(SIR correspondent, Munich) “Youth are the future of the family, the families of the future, and the future of the Church. Therefore, after two Synods on the family, the next theme comes natural, I think: youth; I am happy about that”. Archbishop of Vienna and member of the Bishops’ Synod Cardinal Christoph Schönborn explained why Pope Francis chose the theme “Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment” for the 15th general ordinary assembly of the Synod of bishops taking place in October 2018. “It was debated in the Council of the Synod”, said the Cardinal alongside the plenary assembly of CCEE, in progress in Monte Carlo. “All the bishops’ conferences in the world were also able to propose themes for the next Synod. I think the theme of the young is remarkable because after the family – and the Holy Father said that – it was natural to focus on youth for the Church”. “Youth are youth – said the Cardinal. There is no category. Of course, there is an age range, and that age range has all the beauty of life. First of all, there are problems and challenges, of course, in all parts of the world: unemployment, education and training difficulties, lack of company. On the other hand, there is all the richness of youth, their creativity, and their inventiveness”.
As for the fact that Churches have no youth, Cardinal Schönborn said: “Where? Perhaps in Italy; maybe in Austria. Yes, there are few Catholic young people because there are few young people in general. In many parts of the world, the population is dramatically decreasing. Moreover, we have to bear in mind that youth are not present in the Church as we expect them, that is, living or participating in typical parish structures. But youth are present. Let’s take WYDs, for instance: they are a great example of youth present, alive. There are lots of youth events in Austria, many meetings such as those in Salzburg at Whitsunday; in Medjugorje, this summer, 60 thousand met to pray, to be together. I am not afraid of youth absence in the future”. As for Pope Francis’ relations with youth, the Cardinal said: “I have seen the Pope in Cracow, and in other occasions, too. He is a father, in the same way as John Paul II and, in his own way, Pope Benedict. A father. I think that is the most important attitude for youth: a father, a father in faith, a father embracing youth with charity and fondness; he embraces them with the challenges of faith, too, giving them courage”. But the Church is for youth? “The Church is always in the present. Jesus said: I am with you, every day, today. Therefore, Jesus is present today, calls us today, and is loved today. This is the youth of the Church”.