By Joshua Salinas
Special to The Texas Catholic
On Aug. 17-18, 45 ministry leaders from the dioceses of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Tyler gathered for the Listen, Teach, Send workshop, a two-day opportunity to explore the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ national pastoral framework for ministry with youth and young adults. The workshop was a collaborative effort of the USCCB’s Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, chaired by Bishop Edward J. Burns; the Diocese of Dallas office of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministries; and the University of Dallas.
What struck me most was the diversity represented in the room. Parish and diocesan leaders represented youth and young adult ministry, campus ministry, family life, catechesis, supporting persons with disabilities, worship, and cultural diversity. That diversity reflected an important message at the heart of Listen, Teach, Send: Ministry with young people cannot exist in isolation. It is part of the mission of the whole Church.
Released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2024, “Listen, Teach, Send: A National Pastoral Framework for Ministries with Youth and Young Adults” offers the Church a framework for accompanying and evangelizing young people. Rooted in the road to Emmaus, the framework looks to the example of Jesus, who walked alongside the disciples, listened to them, taught them, and ultimately sent them forth.
Over the two days, Paul Jarzembowski, an associate director for the USCCB Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, guided participants through prayer, presentations, conversation, and reflection. We celebrated Mass, listened to one another, shared in small and large groups, and ultimately asked: What does this look like when we return home?
As I listened to the conversations, brainstorming, and hope shared among peers, I found myself excited by what I was witnessing. There was a genuine desire not simply to talk about young people but to imagine what is possible when we intentionally accompany and empower them. It gave me hope that we can continue building a young Church on fire for the Lord and ready to share the Gospel.
That hope requires action.
Listening means creating spaces where young people can honestly share where they are without judgment, and it means meeting them there.
Teaching means helping them encounter Jesus Christ and discover the richness of our Catholic faith.
Sending means empowering them to live that faith beyond the walls of our churches — to help them become missionary disciples who bring Christ into their families, schools, workplaces, and communities.
We must continually do all three.
The workshop concluded by moving from reflection to implementation. Participants identified practical steps they could take in the next three days, three weeks, and three months. The goal was not simply to know more about a Church document but to begin putting its vision into practice.
This work also reflects the direction of our local Church. One pastoral initiative emerging from the Diocese of Dallas Synod is the formation of lay ministers, equipping them with theological knowledge and pastoral skills to help others encounter Christ and strengthen parish life.
For the diocesan office of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministries, this work is central to our mission. We want to support our parishes as they build pathways of discipleship formation and create meaningful moments of encounter with Jesus Christ for young people.
Our young people are not simply the future of the Church. They are part of the Church today.
Our responsibility is to walk with them, listen to them, share Christ with them, and empower them to go forth and live their faith wherever God sends them.
Joshua Salinas is the director of the Diocese of Dallas office of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministries.
Cutline for featured image: Paul Jarzembowski, associate director for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, speaks to participants Aug. 17 at the University of Dallas in Irving. Over two days, Jarzembowski guided participants of the Listen, Teach, Send workshop through prayer, presentations, conversation, and reflection. (NATHAN KARLS/Diocese of Dallas)
