Beginning Monday 19 March, 300 young people from across the world will gather in Rome for a six day Pre-Synodal Meeting in preparation for the October Synod of Bishops on Young people. New Zealander, Isabella McCafferty, has been invited by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops to represent New Zealand at the meeting and assist in work to produce a document that will be presented to the Synodal Fathers.

The Vatican is also inviting young people, aged 16-29 the world over to get involved, through social media, and take part in the discussion and make their voices heard.

During the Pre-Synodal Meeting, young people aged 16-29 can also participate in the work by commenting on different questions online. Registration for these groups needs to be done by Friday 16^th March. To register, visit www.synod2018.va or facebook.com/synod2018.

 During the meeting in Rome Isabella will be posting about the experience on Social Media and inviting young New Zealander’s to contribute their own reflections throughout the week of meetings. Head to https://www.facebook.com/voicetovaticanNZ/ to follow the meeting. We strongly encourage that these posts are also shared through your local social media accounts to engage a wider audience in the process.

The outcome from this gathering will be presented to the synod fathers, together with other documentation, for their reflection and study. The date for the meeting was chosen to enable all participants to take part, at the end, in the celebration of the Eucharist on the Palm Sunday with the Holy Father in Saint Peter’s Square at the 33rd World Youth Day 2018 on the theme “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.”

Isabella McCafferty is a member of the Family & Young Church team in the Archdiocese of Wellington. She took part in the preparatory meeting in Rome last year and has been part of the reestablishment of a National Council for Young People.  She served on the organising committee the Aotearoa Catholic Youth Festival in December and has been involved with Life Teen Summer Camps.

Photo: Isabella in St Peter’s Square 2017

Source: NZ Catholic Bishops Conference