Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Windhoek (Agenzia Fides) - The Bishops of Southern Africa (Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa, IMBISA) invite young people to participate in their next Plenary Assembly to be held in Windhoek from 22 to 27 September 2022 and note that "in a good family all members participate in important events". In this context, they also recall the "Divine Trinity" and "the three divine Persons interpenetrating in a harmonious relationship", according to the bishops.
The 13th IMBISA General Assembly meets in the light of the Apostolic Exhortation "Christus Vivit" published by Pope Francis after the Synod of Bishops on the subject of youth, and aims to reshape the youth work of the Catholic Church.
Already during the pre-synodal meeting, held from March 19 to 24, 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the young people of the IMBISA region expressed in their message their desire to be consulted on decisions and issues that directly affect them and to be guided in carrying out responsibilities and tasks. They asked that they be given the opportunity to express themselves in the Church.
"Young people want to be an integral part of the Church today and not just in the future, as is often heard - reads the note sent to Fides -. In fact, we are all Church, from children to adults. No class or age group should wait their turn to be church. Young people can use their physical strength, imagination and innovation to further strengthen families and the Church, because there are tasks that only adults can do and there are tasks that only young people can do".
In general - the Bishops conclude - the combination of efforts or synergies leads to the strengthening or consolidation of any enterprise, in this case it is the strengthening of our family, the Church".
The invitation of the Bishops not only expresses their heartfelt spirit of family and synodality, but it is also the proof that they are united with Pope Francis who has given great example of consideration to young people, calling a Synod dedicated to them, which gave rise to the Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 1/9/2022)
