The Synod, a time of grace Ten days after the end of my mission at the Bishops' Conference on August 31, after completing my move from my Xavier community of Vanves to Toronto for the beginning of November, I arrived in Rome to prepare myself for the Youth Synod which took place from October 3 to 28. I was appointed by Pope Francis to participate as an observer in this ecclesial event that will so mark for me the end of ten years of ministry at the National Service for the Evangelization of Youth and for Vocations. I received this appointment as a very beautiful gift to close this stage of my life, and at the same time  I read it again today as a new beginning, an entry into a new period of sabbatical, opening up new horizons that are still unknown. Beyond what I could have imagined, this synod was an amazing and wonderful experience of the universal Church. A time of common listening to the Holy Spirit, a time of passage, like a pilgrimage, a blessed time of encounters...

Sister Mina Kwon, a South Korean nun taking part in this month’s summit of bishops in Rome, has said that as the Church ponders how to better include women in decision-making roles, clericalism must be exposed as an underlying reason they’re not often seen in leadership. A member of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, Kwon is director of the Juniorate in her convent and also director of the Counseling Center in the School of Medicine in the Catholic University of Daegu. In an interview with  Crux , Kwon, participating as a delegate of the International Union of Superiors General in the Oct. 3-28 Synod of Bishops on young people, faith and vocational discernment, said that while the situation for women in the Church has improved, there is still a long way to go - including in synods themselves, where women still are unable to vote or be elected to the drafting committee charged with writing the final document. “Women religious want greater participation...

The youngest continent in the world is making its way into the assembly of bishops. The Salesian psychologist and educator, representative of the International Union of Superiors General: “We had to ask for a place in the synodal assembly” Africa is undoubtedly the continent with the youngest people in the world. In 2015, a young Somali entrepreneur and journalist published a map indicating the average age of its inhabitants for each African state. The graph was then taken up by various international press and travelled around the world, bringing out a very clear reality: in addition to having a very low average age, between 16 and 28 years, Africa hosts the five countries with the youngest population in the world - Niger, Uganda, Mali, Malawi and Zambia - (an average between 15 and 16 years). The figure, especially when compared to Italy - 45 years - and Germany and Japan - 46 - (the three countries exactly at the other end of the scale), is pretty stunning. It is therefore ...

Il continente più giovane al mondo si fa strada all’interno dell’assise dei vescovi. La salesiana psicologa ed educatrice, rappresentante dell’Unione internazionale Superiore generali: «Abbiamo dovuto sollecitare per ottenere un posto nell’assemblea sinodale» L’Africa è senza dubbio il continente con più giovani al mondo. Nel 2015, un giovane imprenditore e giornalista somalo pubblicò una cartina che indicava per ogni Stato africano, l’età media dei suoi abitanti. Il grafico fu poi ripreso da vari organi di stampa internazionali e fece il giro del mondo lasciando emergere una realtà molto netta: oltre a presentare un’età media molto bassa, compresa tra i 16 e i 28 anni, l’Africa ospita i cinque Paesi con la popolazione di età più giovane al mondo - Niger, Uganda, Mali, Malawi e Zambia – (una media tra i 15 e i 16 anni). Il dato, specie se confrontato con l’Italia – 45 anni – e Germania e Giappone – 46 – (i tre Stati esattamente all’altro capo della classifica), fa una c...

Esta crónica comienza el pasado sábado 13, ya anuncié que el fin de semana tenía un programa denso …por la mañana tuvimos grupo y por la tarde la agenda ya señalaba descanso. A la salida un encuentro muy gozoso con mis antiguas compañeras, ahora directoras de las escuelas de FyA en Italia, Milán, Génova y Roma; están pensando en la formación a los profesores y pudimos dialogar sobre diversas posibilidades según necesidades y deseos. Luego nos fuimos a la iglesia de San Ignacio para acompañar a Vitangelo Denora sj, -Responsable de dichas escuelas- en sus últimos votos en la Compañía de Jesús; participamos en la eucaristía unidas a otras muchísimas personas ya que Vitangelo tiene una larga historia de haber pasado por muchos lugares, siempre dedicado a la educación. Luego en el Colegio Romano, fundado por San Ignacio en 1551, seguimos compartiendo cena y música. Una experiencia muy bonita y entrañable. Fue él quien dio mi nombre para participar en el Sínodo. Las coordinad...