The Church in different cultures, competences and generational circles prepares herself with prayer and reflection on  the work of the XV Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (Vatican City, 3-28 October 2018). In order to speak to and about the youth in a concrete way Pope Francis and the Bishops listened to their questions, difficulties, proposals and to their silence as well. They did this not only through seminars and documents of experts but also and above all starting from their answers to the online questionnaire (June 14 – Dec. 31, 2017) and from the various interventions from young people all over the world who attended the pre-synod meeting held from March 19 - 24, 2018. The final document of this meeting was presented to the Pope on Palm Sunday 2018. The experts who prepared the Working Document (Instrumentum laboris), which was presented to the public on June 21, 2018 – feast day of the Patron Saint of youth Aloysius Gonzaga – could draw from different sources numerous ideas and solicitations gathered in a document that will serve as a starting point for the work of the Synod Assembly.

These two documents, which gather respectively the voice of young people and the reflections of experts who confronted them, can be useful for all of us to accompany with prayer and commitment the service of the Church towards new generations. If the problems prove complex, friendship is always the strongest need that cannot be deferred even in intergenerational relations. In the family, at school and at university, in parishes, in the workplaces or in free time, young people ask for attention and trust to find their space in the society and share their responsibilities towards future generations.