After an immersive weekend with national representatives of Youth Ministry, the importance of these contexts of meeting and sharing became evident to me. Youth groups are not just spaces for socializing or religious formation – they are true laboratories of humanity, where values, bonds and transformative experiences are cultivated. The role of the animators proved to be absolutely central: they are the ones who, with authentic presence and active listening, create safe and meaningful environments, capable of touching the hearts of young people and contributing to their integral development. This experience reinforced the conviction that youth ministry is a privileged place to form whole people – emotionally, spiritually and relationally.
The Church should be a safe and meaningful place for young people, not only to impart doctrine but also to welcome questions, emotions, and concerns. Groups of young people thus become privileged spaces to debate relevant topics, such as identity, emotions, relationships, faith, sexuality, social justice and mental health, always with respect, empathy and inner freedom.
In addition to listening and sharing, groups offer something profoundly transformative: modeling. By observing their peers, young people learn from the examples, gestures, words and silences of others. They realize that they are not alone in their doubts, fears or weaknesses. The idea of a “single case”, so common in adolescence, is deconstructed, where many believe that only they feel a certain pain or concern. In the group, they discover that there are others who also cry, also question themselves, and also search for meaning – and this generates empathy, belonging and healing.
Experiential activities – such as pilgrimages, retreats or camps – are equally fundamental. These moments outside of everyday life challenge young people to leave their comfort zone, to deal with the unexpected, with tiredness, with silence and with others. These are experiences that strengthen resilience, tolerance to frustration and the ability to adapt, essential skills for adult life lived with maturity.
More than forming “good Christians”, youth groups help to form whole people, capable of loving, listening, caring and transforming the world. To achieve this, it is essential that animators are prepared to facilitate safe, ethical and lovingly welcoming spaces, where each young person feels seen, heard and respected.
The VITA Group has now started this joint work with Youth Ministry, certain that shared projects will follow, built on dialogue and co-responsibility, towards a safer, more protective and truly welcoming Church for all young people.
Clinical and forensic psychologist, family and couples therapist