Philadelphia, Pa., Apr 19, 2018 / 10:28 am
In a time of cultural confusion and challenge, youth need clarity and guidance from the Church – and failure to give it could be disastrous, says a young father who wrote to Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia.
For Archbishop Chaput, who reproduced the letter April 18 at First Things, the man's thoughts are worth considering as Catholics "seek a fuller understanding of the pastoral challenges facing young adults in a changing world."
The Catholic Church will hold a Synod on Youth this October, and Archbishop Chaput is among the Church leaders preparing for it. He received the letter just after a pre-synod meeting in Rome where about 300 young adults gathered to discuss how they view the Church and the faith.
"We young people crave the truth and clarity of good teaching," said the unnamed author, a self-described 26-year-old father of three. He suggested this craving is proved by the swift rise of Canadian professor and author Jordan Peterson, whose videos on YouTube have drawn a large following.