Youth: A Voice for the Church - Fr Akira Takayama

The first session for the day, ‘Youth: A Voice for the Church’ began with group discussions on the concerns for, and role of, the youth in the Church. The first speaker, Fr Akira Takayama, Chaplain to the youth ministry in the Diocese of Takamatsu, stressed the importance of priests needing to listen to the youth, and be re-evangelised. He shared common points from the youth and priest councils in Japan - the importance of cooperating with the youth, the position of the Church as different from home, work and school, the importance of the youth being considered as more than just a taskforce, and the hope that elders and Church leaders will provide spiritual guidance and be kind to the growth of the youth.