BY CASEY LEE
T
he 2018 Synod on Young People, Faith, and Vocational Discernment concluded with the document, Christus Vivit. Pope Francis calls on the Church to consider how she can shepherd and accompany young people in refreshed ways. The Holy Father points out that young people are not only recipients but also agents in this mission. Pope Francis writes, “I am more concerned with helping young people to use their insight, ingenuity, and knowledge to address the issues and concerns of other young people in their own language,” (Christus Vivit, 203). Young people are at the center of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS). Approximately 90% of the U.S. military falls in the young adult age range, 18-39 years old. Roughly two-thirds of all DOD active-duty military personnel were ages 30 or younger in 2018. With this in mind, outreach to this age range is crucial to “Preach the Gospel” as a part of the mission of the Archdiocese.
The Archdiocese desires to respond to this concern and will host its own Young Adult Ministry (YAM) Symposium later this summer, 6 – 9 August 2020, in Washington, D.C. The Symposium will host 75 participants to include military young adults, priest chaplains, chapel ministry leaders, and non-military pastoral leaders. It will take place at a hotel so that most events of the symposium such as
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