蜜桃交友

By Francesca Merlo

It demonstrates the importance of the event, the fact that Joseph Sapati Moeono-Kolio feels more privileged than excited to be here.

鈥淵eah鈥�, he said, 鈥淚 think excited is a broad term when it comes to anything to do with the Vatican鈥︹��.

Hope and privilege

However, he is hopeful, and perhaps this is the most important aspect of his emotions. 鈥淚 think the more accurate term is more 鈥榟opeful鈥欌��. He said there鈥檚 a tremendous sense of hope among young people, Including himself - though at the youthful age of 31 he doesn鈥檛 feel particularly young. 鈥淎ccording to Catholicism I鈥檓 still relatively young鈥�, he said.

He is also feeling 鈥渜uite privileged to be here鈥� and to be able to transmit that hope, as he represents young people from Samoa and New Zealand.

Not abstract but direct

Joe said he 鈥渧ery much鈥� liked what he is hearing at the meetings of bishops. He is optimistic. After having talked to the other young people, their fears of the discussions, he admitting that they were expecting 鈥渧ery abstract concepts and stuff鈥�. Joe said he was comforted by the fact that what they have heard so far are 鈥渂ishops who were very much in tune with what young people were wanting鈥�. He said they were 鈥渧ery direct with their language鈥� and 鈥渧ery ambitious with what they want to do when they get back鈥�.

Global challenges

Joe recognised that some of the challenges being faced in Oceania are similar to those faced globally. He hopes to transmit to the bishops the need for the Church 鈥渢o help with things like sustainable development.鈥� He also mentions climate change, which he thinks is 鈥渁 huge thing, affecting us as well.鈥�

Joe is active on social media, as young people often are, and is using this as a way to update people 鈥渂ack home鈥� with the progress of the Synod.

Help Church be an effective guide

He is hoping to express to the Synod Fathers 鈥渢he realities that we face in my part of the world鈥�, and how he thinks the Church can 鈥渕aneuver itself so that it can be a more effective guide to young people鈥� through his experience with the Church, acknowledging that this should be done 鈥渨ithout obviously having to water down its teachings, or anything like that鈥�.

A savvy Church

Joe talks about the challenges facing young people, mentioning the Digital Age, and the 鈥渃hallenges that come with a more technologically savvy generation鈥�, stressing on the 鈥渋nherent dangers that that opens them up to.鈥� To him, the Church needs to become equally savvy towards that, because if it鈥檚 not, 鈥渋t won鈥檛 be as effective a guide to young people鈥�.