Saturday afternoon found me standing in front of 500  young people from the diocese answering one hour of questions from them on a variety of topics. The occasion was the annual Diocesan Youth Rally and the place was Mary Help of Christians in East Tampa. Mass followed the Q and A. What were some of the young people’s questions?

1. Why did you want to be a bishop?

2. Why can’t women be ordained priests?

3. Why does it so often take a fall, from alcohol or drugs, for someone to believe in God?

4. Why are there so many different religions/ Why can we not all be one?

5. What will the Church do about the Freedom of Choice Act?

6. What are cardinals and how do you become one?

7. Who elects the Pope and how old do you have to be to be Pope?

8. What one moment in my life as a priest or bishop gave me the greatest happiness>

9. What made me want to be a priest and how did I get there?

10. What should the Church do about pro-abortion, Catholic politicians?

This local Church is lucky to have a good number of youth leaders, young women and men who believe in Jesus Christ, believe that there is a code of moral conduct which binds all of humanity, and who attend and support their Church by their presence and their gifts of time and talent. The young people were having a good time learning, listening, praying, singing. My thanks to all who planned and executed this diocesan alternative to the Gasparilla Parade and events.

+RNL

Tags: Mass, Youth Ministry

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