Young people

38. A pastoral approach to culture affects young people through teaching, higher education and leisure, in a process of evangelization which makes a deep impression on people. While the family is essential in the traditio fidei, amid all the various initiatives for young people, dioceses, parishes, Catholic schools and universities, as well as many Church movements active in all walks of life, are at the forefront in promoting:

— places where young people will want to meet and form good quality social relationships and which constitute a supportive environment for the faith.

— Talks and reflection groups, suited to different levels, based on issues of common concern affecting Christian life.

— Cultural associations or social clubs offering a variety of open leisure and culturally formative activities, such as music, theatre, cine-clubs, etc.

— Cultural collections - of books or videotapes - for Christian cultural information and formation, and for exchanges with other young people or adults.

— Good role-models, given that the ultimate aim is to form young adults who can live their faith in their own milieu, whether they are students, researchers, workers or artists.

— Pilgrimage itineraries to allow small meditative groups as well as large festive gatherings to quench their thirst for culture through spiritual life in a climate of radiant and communicative fervour.

All these initiatives are an integral part of the Church's global pastoral effort to implement: Aa new kind of dialogue, which would make it possible to bring the originality of the Gospel message to the heart of today's mentalities. We must then rediscover the apostolic creativity and the prophetic power of the first disciples in order to face new cultures. Christ's word must appear in all its freshness to the young generations, whose attitudes are sometimes difficult for minds to understand but who are far from being closed to spiritual values».(²⁹) Young people are the future of the Church and of the world. Pastoral commitment on their behalf, both in universities and in the workplace, is a sign of hope on the eve of the third millennium.