By Habtamu Abrdew Beture
The Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat administration and staff have welcomed the first ever national youth office in to the Secretariat. The Ethiopian Catholic Bishops’ Conference worked very hard to establish a youth office in the Catholic Secretariat.
Currently Sr. Selam Birhanu of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary is appointed to head the activities of the office.
The mandates of the national youth office will be coordinating the activities of the diocesan offices, organizing experience sharing among dioceses, capacitating the youth and diocesan officers, organizing national conferences and gatherings among others.
The administration has explained that the Ethiopian Church is fortunate to have the humble heart of the youth. As Pope Francis said recently in the post-synodal exhortation Christi Vivit, the church should be near to the youth; listen to them; and provide opportunities and alternatives for them to be involved in the life of the Church as well as the Society.
The youth office will coordinate the activities of the diocesan youth offices, national youth associations, and Ethiopian chapters of the international youth movements and associations.
Among the international Catholic associations and movements YCW, IMCS, CLC, EYM are some present in Ethiopia are some of.
The National Youth Office of the Ethiopian Catholic Church officially launched on January 3, 2020 after a three days’ workshop. The National office established a national youth council consisting of diocesan youth and youth movements representatives.