March 30, 2011 // Local

Young adults offered unique Reconciliation opportunity

Todays Catholic

All Catholic young adults, ages 18 to 39, are invited to a special opportunity to receive the sacrament of  Reconciliation on Tuesday, April 12, from 6-11 p.m. The sacramental evening, sponsored by the Office of Campus and Young Adult Ministry, and themed, “Has it been a while … ?” will be offered in both South Bend and Fort Wayne.

Mary Glowaski, director of the Office of Campus and Young Adult Ministry, says the diocese hopes to reach the young adult population where they are. “Our experience of young adults is they are very busy and some are perhaps disconnected from the Church. … We wanted to make Reconciliation accessible to them.”

This creative initiative, led by the efforts of Campus and Young Adult Minister Allison Sturm, will offer as many as 13 confessors at both the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne and St. Matthew co-Cathedral in South Bend. The hours are set in the evening to accommodate the working lifestyle of the Catholic young adults of the diocese.

“There is no prayer service,” says Glowaski. “We just want them to stop by after work or later in the evening after they’ve been out.”

According to Glowaski, 18 percent of the Catholic Church is made up of young adults ages 18- 29. And statistics show that only 17 percent of that 18 percent regularly practice their faith. “We can insist that the young people experience the Church the way we have — and they’ll keep leaving. Or we can take what is essential, listen to them and create something with them that speaks to their experience and to their hearts’ desire for God,” she says.

The Church needs the inspiration of the young adults and what they know about God. Glowaski says, “We have a responsibility to frame things in a context that is accessible to help them know how much they’re needed and wanted in the Church.”

She adds that the young adults are not just the future of the Church, but also the present Church.

The host of priests who will participate in this initiative are eager and willing to offer the sacrament of Reconciliation to the busy young adults of the diocese. “The priests think it’s a great idea. We recognize that it’s Lent and this conflicts with parish services. But so many of our constituency are not connected to a parish,” says Glowaski. This evening will provide an additional opportunity and accessibility to the sacrament.

In addition to the traditional methods of extending the invitation to the young adults of the diocese, including parish bulletin blurbs, radio and newspaper ads and flyers, the primary source the Office of Campus and Young Adult Ministry will be using is social networking. The office  will invite their friends on Facebook at Fort Wayne Area Catholic Young Adults and their website at www.diocesefwsb.org/diocesan-offices/campus-young-adult-ministry.

For more information contact Office of Campus and Young Adult Ministry at (260) 483-3661.