Posted September 25, 2008




Youth of the Kingdom
María Reyes

Greetings to the Hispanic youth and young adults in Philadelphia and its surrounding counties and those who serve them!

“The youth are not only our future, they are our present.”

The presence of our Hispanic youth and young adult community is being felt more and more in our Catholic Church. Hispanic youth and young adults are starting to fill more spaces in our pews at Sunday Mass; they are taking on more active roles in our Church ministries and in our communities. They are becoming our next priests, religious sisters, doctors and teachers.

But unfortunately, our Hispanic youth and young adults are also becoming those in most risk of losing their Catholic traditions, values and future. The struggle of good verses evil in today’s world has pulled many away from our families and, sadly, away from our Church.

For this reason, our Church has to be a beacon of light for our youth. It has to be that truth that the youth are desperately in search of. We have the responsibility as Catholics to be witnesses of Christ to our youth and lead our youth back to Christ. Only in Christ will our young people find truth, love, hope and the happiness that so many yearn for in today’s world.

Only through Christ will the young hard working immigrants find true refuge.Only in Christ will that young teenage mother find true strength.Only through Christ will our Hispanic youth and young adults find their identity and find in themselves their gifts, abilities and true worth as sons and daughters of God.

Hispanic youth and young adults of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, I invite you to turn to Christ and place in His hands all of your worries and joys. Join our Archdiocese in supporting and celebrating the beauty of your youth and unending enthusiasm to work in His vineyard.

I welcome you to this new column – especially designed for youth and young adults – and I encourage you to continue to visit this page monthly to see what wonderful opportunities our rich Catholic faith has to offer you!

María Reyes is the coordinator for Hispanic Youth and Youth Adult Ministry for the archdiocesan Office of Youth and Young Adults.