From April 13-15, 2023, Asian Jesuits and Salesians of Don Bosco in the Philippines organized an International Conference on Youth Ministry in Manila. The Loyola School of Theology and Don Bosco School of Theology hosted the event. The participants sought to answer the question, “What do young people need in order to live Church?” The speakers were experts in theology, sociology, and psychology.

Speaking to the participants, mons. Rex Andrew C. Alarcon, the President of the Commission for Young People of the Bishop’s Conference in the Philippines, pointed out that the call to synodality is a call for ecclesial conversion. He said it was not only a conversion of individuals but also of communities and, in fact, of the whole Church. Mons. Alarcon reminded us that Pope Francis calls us to humility, the heart of synodality.

Fr. Roger Anecito L. Abais SJ, Dean for International Affairs of the Loyola School of Theology, invited the participants to share personal experiences because when we serve young people and various cultures, we can enrich each other and have more fruitful ministries.

The Dean of the Institute for Pastoral Formation, Salesian Martin M. Macaseat, said that teachers and those who work with young people should not be lecturers so much as companions of young people and support them on their way to the fullness of life.

One of the ten workshops titled Jesuit Youth Ministry in Croatia was prepared by Marija Selak, Mateja Potroško, and Marina Grubišić from SKAC (Student Catholic Centre) Palma in Zagreb and by the Scholastic Mate Žaja SJ, currently doing his undergraduate studies in Manila. Around 70 participants watched and listened eagerly to discover the summer program in Modrave that SKAC organized, tasted olive oil from the Modrave garden, and experienced how Jesuits work with young people in Croatia.

Finally, it was announced that more similar conferences would follow in order to connect and care for young people in the whole world.

Luka Ilić SJ