WelCom April 2023

In response to the Synod on Youth in 2018, the Bible Society of New Zealand has developed a unique youth Catholic New Testament.

Identity:Identified has been designed to help teenagers who wouldn’t normally read Sacred Scripture to discern their calling in life.

It includes inserts addressing some of the big challenges teenagers face from a Catholic perspective, that were identified at the Synod. Topics include loneliness, peer pressure, living in a sexualised world, online bullying, coping with rejection, why am I here, where is God when it hurts, why am I so anxious, making good choices, is life really worth living.

This special publication incorporates the revised Good News translation of the relevant New Testament passages that touch on the above issues.

This material was written by bishops and theologians from seven countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Contributers include Cardinal John Dew and Bishop Michael Dooley, New Zealand; Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Australia; the late Cardinal Sim, Borneo; Archbishop Simon Poh, Malaysia; Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Philippines; and others.

There are also QR codes that link to videos of young people and others talking about their struggles and how they managed to get through. There is also a downloadable App that links to the inserts, videos and daily readings.

Cardinal John has given his full support to this special New Testament.

‘This wonderful book will be a practical tool to help everyone but especially young people to follow Jesus as they navigate the challenges of life and trust him as a true friend and companion. Reading Identity:Identified will remind teenagers that God loves each one of us and most importantly, will never abandon us especially in our most vulnerable times. This youth New Testament has my full support and that of the Bishops in Aotearoa New Zealand.’

Identity:Identified was launched in Wellington at the Youth Mass, 26 March, celebrated by Archbishop Paul Martin sm.

Contact [email protected] or check out identityidentified.nz for more details.

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