United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth 2014 Report to the National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana (La RED) Submitted by Paul Jarzembowski, USCCB - LMFLY Secretariat Assistant Director For more information or to follow up with clarifications: [email protected] Lay Ecclesial Ministry  A special summit focusing on lay ecclesial ministry will be convened on June 7, 2015, for all bishops, with support and consultation from pastoral leaders on the tenth anniversary of the 2005 USCCB document, Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord. Among other topics, the Summit will look at generational, cultural, and educational pathways and dimensions of lay ecclesial ministry. Marriage and Family  The World Meeting of Families will take place in late September 2015 in Philadelphia, Penn. This event is hosted by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and is open to all generations of families, with age-appropriate activities for children, youth, and adults throughout the program.  The promotion of marriage in the Catholic Church is one of the initiatives of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. The Secretariat is grateful to LaRED and other groups for collaborating on an initial study of local efforts to encourage marriage in the Church. More information on the next steps of this initiative will be forthcoming.  Por Tu Matrimonio (http://www.portumatrimonio.org/) is an online Spanish-language website developed by the USCCB for married couples and marriage ministries. The LMFLY Secretariat, with the Cultural Diversity Secretariat, continues to add to this valuable online resource. Pastoral leaders and marriage couples may also interact and dialogue on marriage issues through the Facebook page for Por Tu Matrimonio (https://www.facebook.com/PorTuMatrimonio). Youth and Young Adult Ministries  A pastoral resource document on the transition from youth to young adulthood is currently being developed by the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, with an anticipated release in 2016. The Committee and the Secretariat staff will engage LaRED and its members in the ongoing development and promotion of this project.  CELAM has invited the USCCB to serve as observers for a “convatoria” in March 2015 on youth and young adult ministry in Central and South America. It is anticipated that two bishops and some delegates from the USCCB and United States will be present at that event.  The LMFLY Secretariat continues to work with diocesan and organizational leaders across the United States for consultation, assistance, and communication of USCCB matters. In addition, LMFLY staff serves as a liaison for the Committee to the national Catholic organizations that work with youth and young adults including the National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana.  Enhancements are currently being made to the youth and young adult ministry pages of the LMFLY Committee website (http://www.usccb.org/about/laity-marriage-family-life-and-youth/). World Youth Day  The next international celebration of World Youth Day will take place July 26-31, 2016, in Kraków, Poland. The latest news and information can be found online at www.krakow2016.com, and the most up-to-date details on the United States’ participation in that event can be found at www.wydusa.org or via Twitter at www.twitter.com/wydusa/.  WYD organizers are expecting between 2 and 3 million people in Kraków. The USCCB is anticipating approximately 30,000 U.S. pilgrims for World Youth Day in 2016.  The LMFLY Secretariat continues to represent the U.S. to WYD organizers and the Holy See. In April 2014, LMFLY staff gave a presentation on the impact of World Youth Day in the United States to the Pontifical Council for the Laity at the Vatican.  The USCCB plans to host a national pilgrim gathering for all WYD pilgrims from the U.S. on Wednesday, July 27, 2016, tentatively at the International English Language Welcome Center in Kraków (at a site to be determined). This event, called “MercyFest USA” will feature prayer, music, cultural activities, speakers, media, opportunities for connecting with bishops and other pilgrims, and will conclude with a major liturgy to be broadcast through television and on the internet.  Stateside celebrations concurrent with WYD are being developed for youth and young adults who cannot make the trip to Kraków in 2016. These stateside activities will be held in dioceses around the United States. It is anticipated that there will be some interactivity between pilgrims and bishops in Kraków and those celebrating in the U.S. More details are forthcoming.  The USCCB is currently developing #WYDUSA promotional and preparation resources for use by pilgrims and pastoral leaders in advance of World Youth Day in 2016. These will include pilgrim groups, leader guides, and retreat manuals, and special marketing efforts encouraging Catholic young adults from the U.S. to participate in international and stateside WYD programs. Beyond World Youth Day In recognition that the spirit and purpose of World Youth Day is greater than an international gathering every two or three years, the LMFLY Secretariat is looking into more ways that local parishes, dioceses, and Catholic organizations can support youth and young adults throughout the year.  The LMFLY Committee is exploring ways to assist parishes in their efforts to intentionally integrate young people into the liturgical life of the local community, possibly through a dedicated week or weekend celebrating youth and/or young adults. To that end, LMFLY staff will be conducting focus groups around the country over the next few months – to receive input from young people and pastoral leaders. The first of these focus groups will be held at the membership meeting for the National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana in October 2014.  World Youth Day follow-up retreats and resources for continuing formation are part of the WYD 2016 resources being developed by the LMFLY Secretariat.  Future plans include the possible development of a WYD “alumni network” for those who have experienced an international or stateside World Youth Day event at some point in the past thirty years. More details on these efforts will be forthcoming.