CBCP hoping for stronger youth role

MANILA, Philippines - At the end of the Year of the Youth, an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is hoping that they have stressed the importance of young Filipinos in bringing their peers closer to the Lord.

CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY) chairman Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon yesterday said that the activities during the year-long celebration of the Year of the Youth have stressed the bond of the Church with the Filipino youth.

During the past year, there were several activities such as the National Youth Cross, Regional Youth Forum, and the planting of one million trees.

“Activities like these can help our young people see their responsibility in the community, to their fellow youth and to the Church and because of these activities, the youth will now appreciate their role in the Church,” Bishop Baylon said.

But the Legazpi prelate believed that dependence between the youth and God should be further strengthened.

“There is more systematic manner in doing youth ministry. We can make our young people help the Church. Ministries must be well organized and what really matters is that, it has a diocesan youth character,” he said.

Baylon also asked for the cooperation and the help of the leaders in the community, Church leaders, youth ministers and bishops because these young people are the agents of transformation and would inherit the Church.

“They are part of the life and dreams of the Church… we must support them through our various programs in the Church and in the youth commission,” the CBCP-ECY head added.

At noontime today, the CBCP-ECY has scheduled a Mass at the Manila Cathedral to mark the end of the celebration of the Year of the Youth.

The concluding rites would be presided by ECY vice chairman San Fernando Auxiliary Bishop Roberto “Bobet” Mallari.

“This is a national thanksgiving Mass of the youth and youth ministers all over the country. Dec. 16 on the other hand is the traditional date of celebrating the National Youth Day in the local level and the last day of the youth ministry awareness week,” Bishop Baylon said.

The bishop stressed that the commission prayed from the start that this year 2011 would help form the youth in serving God and the Church.

“We pray that the youth will understand, receive or embrace and celebrate their responsibilities in the Church and for them to see that they are important and blessed by God. We in the youth ministry are hoping that those youth events can be of help to the young people in order for them to grow spiritually,” Baylon added.