22/08/2026
Let us strengthen the Campus Youth Ministry.
In the face of growing concerns about school violence, student behavior, and the challenges young people are experiencing today, we need to look beyond punishment and ask how we can form, accompany, and guide our young people before they reach a breaking point.
The Campus Youth Ministry may not be the sole solution to the problems confronting our schools, but I believe it can help a lot.
Our young people need spaces where they can be heard without judgment, where they can ask difficult questions, build meaningful friendships, discover their purpose, and encounter God. They need mentors and communities that can walk with themโnot only when there is a problem, but especially before one arises.
Teachers cannot carry this responsibility alone. Parents, teachers, school administrators, guidance counselors, youth ministers, parishes, and the wider community must work together in forming our young people.
A stronger Campus Youth Ministry can become one of those bridgesโa safe and welcoming space where faith, values, friendship, service, and responsible citizenship can be nurtured.
We cannot expect our young people to choose peace if we do not give them opportunities to experience and practice peace. We cannot simply tell them to be respectful; we must surround them with communities that teach, model, and live out respect.
The Campus Youth Ministry may not solve everything. But every young person reached, every heart listened to, every life guided, and every act of kindness nurtured is already a step toward a safer and more compassionate school community.
Let us not wait for another tragedy before we invest in the formation of our youth. Let us strengthen our Campus Youth Ministry now.
