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4 NOVEMBER 10-23, 2018 | DENVER CATHOLIC In-Depth A place for reconnecting With God. Come for a day or week. Book your next retreat with us! 719-258-1600 For Tour or Reservations www.eltesororetreat.org www.proximotravel.com 508-340-9370 Hablamos Español 855-842-8001 anthony@proximotravel.com Call us 24/7 Several trips to different destinations: the Holy Land; Italy; France, Portugal, & Spain; Poland; Medjugorje, Lourdes, & Fatima; Ireland & Scotland; England; Austria, Germany, & Switzerland; Greece & Turkey; Budapest; Prague; Our Lady of Guadalupe; Colombia; Brazil; Argentina; Domestic Destinations; etc… We also specialize in custom trips for Bishops, Priests and Deacons We also offer other trips with prices starting at $2,499 ~ Prices are ALL-INCLUSIVE with Airfare from anywhere in the USA Synod: Topics from the fi nal document on young people BY DENVER CATHOLIC STAFF A fter intense days of dialogue and discussion among bishops and invited young people, the Synod on young people, the faith and vocational discernment came to a close in Rome on Oct. 28. Here we o¢ er a brief summary of the document which was approved a few days before the closing. It contains 167 points and proposals which seek to transmit the Word of God and address the needs of young people throughout the world. The citations provided are not approved English translations of the document. The document has only been released in Italian. LITURGY "The Eucharistic celebration gener- ates the communal life of the Church. It is the place for transmission of the faith and formation for mission," the docu- ment states. Young people have shown "to appreciate and live with intensity authentic celebrations in which the beauty of the signs, the care for preach- ing and the communal involvement truly speak of God." It encourages that young people discover "the value of Eucharistic ado- ration as an extension of the celebra- tion, in which contemplation and silent prayer can be lived out." MIGRATION The document expresses the Church's preoccupation regarding those who "escape war, violence, polit- ical and religious persecutions, natural disasters … and extreme poverty." In general, immigrants leave their coun- tries in search of "opportunities for themselves and for their families" and are exposed to violence on their jour- ney. Many leave with an idealized ver- sion of Western culture, "at times feed- ing it with unrealistic expectations that expose them to hard disappointments." The synodal fathers highlight the particular vulnerability of "unaccom- panied migrant minors" and see that "it is necessary to decisively reject" a xenophobic mentality regarding migra- tion events "frequently promoted and exploited for political ends." SEXUALITY The document states that the Church works "to communicate the beauty of the Christian vision of corpo- reality and sexuality." It asks for more adequate methods to communicate it. "An anthropology of a¢ ectivity and sex- uality, capable of also giving a fair value to chastity, must be proposed to young people." To do so, "it is necessary to tend to the formation of pastoral workers, so that they may be credible [witnesses], beginning with the maturity of their own a¢ ective and sexual dimensions." ACCOMPANIMENT Another recommendation asks for better accompaniment to help young people "read their own story" and live out their baptismal call "freely" and "responsibly." The document also asks for better accompaniment of people with same-sex attraction, rea• rming the "decisive anthropological rele- vance of the di¢ erence and reciprocity between man and woman," and consid- ering it "reductive" to defi ne a person's identity based on his or her sexual orientation. WOMEN The di¢ erence between men and women can be a realm "in which many forms of dominion, inclusion and dis- crimination can emerge," elements the Church must free itself from, the docu- ment says. It says that among the youth, there is a desire for a "greater acknowl- edgment and valuing " of women in the Church and society. Furthermore, it says that the absence of the feminine voice and outlook "impoverishes" debate and the path of the Church, robbing it of a "beautiful contribution." VOCATION The fi nal synodal document calls for a "true and specifi c vocational culture" and a "constant prayer commitment" for vocations. It a• rms that the mission of many consecrated men and women who give of themselves to those in the peripheries of the world "manifests concretely the dedication of an outward Church." It highlights that the Church has always had a particular care for voca- tions to the priestly order, knowing that it is a "constituent element of her identity and necessary for the Chris- tian life." Moreover, the Synod acknowledges the condition of the single life, which, assumed with a logic of faith and self-gift, can lead to paths through which "the grace of baptism acts and directs toward that holiness we are all called to." ABUSE The topic of di¢ erent types of abuse committed by clergy — sexual, economic, of power, etc. — also holds a place in the document, and recognizes that "the di¢ erent types of abuses committed by some bishops, priests, religious and lay members cause in those who are victims, among them many young people, su¢ er- ings that can last a lifetime." The document calls to act on the considered roots of the problem: "The desire of dominance, lack of dialogue and transparency, di¢ erent types of double life, spiritual emptiness, and psychological fragility." It also thanks those who have the courage to report such evil promptly: "They help the Church become aware of what has hap- pened and of the need to act decisively." FORMATION The Synod considers the formation for priests and consecrated men and women "an important challenge for the Church." It is important to choose formators who are not only "culturally prepared," but also capable of establish- ing "fraternal relationships" and who can listen empathically. Furthermore, the fi nal document promotes a better accompaniment for engaged couples in the path to marriage preparation, so they may fi nd "the nec- essary elements to receive [the sacra- ment] with the best disposition." This accompaniment should continue overall in the fi rst years of marriage to help the couples be "an active component of the Christian community." PHOTO BY L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO

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