Bishop Raymond Poisson, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), has issued a Pastoral Letter to Young People.
Blessed Carlo Acutis (all images courtesy of CCCB)
The letter is dated Oct, 12, 2022 in honour of the anniversary of the 2006 death of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first beatified “millennial” (he was born May 3, 1991).
This pastoral letter is meant to inspire young Catholics to live their faith in an extraordinary way, encouraging them to strive toward holiness, and assuring them of the steadfast support and accompaniment of their bishops along their individual journeys of faith.
This pastoral letter responds to the CCCB’s virtual conversations with over 200 young people from across Canada, between the ages 12 to 25, held in the fall of 2020.
The pastoral letter was drafted by the Office for Evangelization and Catechesis and the Office for Family and Life, at the request of the Executive Committee. It included input from youth ministry specialists, the Episcopal Commission for Evangelization and Catechesis, the Episcopal Commission for Doctrine, and the Standing Committee for Family and Life. The permanent council approved the pastoral letter at its June 2022 meeting.
The letter is addressed to young Catholics. It can be used for individual reflection, as well as in group settings, such as parish or diocesan/eparchial youth groups, schools, families, ecclesial movements and associations, and faith-based communities. The pastoral letter may also serve as a tool and resource for pastoral coordinators, youth group leaders, teachers, and anyone who accompanies young people in the faith.
Themes of the pastoral letter;
– Jesus encounters the teachers in the Temple
– Walking and talking together
– Technology and faith
– The presence of Jesus in your life
– Growing in faith: Learning over a lifetime
– Mary, an influencer among us
– Saint Kateri: a model of courage and perseverance
– Carlos Acutis: a role model for young people in the 21st century
– Be unique
To inspire readers and deepen discussion about the content, reflection questions are featured after each section.
The letter is now available on the CCCB website, along with other resources.