Our Catholic Youth
Pastoral Message aired on KNXT-TV during July 2006
My Dear People of God,
I have just finished my yearly
Confirmation tour, beginning in January and ending in the later part of
June. This year I confirmed right up to
July One. Each year I confirm over 3,700
students, most of whom are in the 3rd and 4th year of
high school. I administer the Sacrament
of Confirmation in most of the towns of the Central Valley from Hilmar in the
North to Frazier Park in the South, to Avenal and Coalinga to the West, and across
the Sierras to Bishop in the East.
I just want to comment on how blest
we are through our youth. I find the
most wonderful youth in each of our towns and cities, with an enthusiasm for
their Faith, a real love of God and a commitment to use their lives and talents
for the good of others. I want to
commend our pastors who show a real interest and love for the youth in their
parishes, and I want to thank the many fine teachers and Religious Education
Directors who prepare the youth to receive this Sacrament which is so essential
to our living an authentic Christian life—to be open to be led by the Spirit of
God’s truth and love, in a world dominated by materialism and secularism.
Many things are happening with youth
ministry in our Diocese. A good number
of youth from many of our parishes attended World Youth Day with Pope Benedict
the XVI in Cologne. We had fifteen
representatives in Notre Dame for the recent National Hispanic Encuentro,
encouraging youth leadership in evangelization. We have a number of representatives who will be attending a youth
leadership conference for youth from the dioceses in California, taking place
in the summertime.
We are in the stage of getting
architect drawings for the Youth Retreat at Three Rivers, which will be built
from the funds of the Our Faith, our Family, and our Future Campaign. This will have a capacity of 120 youth and
expandable to 160 youth, eventually.
What a blessing this will be for the youth from all our parishes.
I simply want to share that good news
of our having so many wonderful youth throughout the Diocese. We do not hear of
them in the papers or on the T.V. Many
of our youth are involved in many roles of service in their parishes and with
many works of charity in the greater community, serving the poor, the migrant,
and sick, and the shut ins. How blest
we are. How well it speaks of the
future of our Church and of the world.
I just want to say that most of
these youth receive those values they manifest from their parents in a good
Christian home. The family remains
always the first school of love and of faith.
God bless our many good Christian parents. You gift us all with your children as they take an adult role in
our Church. God bless everyone, very,
very much.
Most Rev. John T. Steinbock
Bishop, Diocese of Fresno