Pastoral Ministry Roots
Understanding the key foundations of the Catholic Church's ministries with youth and young adults
Grounded in Emmaus
The Catholic Church's approach to youth and young adults is grounded in the biblical account of the Risen Christ who walked the road to Emmaus with two disciples (Luke 24:13-35). The example of this moment of encounter serves as a model of what can happen in ministries with youth and young adults (ref. Christus Vivit, no, 236-237). If one wants to journey with young people, a spirituality rooted in the theology of the Emmaus experience is paramount. See Listen, Teach, Send for a better unpacking of this message.
The Catholic Church, nationally and globally, offers several key teaching documents that serve as the foundational grounding for ministries with youth and young adults.
Listen, Teach, Send: A National Pastoral Framework for Ministries with Youth and Young Adults (2024), resource page linked here: this most recent document lays out the U.S. Bishops' vision for what is possible with young people in collaboration with ministry leaders and families.
Christus Vivit (2019), resource page linked here: this papal exhortation by Pope Francis, addressed to young people around the world, offers an international look at young people, their stories, and the Church's ministries and vocational approaches to their generations.
Renewing the Vision (1997), resource page linked here: this document of the USCCB offers a comprehensive plan for ministry with adolescents and teenagers.
Sons and Daughters of the Light (1996), resource page linked here: this document of the USCCB provides Catholic leaders with a vision for ministry with young adults in their 20s and 30s.
Empowered by the Spirit (1985), resource page linked here: this document of the USCCB is a pastoral letter on college campus ministry and collegiate young adults.