High school students join with Bishop Sweeney for ‘Encounter with Youth’

An “Encounter with Youth” was held at St. Paul Inside the Walls in Madison on March 6 as part of the diocese’s ongoing participation in the Synod on Synodality. Representing all seven of the high schools in the diocese, 65 students in grades 10th, 11th and 12th shared their ideas and reflections on how to grow as a Church with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. Father Paul Manning, diocesan vicar for evangelization, and Salesian Sister Theresa Lee, diocesan chancellor/delegate for religious, coordinated the gathering with the students, who were accompanied by campus ministers and teachers from their schools. The day included conversation, small group reflection, prayer and fellowship.

With an emphasis on the spiritual process of listening to each other, the students took the opportunity to share openly their thoughts and ideas in small groups. Afterward, one student representative from each group spoke about what was shared before Bishop Sweeney and the entire group. Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament was then held in the chapel at St. Paul’s with students reading scripture. The day ended with fellowship and a pizza lunch before the students returned to their schools.