My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Every survey that is taken in the parishes regarding the priorities of the parishioners always results in youth ministry being the top priority of all polled. Instinctively, we all understand that if we do not transmit the faith to our coming generation there will be no recognizable Church.

Youth ministry has many aspects and certainly is not simply entertainment for our young people so that they will somehow see their church as their social gathering place. Rather, it is an experience of evangelization and catechesis so that we can give our youth the inner strength and understanding of what their faith is truly about.

Last year, our Diocese in Brooklyn and Queens was fortunate to receive a contribution of $1 million from an anonymous donor so we could get our youth ministry program off the ground. These funds are distributed through the Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn and Queens. We have begun the training and placing of youth ministers in parishes, or shared between parishes, which will prepare us for the reception and distribution of $10 million as a result of the Generations of Faith Capital Campaign.

Many people who have generously contributed to Generations of Faith made it clear that their primary motivation is the youth ministry component of the Campaign. Although contributing to their individual parish and to care for our elderly priests was important, parishioners truly believe in the need to transmit our faith to a new generation. Hence, we have worked hard to develop a program of training and placement for our youth ministers, as well as coordinating their work with the general work of the Diocese in Brooklyn and Queens.

This week, the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio is conducting the Steubenville New York Youth Conference at St. John’s University in Queens. Franciscan University has produced many vocations and many young people who have absorbed their faith and made it real. Last year, this conference was also held at St. John’s.

This conference attracts young people from all over the country. These young faith-filled teens come together to pray, sing, adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament during a Holy Hour, listen to nationally recognized men and women recount their faith stories, receive the blessings of the Sacrament of Penance, and share meals and recreation.

They truly come to experience a joyful encounter with Christ. I, myself, will be celebrating Mass for those attending the conference on the 25th of June. Truly the witness of young people who know the faith and speak it out clearly is a motivating factor for those who attend the Steubenville conference.

I wish to extend my thanks to Mr. Theodore Musco, executive director of the Diocesan School of Evangelization, Mr. Paul Morisi, Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese, and Miss Lucia Morales, Specialist for the Catholic Youth Ministry Initiative for the Diocese, for their work in not only assisting the organizers of the Steubenville Conference, but also for generating the interest in the attendance of our own youth from Brooklyn and Queens to attend this worthwhile gathering.

This July, I will attend World Youth Day Poland, the fifth time I have participated in this world-wide celebration. This international event brings the Church together, concentrating on young people. The 2016 event – July 26 to 31 – will be held in Krakow, Poland, and is an experience of the Universal Church for young people.

Obviously, the presence of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, is the highlight of the event. The meeting of young people from all over the world confirms the faith of the young people and challenges them to recognize that the Church truly is universal in its scope and outreach.

I wish to thank Father Gerard Sauer, diocesan pilgrimage director and pastor of St. Mel’s parish in Flushing, for his wonderful work and great organizational skills in organizing World Youth Day pilgrimages for the youth of Brooklyn and Queens. Father Sauer is always assisted by his well-trained and dedicated chaperones who are able to make sure that everything runs smoothly and that our youth have a wonderful experience.

This year, we will have about 400 participants traveling to Poland. On Sunday, July 17, all will come for a meeting where each will receive their travel information as well as an orientation to the celebrations of World Youth Day 2016. We will conclude the afternoon with the celebration of the Eucharist, asking for the Lord to bless us as we prepare to gather with the youth of the world for this celebration of our faith.

World Youth Day itself consists of various catechesis sessions organized by language group at various churches throughout the city of Krakow.

On Saturday, July 30, there is the “Walking Pilgrimage” to an area outside of Krakow to the vigil site where the afternoon consists of music, prayer and a time for reconciliation, prior to the evening vigil with the Holy Father.

Generally, following the vigil, the pilgrims sleep out under the stars for the night and are ready the next morning day for morning prayer, and the Closing Mass celebrated by the Holy Father. However, the bishops who attend do return to their hotels for the evening!

Our young people need the Church and the Church needs the young people. They are not only the future of the Church, they are the present Church. The youth are its members and they command the love and respect that is so needed for them and for the world.

Truly, in our youth ministry, we put out into the deep trying to bridge the gap between generations, which today seems to be even more pronounced. We try to come to mutual understanding so that we can transmit to our youth the faith that comes to us from the preceding generations. We cannot slacken in our efforts to make sure that the young Catholics of today will be the leaders of our Church for tomorrow. I ask you to please join me in prayer for the success of these various events planned for our youth in the coming days.

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