Vatican City, Oct 22, 2018 / 09:16 am
The 15th ordinary Synod of Bishops is meeting now to discuss young people, the faith, and vocational discernment. Many have referred to this nearly month-long meeting as the "Youth Synod." This raises a question: What is a youth?
In the eyes of the Vatican, a youth is defined as a person between the ages of 16 and 35.
This age range extends beyond what is typically considered a "youth" in the United States. Whereas American World Youth Day participants are frequently groups of Catholic high school students accompanied by chaperones, many have observed that World Youth Day participants from European countries tend to be in their 20s and 30s.
With that established, what is a synod? A synod is a meeting of bishops gathered to discuss a topic of theological or pastoral significance, in order to prepare a document of advice or counsel to the pope.