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Young People, Faith and Discernment Don Goudy 2018-09-28T11:37:01+00:00

Watch Now


Pope Francis Message To Canadian Youth


Special Televised Event on Salt + Light TV

Original Air Date: October 22, 2017

Salt + Light TV presents a nationally televised forum with young Canadians, Cardinal Kevin Farrell and Pope Francis to prepare for the October 2018 Synod of Bishops on Youth.

VANCOUVER

CALGARY

WINDSOR

TORONTO

MONTREAL

QUEBEC CITY

From Salt + Light’s new studio in Toronto, join hosts Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Julian Paparella and Emilie Callan, plus youth groups and bishops from six Canadian cities. Engaging dialogue around the challenges, issues, questions, and needs of young people in the Catholic church.

"Dear young people of Canada, my hope for you is that your meeting should be like that of the first disciples, that the beauty of a life realized in following the Lord might open wide before you."

Pope Francis, October, 2017

Letter from The Holy See
Read Pope's Message To Canadian Youth

HOSTS

Cardinal Kevin Farrell

About Cardinal Farrel

Cardinal Kevin Farrell

Cardinal Kevin FarrellKevin Joseph Farrell, born in Dublin, Ireland, was a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, when he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington in 2001. In March 2007, Bishop Farrell was appointed Bishop of Dallas, Texas. On August 17, 2016, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Farrell prefect of the newly established Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals on November 19, 2016 and now works closely with Pope Francis, overseeing the Church’s relations with Laity, Family and Youth.

Read more about Cardinal Farrell, his accomplishments and how he was selected by Pope Francis to lead the upcoming Synod in 2018 in America Magazine.

Emilie Callan

About Emilie

Emilie Callan

Emilie CallanEmilie Callan is a graduate of the University of Ottawa in Theater and French Literature.

Throughout her studies she became involved in the Catholic student movement, Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO), which is dedicated to the new evangelization on university campuses across Canada. Through this experience, she recognized the richness of the Church and the Catholic faith.

After leaving her bachelor’s degree, she became a lay missionary with CCO for three years in Quebec City. These years were formative in her leadership and in the education of faith among young people. Since September 2014, Emilie has embarked on a new mission with Salt and Light as a producer and has most recently started S+L’s community outreach program.

Julian Paparella

About Julian

Julian Paparella

Julian PaparellaJulian Paparella is a native of London, Ontario. After graduating from Catholic Central High School, he studied Biology and Catholic Studies at McGill University. While in Montreal, Julian was engaged in campus ministry at the McGill Newman Centre and served as Youth Coordinator and Parish Secretary at Saint Willibrord’s Parish.

Julian began working as an intern at Salt and Light in 2012, and has since spent five summers at the Toronto and Montreal studios. He also spent three months as an intern with the Vatican’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations in New York City. Julian is currently pursuing studies in theology at the Catholic University of Paris. In addition to his studies, he also coordinates ministry to middle school and high school students at the Parish of Notre-Dame-de-la-Gare. Julian is the son of Evelyn and Nick, and has two younger brothers, Matthew and Marcus.

12 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
about the Youth Synod at the Vatican in October 2018

Pope Francis has dedicated the 15th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops to the theme of “Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment“. Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about the 2018 Synod.

1. What’s a Synod?

The Synod of Bishops is an ecclesiastical (Church) body established by Pope Paul VI after the Second Vatican Council in 1965. It was set up to foster “the unity and cooperation of bishops around the world with the Holy See.” Synods of Bishops meet at the request of the Holy Father, when he considers it necessary or opportune to consult with the world’s bishops on topics that pertain to the entire Church; these kinds of sessions can be either Ordinary or Extraordinary. The Synod of Bishops can also meet in a Special Assembly (or Session) on topics that pertain to a limited geographical area.

2. Who’s head of the Synod?

The President of the Synod is the current Holy Father, Pope Francis. The Synod also has a General Secretary, who is currently Italian Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri. Check out the Witness Interview with Cardinal Baldisseri

3. Who takes part in the Synod?

Several hundred bishops participate in the synod, elected by the bishops’ conferences of each country. Other participants include the heads of Eastern Catholic Churches, members of religious institutes, cardinals who head Vatican offices and special papal appointees. Although they have no voting role, lay men and women are often participants too. For example, during the recent synod on the family, there were 18 married couples.

4. What’s the purpose of a Synod? What’s its goal?

Synods are not parliaments where in order to reach a consensus, participants (Synod Fathers and delegates) start to negotiate, making deals and compromises. The only method in the synod is to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and to arrive at a real consensus inspired by the Holy Spirit.

5. What’s the theme of the Synod?

Pope Francis chose as the October 2018 Ordinary Synod topic: “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment.” The Pope has clearly stated that the entire Church wants to listen to young people: to what they are thinking, to what they want, to what they criticize and to what they are sorry for. Everything. The Pope wants the Church to examine herself on how she can lead young people to recognize and accept the call to the fullness of life and love, and to ask young people to help her in identifying the most effective way to announce the Good News today.

6. Where does the Synod take place?

The Synod takes place in the Synod Hall located above the Paul VI Audience Hall inside Vatican City. It begins with an opening mass in St. Peter’s Basilica followed by 3 weeks of formal sessions that involve attentive listening to individual “interventions” (short presentations) of each bishop and appointed delegate and hours spent in small working groups in the official languages of the Synod: English, Italian, Spanish, French and German. It ends with a big, concluding mass.

7. How do we get ready for the Synod on Youth?

To prepare for the October 2018 Synod, Pope Francis wrote a Letter to Young People, dated January 13, 2017. In that letter he recommended that young people read the Preparatory Document as an effective tool in its preparation. The letter also contains some very good reflection questions for young people around the world. Pope Francis refers to this document as a “compass” in the journey leading up to the synod. Read the Papal letter: Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment

8. What does “youth” mean? What is the age group? Youth of any particular states of life?

The Synod will focus on youth between the ages of 16-29, and will be aimed at this particular age group and their pastoral needs. When speaking of the states of life and the vocational journey of young people towards them, “vocation” means the pathway to marriage, ordained ministry, and consecrated life.

9. What are the Pope’s concerns for youth today?

One of the most important questions that Pope Francis asks is: How can young people resist these two extremes of being against the Church or living without the Church but choosing to be within the Church, actively participating in her life? How can they seek and find God in the people, events and experiences which they encounter and embark on a communal and mutual path of human, spiritual and cultural growth?

10. What are some of the key words of the Pope’s Letter to Young People?

Three key words guide young people in their own discernment: “to recognize”, “to interpret” and “to choose.” These three verbs summarize the essence of “vocational discernment.” “To recognize” is to look within oneself; “to interpret” is to see what is both positive and negative; “to choose” is to make a decision for the good.

11. Are there any desired goals for this unique Synod on Youth?

Three other verbs are also key to the theme of this Synod: “to go out”, “to see,” and “to call.” “To go out” is to abandon a “mentality” which pigeonholes people; “to see” is to spend time with young people so as to hear their personal stories; and “to call” is to reawaken desires, to free people from what might hold them captive and to ask questions which have no ready-made answers.

12. Is this Synod for a select group of young people or for all youth?

The Synod is meant to be the Synod for all young people. Pope Francis has said: “Even young people who consider themselves agnostics; whose faith is lukewarm; who no longer go to Church. Even young people who consider themselves atheists. …This is the Synod of young people and we want to listen to one another. Every young person has something to say to others. He or she has something to say to adults, something to say to priests, sisters, bishops and even the Pope. All of us need to listen to you!”
READ THE VATICAN PREPARATORY DOCUMENT
Cardinal Kevin Farrell

“It’s your moment; it’s your time. The whole church is saying to you, the pope is saying to you: Don’t allow the world to control you; you control the world.”

Cardinal Kevin Farrell

What do you hope for at the Synod in 2018?

Some of the program participants discuss their hopes and ideas heading into the October 22nd broadcast.

Alana Davis

White Rock

Chelsea Santiago

Toronto

Nolan Conrad

Calgary

Victoria Henry

Guelph

Jason Costa

Vancouver

James McCowell

Hamilton

Eloisa Greenwald

Calgary

Megan Misner

Brantford

Robin Mendonça

Cambridge

Sr Maria Immaculate

Sisters of Our Lady Immaculate, Cambridge

Archbishop Michael Miller

Vancouver

Archbishop Christian Lépine

Montreal

MEDIA

Vancouver youth send message to Rome

Pope Francis: video message to Salt and Light youth forum

The Pope to the young Canadians, “Build bridges so that no one should be rejected”

Watch Pope Francis speak to the young people of Canada on national television

Watch Pope Francis speak to the young people of Canada on national television

Young Canadians: a video message from Pope Francis, Sunday, October 22

Pope to youth: Don’t let the world be ruined by those without scruples

Pope Francis: The church needs young people so that “no one should be rejected”

Pope’s Video Message to Canadians: Build bridges, spread joy

Pope to Canadians: “Let yourself be reached by Christ”

Pope to Canadian youth: Let Christ lead you in the adventure of life

The Pope speaks to young Canadians via the web

Message from the Pope to the youth of Canada: “Let Christ reach you”

  HAVE YOUR SAY

Record a 30-second video expressing your hope for the Synod in 2018.


Select one question to answer:

1. What are the major issues, questions and desires that young people have for the upcoming Synod?

2. What does a real dialogue with young people mean for the Church?

Deadline: Oct. 5, 2017 at 12pm ET / 9am PT.

Salt and Light may choose your video to feature on our October 22nd broadcast with Cardinal Farrell.

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Rules And Instructions

Ready to enter?

Let’s Go!

Video Submission Rules and Instructions

  1. Submission deadline is October 5, 2017, 12pm ET / 9am PT.
  2. Only .mpg, .mp4 and .mov file types are accepted. File name must follow this structure, using full name as you would have it appear on screen: firstname_lastname_city_synodvideo.mp4 (or .mov or .mpg).
  3. Only videos provided through Vimeo (with downloading enabled) and cloud storage services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, WeTransfer, etc.,  are accepted.  Ensure all links are not password protected and are direct links to the video download.
  4. Record yourself on high quality camera. Smart phone HD cameras are acceptable.
  5. Ensure you use adequate lighting, the sound is clear (no loud background noise, etc.) and there is no camera shake.
  6. Recordings under 30 seconds are given priority.
  7. High quality will help ensure a better chance of being selected for broadcast on Young People, Faith & Discernment Forum 2017 Canada (the “Program”) on October 22, 2017 and any subsequent repeat airings of the Program or other media promoting the Program..
  8. We will make best efforts to advise you at the email address you submit if your video is selected for the group of potential videos that may appear on the Program. The video(s) selected to be aired during the will be at the discretion of the Program hosts and director.
  9. Air dates of the Program on Salt + Light TV  are subject to change without notice.
  10. Submissions from youth aged 16-29 are accepted.
  11. State your first and last name and location at the beginning of your video.
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