not find opportunities to hear and talk about them.What can the church say to young people to inspire confidence in their dreams of marriage and family life? How can we encourage young people to consider and embrace the vocation to the priesthood or religious life with an open heart?

In this episode, we address two significant factors that impact youth: their sense of identity and their perception of the world and its future. Our ongoing quest for peace and fulfillment affects our self-perception and our choices. How can young people step up in the church to create communities that foster a sense of belonging and help us overcome these obstacles? What steps can we take to build a brighter, more hopeful world?

Even though there is suffering in the world, we can find hope and meaning in our faith. In our youth groups and our communities, we encounter people our age who find themselves in challenging situations, such as broken homes, exposure to violence, or struggles with addictions.How can we grow in our faith and understanding of God and suffering? What actions can we take as Catholics to bring hope to those suffering?

When it comes to being catholic, we know that our faith needs to show through participation in the church and works of mercy. We noticed that many catholic youth are disconnected from the church or do not know how to participate. We are out there, but we are not connected as well as we would like to. Youth ask the Bishop: how can we bring people to church or maybe bring more life into the Church? How can we young people help the church with that?

Bishop Weisenburger and Fr. Manu introduce the podcast by discussing the Jubilee Year, the theological virtue of Hope, and how youth are called to be Hope for the church and the world, according to Pope Francis.