The day after the 2021 General Chapter, the new General Council organised an international workshop for youth and vocations ministry, reflecting our different cultural sensitivities and our different educational services and youth and vocations ministry.

The Workshop, listening to the training needs of those responsible for youth ministry, sought a new, sustainable and effective way to offer a training programme at an international level: The Laboratory has developed an online course in five stages, and each stage is led by a Youth Ministry Team from different religious Provinces, thus creating a rich and engaging training platform, which has seen the participation of a minimum of 40 Sisters up to a peak of 80 participants.

‘The first three training meetings – is the testimony of Sister Agatha, contact person for the Laboratory – went very well. The sisters participated very willingly: the sessions are organised in an interactive way and also include group work in ‘zoom rooms’, which allow everyone to contribute to discussions and exchanges, thus making the training more and more enriching.

The first online meeting is organised by the Sisters of the Middle East Province; the second by the youth and vocations ministry team of the Central Africa Province; the third by that of the Euro-Mediterranean Province.

Each meeting will explore an aspect of the educational activity of the Sisters of Charity as they walk alongside young people in the complexity of their worlds – study, work, relationships, socialising, having fun… in search of Jesus, the destiny of mankind.

  • 24 November 2024 – Sociological aspect: the reality of young people.
  • 29 December 2024 – Anthropological aspect: the freedom of the person accompanying
  • 23 February 2025 – Biblical aspect: young people, the Word of God and spiritual accompaniment
  • 27 March 2025 – Biblical aspect: Discernment and the Word of God
  • 22 June 2025: Charismatic aspect.

Sister Agatha summarises the first three meetings:

1) Sociological aspect: the reality of young people.

The challenges that young people face when confronted with the word of God can be summarised in four areas:

Ø Faith and the trend towards secularism, atheism and the denial of God’s existence. Despite everything, the churches remain a beacon where the light of Christ shines.

Ø Scientific, with rapid progress in the field of communication where we must speak the everyday language of society.

Ø Economic: here we have the disintegration of the family and a loss of identity that sows despair.

Ø Social and ethical issues: propagation of negative values on the web

A first-hand account came from pastoral care in schools in Lebanon: generally wars and instability surrounding trauma and crisis at all levels with a difficult economic context, an identity crisis and the search for meaning in life, religious diversity, inadequate human resources, many family problems that are reflected in the school and, even worse, individual problems to deal with.

Faced with all these challenges, there is no room for discouragement or withdrawal, because divine grace is there to help us.

2) Anthropological aspect: the freedom of the person providing support

After defining some of the concepts involved in support, we saw the importance of listening to oneself, a fundamental factor in being able to listen to others, learning to listen to one’s own emotions and internal conflicts.

We have seen how to listen to others while respecting them as individuals, and the need for discussion in order to grow in freedom in providing support. In all types of support, listening is essential: listening with kindness, giving space to words and also to what has not yet been said; supporting, in difficult moments and in moments of strength; helping to become aware of wounds, to heal them, to purify them; Finally, some practical arrangements for support, the difficulties of listening while supporting and the attitude of listening while supporting.

Listening and accompanying are first and foremost a challenge to bear witness to the life of the person accompanying. It is our attitude towards others that will encourage others to seek accompaniment, to favour the capacity to be more clear and transparent and to reveal themselves as they are because they feel accepted in freedom.

3) Biblical aspect: Youth, the word of God and spiritual Accompaniment

Through the text of Luke 24, 13-35: the disciples of Emmaus were discouraged by events, as they were waiting for Jesus to be the liberator of Israel. Jesus joined them without them recognising him, because he wanted to break bread. And we have had the same experience of being accompanied… of accompanying young people.

We had a practical experience leading a prayer session: ‘Like a double-edged sword’ (Heb 4:12) Young people, the Word of God and spiritual guidance. We must dare to propose the Word of God to the young people we accompany.

Sister Agatha

International Workshop on Youth and Vocation Ministry