By Odiwuor Opiyo
WINDHOEK, OCTOBER 4, 2022 (CISA) – The Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) has already published a manual for the pastoral care of Young People towards journeying with the youth in light of Pope Francis’, post-Synodal apostolic exhortation, Christus Vivit.
“This is our vision as the IMBISA Region we want to see more and more of a renewed Church in our region and the participation of the youths in various arms of the Church. We on our part we will try as much as we can to create a space for you to exercise your ministry in the Church in light of the Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit,” the bishops said.
The bishops in an October 3 letter to the youth in the region following the 13th plenary of IMBISA held in Windhoek, Namibia committed to engage with the youth as recommended by Pope Francis.
The letter signed by newly elected IMBISA President, Most Rev Liborius Ndumbukuti Nashenda, OMI moreover, encouraged the youth to, “to have outreach programmes, to go out and attract new members to an experience of the Lord, while you also continue to nature growth on those who have already had an experience with the Lord so that it matures.”
While expressing joy in the participation of the youth, the prelates avowed to accompany and guide the youth while providing freedom to explore new paths with creativity and boldness and values among other charisms.
The bishops reiterated that they were adequately prepared to journey with the youth in a united church pointing out that this can be achieved by, “mobilizing for resources and capacity building for young people to be able to run functioning structures and commissions for the advancement of the body, soul and mind of a human person which includes but not limited to faith and skills development.”
According to them, the manual published will guide the pastoral care of Young People and implementing it would see a more robust growth of the church in the region as well as active participation of the youth.
