Synod’s youngest cardinal points the way

The Youth Synod’s youngest cardinal, 51-year-old Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga from Central African Republic, says the key question for the synod to answer is “What is God trying to tell us through young people?”

The synod of 267 voting bishops, priests and religious brothers, plus 72 experts and observers, is meeting at the Vatican until 28 October to try to discern two particular concerns.

One is how to proclaim the Gospel among young people. The other is how to hear what young people have to offer the Church.

Nzapalainga, who is a moderator for one of the synod’s French-speaking discussion circles, says the “whole world” has gathered at the synod and is asking “What does God want to say to us today through the young?”

“We listen so that we might find together the direction. We are still seeking God’s pathways. Sometimes it’s difficult to understand.”

Nzapalainga says one aspect of this involves finding better ways to pass the faith on to younger generations.

The other part involves encouraging young people and supporting them in sharing the faith with others.

The Central African Republic, which has suffered from civil wars for over a decade, has very different needs from those of its counterparts in the West.

“They are trying just to have peace,” he said, “just to be safe.”

However in a wider sense, Nzapalainga says young people are looking for the Church to help them find God in their lives, especially when they are facing difficulties.

The Church must help young people understand what is true, and what is not, by evaluating it through the lens of the Gospel, he says.

“The Word of God must be the central point of the Church’s message to young people.”

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