September 20, 2014 General Session.

Presentation: Empower the Young Church

In addition to the questions identified in each of the four presentations, Bishop Caggiano challenged the Synod Delegates to dig deeper.  He put forward the following questions to help the Synod more clearly identify the challenges that we face as the Diocese of Bridgeport.

Empower the Young Church

  1. How do our programs, initiatives, and behavior exacerbate some of challenges identified in the presentation?
  2. Evidence indicates a fundamental challenge – our youth do not believe they are lovable or loved. Reflect – Is that your experience?
  3. Is technology just a tool, or has technology become a formational force? Technology is no longer a “play thing”; it is now forming human life.  For those of an older age technology is a tool.  For young people it is forming them.  How?  Young people are undergoing physiological changes; they don’t think, cognate, communicate the same way.  Technology is altering how their brain is formed.
  4. Non-affiliated does not mean non-spiritual. Many youth do not believe that a community is important in their search for God. Could it be that one of the root causes is that there is a need to reestablish the credibility of the community for our young people?  They see us as well-meaning and nice, but their search does not require them to be with us.  They do it on their own.