杏MAP导航

At a pre-Synodal meeting on Monday, 杏MAP导航 Francis responded to 5 questions about issues faced by young people from around the world.

How can young people help victims of human trafficking?

杏MAP导航 Francis was clearly moved by the first question which addressed the reality of sex trafficking. He referred to the stories he has heard from trafficked women about the dangers they face trying to escape their captors. The 杏MAP导航 described this abuse, and even torture, as the 鈥渟lavery of today鈥�. The 杏MAP导航 went on to denounce the evil of exploiting women. He had especially strong words for baptized Catholics who pay for prostitutes. This is a 鈥渃rime against humanity鈥�, he said. 杏MAP导航 Francis called on young people to fight for the dignity of women, and concluded by asking forgiveness for all the Catholics who take part in these 鈥渃riminal acts鈥�.

Where should a young person look for guidance in making life choices?

杏MAP导航 Francis responded to a young French student seeking direction in his life, by suggesting we confide in those who possess wisdom, regardless of whether they are young or old. 鈥淭he wise person鈥�, he said, 鈥渋s the one who is not scared of anything, but who knows how to listen and has the God-given gift of saying the right thing at the right time鈥�. The 杏MAP导航 warned that when young people fail to find their 鈥減ath of discernment鈥�, they risk shutting themselves off. This can become like carrying a 鈥渃ancer鈥� inside, he said. And this risks weighing them down and taking away their freedom.

How can we teach young people to be open to their neighbor and to the transcendent?

杏MAP导航 Francis said education should teach three basic languages: those of the head, the heart, and the hands. The language of the head, he said, means thinking well and learning concrete things. That of the heart means understanding feelings and sentiments. The language of the hands is making use of the gifts God has given us to create new things. The key, he said, is to use all three together. 杏MAP导航 Francis went on to criticize what he called the 鈥渋solating nature鈥� of today鈥檚 digital, virtual world. Rather than demonize technology, the 杏MAP导航 called it a richness that must be used well with a 鈥渃oncreteness that brings freedom鈥�.

How is a young person preparing for the priesthood to respond to the complexities of present-day culture 鈥� like tattoos, for instance?

杏MAP导航 Francis used this question from a young Ukrainian seminarian to reflect on the priest as a 鈥渨itness to Christ鈥�. Clericalism, on the contrary, said the 杏MAP导航, is 鈥渙ne of the worst illnesses of the Church鈥�, because it confuses the 鈥減aternal role of the priest鈥� with the 鈥渕anagerial role of the boss鈥�. He also spoke about the relationship between the priest and the community and how this relationship is compromised, and can be destroyed, by 鈥済ossip鈥�. Responding specifically to the question of tattoos, 杏MAP导航 Francis recalled how different cultures have used them to distinguish and identify themselves, so 鈥渄on鈥檛 be afraid of tattoos鈥�, he said 鈥� but don鈥檛 exaggerate either. If anything, use the tattoo as a talking-point to begin a dialogue about what it signifies.

How can young women religious balance the dominant culture in society and the spiritual life in accomplishing their mission?

The 杏MAP导航 responded to this final question saying that an adequate formation throughout religious life needs to be built on four pillars: formation for an intellectual, communitarian, apostolic, and spiritual life. Having only a spiritual formation leads to psychological immaturity, he said. Even though this is often done to protect young religious from the world, 杏MAP导航 Francis said it is not protection, it is 鈥渄eformation鈥�. Those who have not received affective formation are the ones who have ended up doing evil. Allowing people to mature affectively is the only way to protect them.