One paragraph on “The youth of the Church.” We’re not just talking about teens and young adults. We might also be talking about the institution and its outlook.
34. Youth is more than simply a period of time; it is a state of mind. That is why an institution as ancient as the Church can experience renewal and a return to youth at different points in her age-old history. Indeed, at the most dramatic moments of her history, she feels called to return with all her heart to her first love. Recalling this truth, the Second Vatican Council noted that, “enriched by a long and living history, and advancing towards human perfection in time and the ultimate destinies of history and of life, the Church is the real youth of the world”. In her, it is always possible to encounter Christ “the companion and friend of youth”.[Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Message to Young Men and Women (8 December 1965): AAS 58 (1966), 18.]
Remember to check Pope Francis’ Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on this link at the Vatican site.
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