From surveys to reports, the statistics on young people's mental health seem to depict a generation in distress—sad, anxious and discouraged.
Professor Ludovic Gicquel, head of the child and adolescent psychiatry department at Laborit Hospital in Poitiers, western France, sees this daily.
"We're dealing with serious adolescents who have lost their carefree spirit."

What's causing this?

Some psychiatrists blamed the harmful effects of screens and social media, while others pointed to the harshness of the times—wars, climate change, and distressing news stories.

All agree that the situation worsened starting in 2020, around the time of COVID-19, although the pandemic alone doesn't explain the scale of the problem.

"The mistake we made was blaming COVID too much. The health crisis is behind us, but the numbers haven't gone down," said Gicquel. He believes that the anxiety of this generation reflects that of society as a whole.

"We, as adults and health professionals, are also struggling. How could the youngest not be affected?"

A growing interest in psychology

"It's not that young people are more worried than before—everyone is," added Doctor Xavier Pommereau, a psychiatrist for adolescents and young adults in Talence, Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwest France.

"But young people are still developing. They're more sensitive and vulnerable."

Is it fair to talk about a psychiatric epidemic? Perhaps not.

"Some key indicators can't be ignored, especially the increase in suicide attempts," said David Gourion, a psychiatrist in Paris and author.

"But just as some parents tend to downplay severe psychological distress in their children, others dramatize what may just be a passing phase.

Ask a teen how they are, and they often say they're doing badly. Adolescence is inherently a time when one can feel tortured and may even express it."

Child psychiatrist Dr. Stéphane Clerget also noted an increase in consultations. "Personally, I don't see this as an aggravation of distress but as a growing interest in psychology and psychiatry.

Today's young people know there's someone to listen to them, and they seek that help more often," the doctor said.

The "obvious" challenges in psychiatry

Parents often feel helpless in aiding their children, whether it's minor or major distress. Many also feel responsible for their child's struggles.

"Responsible, yes, but not guilty," clarified Pommereau, emphasising the importance of the family environment.

"As an adult, the first reflex should be to consider any potential upheaval. Separations are one such event and can sometimes lead to acting out, with the adolescent hoping their parents will reconcile at their bedside.

"Proactively seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist, even for just one or two sessions, can have a protective effect."

The challenge is knowing where to turn when most child and adolescent mental health centers are overwhelmed.

"The difficulties in the sector are clear, but France has one of the highest densities of psychiatrists and child psychiatrists in Europe," said Gourion.

He believes the real issue lies in prevention, which should happen before Further reading: Pandemic takes toll on mental health in Bangladesh

"When we talk about young people's mental health, we often forget about prevention, yet you don't need to be a psychologist to do that. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers—these are the people who are in the best position to help," Gourion said.

Additionally, Doctor Clerget pointed out, "Nowadays, it's mostly parents whom children confide in, partly due to new parenting styles. They know every little worry their children have and get alarmed."

This trend can lead to overprotection.

"We must accept that zero risk doesn't exist, and it doesn't align with the level of risk adolescents need," said Gicquel.

"For this reason, I'm not sure it's advisable to buy a smartphone for a sixth-grader just to track their location." This practice is increasingly common and problematic, as it "invites the digital wolf into the fold," Gicquel continued.

"We shouldn't demonize screens, but just as there are endocrine disruptors, there are developmental disruptors that we should try to protect young people from, and smartphones are part of that."

As usual, it's all about balance.

"What's problematic is a teenager spending six hours on a couch with a tablet. This digital overload means we overstimulate the brain while under-stimulating the body, but both need to develop in tandem," said Gicquel.

"We need to dare to set limits," said Clerget. "In the 1960s, parents worried that their kids spent too much time outside; today, they don't go out enough. But they need to get out, be in nature, and talk with friends," he said, highlighting the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

Rehabilitating conversation and connection

In short, seeking professional help isn't always the first step, and neither are medications.

Clerget expressed concern about the significant increase in prescriptions for psychotropic drugs—antidepressants, anxiolytics, and others. "It's madness," said the doctor, who believes "this reflects an inability to address psychological problems through conversation, interaction, and changes in the patient's environment."

Rehabilitating conversation and connection is the primary recommendation from these psychiatrists, who remain "resolutely optimistic." Paradoxically, social media platforms like TikTok can sometimes be their greatest allies.

"There's a partial but real movement to destigmatize mental health issues on these platforms," observed Gicquel.

"Celebrities have shown young people that you can be a huge star and still have psychological vulnerabilities. They save more lives in three minutes than we do in a year."

• First published in La Croix

Here it is: the danger that social media poses to our young people.

Surgeon General's warning

In the words of United States Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy (pictured):

"The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor.

"Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms, and the average daily use in this age group, as of the summer of 2023, was 4.8 hours.

"Additionally, nearly half of adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their bodies."

"It is time to require a surgeon general's warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.

"A surgeon general's warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe.

"Evidence from tobacco studies show that warning labels can increase awareness and change behaviour.

"When asked if a warning from the surgeon general would prompt them to limit or monitor their children's social media use, 76 percent of people in one recent survey of Latino parents said yes.

"The rest of society can play a role also.

"Schools should ensure that classroom learning and social time are phone-free experiences.

"Parents, too, should create phone-free zones around bedtime, meals and social gatherings to safeguard their kids' sleep and real-life connections — both of which have direct effects on mental health.

"And they should wait until after middle school to allow their kids access to social media.

"As a father of a six- and a seven-year-old who have already asked about social media, I worry about how my wife and I will know when to let them have accounts.

"How will we monitor their activity, given the increasingly sophisticated techniques for concealing it?…

"It doesn't have to be this way.

"Faced with high levels of car-accident-related deaths in the mid- to late 20th century, lawmakers successfully demanded seatbelts, airbags, crash testing and a host of other measures that ultimately made cars safer…"

The anxious generation

The surgeon general's warnings echo what Jonathan Haidt described in his book "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness."

These warnings have resonated.

This past week, California Governor Gavin Newsom called for a statewide ban on smartphone use in California schools.

This is part of a national effort to curb cyberbullying and classroom distraction by limiting access to the devices.

Do not accuse Surgeon General Murthy, Haidt and Governor Newsom of being Luddites, of being anti-technology.

Rather, commend them for noting the public health challenges to our children.

Commend them for their courage as culture warriors, showing a willingness to push back against our society's worship of technology — to the point of addictive behavior. Many of us know that addiction, up front and personal.

In my recent book on the future of liberal Judaism in America, I quoted David Zvi Kalman:

"In 2010, the University of Maryland conducted a study of almost a thousand participants to measure the psychological effects of abstaining from all electronic communication devices for twenty-four hours.

"The results were discouraging: many participants experienced withdrawal-like symptoms, including anxiety, cravings, and general misery. The majority were unable to complete the study."

Likewise, there are spiritual health implications.

If you are Jewish, attend worship services on Yom Kippur and notice how many sins we confess are sins of language: for the sin of tale bearing and gossip and lying and deceptive speech, etc.

They are all found in that little piece of hardware in our hands.

As has been said over the centuries: "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."

In the cyber world, it takes a nano second. And it is there forever.

Make new friends

Which reminds me of one of the finest works of Jewish literature that I have read lately.

The book is "The Hebrew Teacher," written by Maya Arad and translated by Jessica Cohen. It is a trilogy of novellas that focus on the lives of Israelis living in Silicon Valley.

The last novella, "Make New Friends," ripped me apart.

Libby, an adolescent girl, is not popular. She discusses the social psychology of mean girls with her mother, Efrat: "The ones who are nice aren't popular … The more popular you are, the more not-nice you are."

Some of the popular girls pay attention to Libby, but their friendship is inconsistent, and they often exclude her. What is Libby's problem? She doesn't have a smart phone. Roni, Efrat's friend, admonishes her:

"You're really doing her an injustice. It's no wonder she's struggling socially. Everything happens on phones these days. How can you even expect her to be in touch with someone if…"

"But if I give her a phone she'll never get off it!"

Roni laughs.

"Efrat, what planet are you living on? That ship sailed long ago. This is our world. You want a kid without a smartphone? Join an ultra-Orthodox sect."

Libby needs a phone, and she needs to be on social media.

In one of the most devastating passages of any book that I've read recently, Efrat discovers that her daughter's friends have been mercilessly tormenting her in that cyber-jungle.

It is the kind of torment that has driven some young people to self-harm and even suicide.

Efrat hacks into her daughter's account:

She has to go in. To protect her little girl. These are the truly dangerous places. Who cares about some pervert from Australia or North Dakota? It's much scarier right here, close to home, in her own school.

Efrat retaliates, and fights back.

There are many treasures in this book, and it is well worth your time.

Technology's everywhere

But, I am part of the problem. We all are. I will post this column and link to it on Facebook and hope that many people read it, and heed it, and that it will go viral.

Metaphor check: "viral." As in a plague.

For me, as for most of you, the answer will not lie in an utter rejection of our devices nor of the internet nor of social media. We might more easily imagine a world without water or air.

But, at the very least, a religious temperament might mean questioning our utter reliance on such technology.

We could create islands of time, like the Sabbath or Sunday, when we would liberate ourselves from technology and being more self-aware of how we use our tools, which have become our toys.

And, for the sake of our young people: They, like all of us, are made in the Divine Image. Which means they deserve utmost care, concern and dignity.

That rabbinic statement that has become a cliche: "Whoever saves one life, it is as if they have saved the entire world."

If regulating access to social media will save the life of one kid, it will be worth it.

• First published in Religion News Service
• Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin is recognised as one of the most thoughtful Jewish writers and teachers of his generation.

Over 160 young adults from all over Ireland gathered for the get-together.

The brainchild of the Irish Catholic bishops, the Intentional Young Adult Ministry event comprised participant-led activities, reflection and a Mass.

Energy and enthusiasm

Keynote speaker Father Stephen Wang from the Archdiocese of Westminster spoke on the theme ‘The Heart of Catholic Young Adult Ministry'.

"There seems to be a great deal of energy and enthusiasm in the Irish Church at the moment - and a desire to discover new ways of connecting with young people today.

"I pray that the meeting will be a catalyst for renewal in the Church, and will allow the Holy Spirit to speak to the hearts of all those who will be present."

Synodal gathering

Bishop of Cork and Ross, Fintan Gavin (pictured, centre) helped organise the event themed 'Into the Deep'.

"I welcome in a particular way the young adults who are joining us in such great numbers" he said.

"We are a wonderfully diverse group - ordained, religious and laity, old and young, professionals and students, men and women - all sharing in the one baptism.

"This is an important synodal gathering for the Irish Church."

Youth ministry has changed

Gavin also noted how much the context of youth ministry had changed.

"As a young person you have to stand out from your peers and the culture does not support you as it did in the past" he said.

"When we think of the small numbers of young people in the Church in Ireland today we could well feel despair, desolation - like we have fished all night long and caught nothing."

However this is not actually the truth, he said.

Many initiatives

Catholic youth ministries have actually "animated" many initiatives in Ireland Gavin said.

He backed his comment, citing a few currently active groups such as Youth 2000, Alpha, Sycamore, and Lourdes Pilgrimages.

In addition he pointed to other projects inspired by various movements and religious groups.

What to do now

"Each young person needs to be befriended, trust built up, invited into an encounter with Christ and followed up afterwards" he told those at the Intentional Young Adult Ministry event.

"We are called to go beyond our traditional boundaries and meet young adults where they are, both physically and spiritually.

"We are called to go to new shores and to connect with people one on one.

"We need to find ways of presenting Christ as a person alive, who gives us our joy and our hope, as good news in a culture where so often Christ, faith and the Church are presented as a burden rather than something that gives life and meaning.

"Growth must also be intentional."

Source

• The Tablet

The Congress takes place from May 22 to 26 in Rome near Vatican City.

A global event, the Youth Ministry Congress will focus on innovative leadership styles and strategies in youth ministry under the theme "Synodal Youth Ministry: New Leadership Styles and Strategies".

Youth Ministry Congress details

The Youth Ministry Congress is bringing together delegates worldwide to discuss Youth Ministry's current state and future.

Wilson, chair of the Council for Young People of the Catholic Bishops of Aotearoa New Zealand, expressed his enthusiasm about the broad range of topics.

"I find the range of topics very interesting, particularly the session on the reality of today's youth in a post-pandemic world" he told CathNews.

"The Congress will delve into youth leadership that is both missional and synodal" Wilson noted. He highlighted the practical discussions anticipated in supporting young leaders through synodal ministry methodologies.

Beacon of global youth engagement

Wilson described the Youth Ministry Congress as a "beacon of global youth engagement".

He emphasised its importance in exploring the "Christus Vivit", Francis' seminal document aimed at energising young people

Wilson commented with some alarm that Christus Vivit is now five years old.

Wilson is a married father of three and a Master of Ecclesiology student.

Crazy world - crazy challenges

Jessica Jackman, a primary school teacher and the newly appointed director of Hearts Aflame, is another New Zealand delegate representing New Zealand.

Hearts Aflame is a Catholic summer school for young adults, known for its active involvement in nurturing the Catholic faith among youth.

"It never ceases to amaze me how we can come from such different languages, cultures, continents and experiences and yet unite in the joy of encountering Jesus and worshipping in Holy Mass.

"I am really looking forward to encountering other young Catholics who are passionate about sharing Christ with our new generations and hearing from them about different ways they are creative in sharing the Gospel" said Jackman.

Jackman told CathNews that being young and Catholic is a joy and a gift in Aotearoa today.

"When I look around at the craziness of today's world, it is such a privilege to have been given the gift of Faith, which gives me hope for a future in Christ and the certainty of being loved by God.

"We recognise this gift has been handed on by the mahi of generations of faithful Catholics in our land."

Peer mockery and the courage of witness

Jackman says living a faithful Christian life in New Zealand is not easy.

"We are constantly challenged in our beliefs and actions by our peers and the media, but I do believe our generation is really privileged to grow up guided by the teaching of a succession of saintly popes and a church which recognises the importance of supporting young adults through events like World Youth Day.

"We have had to fight, and be fought for by the Church, to keep our faith, and this means that your average practising young Catholic in Aotearoa really knows what they believe and genuinely wants to love God and fight for holiness, even in the face of mockery from our peers."

Jackman told CathNews that reaching and witnessing to young people takes courage and needs resources.

She highlighted a particular challenge in Catholic schools, of reaching out and witnessing to those who have been baptised but haven't yet discovered the joy of being loved by Christ and chosen to follow Him.

Audience with Pope Francis

Another of the highlights for the delegates at the Youth Ministry Congress will be an audience with Pope Francis on May 25.

Sources

• Supplied: NZCBC
• Supplied: Wilson and Jackman

The report, Nga Tukunga Iho - The Things We Inherit, offers an annual assessment of the country's social progress - this year especially -

• children and youth
• housing
• crime and punishment
• social hazards
• work and incomes

Lt-Colonel Ian Hutson, The Salvation Army's Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit director, notes the new government has inherited a mix of successes and obstacles from its predecessor.

He emphasises the impact current policies will have on future generations and the responsibility to foster a better living environment for all New Zealanders.

While the report acknowledges significant progress has been made in recent years - reductions in child poverty, an increase in social housing units, sustained low unemployment - it also points to worrying trends.

These trends include the deepening cost-of-living crisis hitting lower-income households hardest. Rising rental costs are outpacing inflation and there are overall increases in food insecurity and financial hardship.

The State of the Nation report is unequivocal in its call for the new Government to take decisive action.

Hutson stresses the need to build upon the progress achieved and to adopt successful strategies to navigate the challenges ahead.

Concerns for Maori wellbeing

One of the report's key findings pertains to Maori wellbeing.

Persistent inequities affecting Maori in education, housing, employment and the criminal justice system need to be addressed, it says.

To achieve this, the report advocates for the importance of resourcing kaupapa Maori approaches to enhance well-being for whanau, hapu and iwi.

Children and Youth

The report's Children and Youth section has both positive and negative news.

On the plus side, it rates child poverty reduction as a significant achievement.

However, it also notes poverty's disproportionate impact on Pasifika, Maori, and children living with disabilities. It stresses the need for targeted efforts to meet Government poverty reduction targets.

The report also states that young people continue to tell of high levels of mental distress.

Housing

The report's Housing section paints a grim picture of unaffordability and homelessness. This is exacerbated by a decline in new housing consents and a surge in inward migration, it says.

The report calls for an urgent increase in public housing supply to address the growing backlog.

Crime and Punishment

In terms of Crime and Punishment, the report indicates an overall increase in reported and unreported crime and notes that violent offences are increasing.

Enhancing access to housing, employment, education and social services would be more effective in reducing crime than implementing harsher punishments, the report suggests.

Social Hazards

The Social Hazards section notes a positive decline in alcohol and drug consumption.

At the same time, it points to rising gambling losses and signs of increased financial hardship. One such indicator is the increasing number of calls for early KiwiSaver withdrawals on the grounds of financial hardship.

Work and Incomes

Under the heading Work and Incomes, the Salvation Army State of the Nation report highlights the continued high levels of employment but raises concerns about the rising unemployment and the persistent wage inequality affecting women and ethnic minorities.

It says high inflation is putting pressure particularly on low-income households. Furthermore, food insecurity for households with children has increased.

Source

• Supplied: The Salvation Army
• The full report is available from the Salvation Army.

"When we think of human tragedies, especially the suffering of the innocent, we too can echo some of the Psalms and ask the Lord ‘Why?' At the same time however, we can also be part of God's answer to the problem" the pope said.

Addressing the theme of "Rejoicing in Hope," the pope's message precedes the upcoming diocesan World Youth Day, scheduled as the Solemnity of Christ the King.

"Created by him in his image and likeness" he continued, "we can be signs of his love, which gives rise to joy and hope even in situations that appear hopeless."

The annual World Youth Day, established initially by St John Paul II in 1985, fosters unity among young Catholics across the globe.

The next international World Youth Day is planned for Seoul, South Korea in 2027.

Young adults are also invited to attend a Jubilee of Young People in Rome during the 2025 Jubilee Year.

"Sadly, many of your contemporaries who experience wars, violent conflict, bullying and other kinds of hardship are gripped by despair, fear and depression" he said.

"They feel as if they are in a dark prison, where the light of the sun cannot enter."

He pointed to the high suicide rate among teens and young adults in some countries as a dramatic sign of the level of depression in the world.

"In such situations, how can we experience the joy and hope of which St Paul speaks?" Francis said.

Faith-driven optimism

In response to such desolation, Pope Francis called for an adherence to faith-driven optimism and becoming beacons of hope.

He stressed that authentic Christian joy emanates from encounters with Christ, not from human endeavours.

The pope gave two pieces of advice for keeping hope alive: to spend time daily in prayer and to make the decision to live in hope.

"When you feel surrounded by the clouds of fear, doubt and anxiety and you no longer see the sun, take the path of prayer" he said, recalling Benedict XVI's words in the encyclical Spe Salvi:

"For ‘when no one listens to me anymore, God still listens to me'."

Sources

Catholic News Agency

Regardless of his impending cardinal appointment, Bishop Robert Barron has made it clear to Américo Aguiar that he intends to evangelise during his visit to Lisbon.

Aguiar, a youthful 49-year-old auxiliary bishop of the Patriarchate of Lisbon, is the primary coordinator of World Youth Day 2023 (WYD) and was recently appointed as a cardinal by Pope Francis.

Aguiar stirred up a debate when he allegedly stated that the WYD with the pope is not about converting people to Christ.

He made the comment while discussing Pope Francis' encyclical 'Fratelli tutti' on Portuguese television.

Aguiar stated that the WYD is not meant to "forcefully convert young people to Christ, to the Catholic Church or to anything else."

Regrettably, his interview snippets were disseminated on news websites and social media platforms.

Often taken out of context, these fragments have incited confusion and disapproval among Catholics who feel their leader abandoned them in their evangelisation mission.

The controversy surrounding the bishop's remarks was ignited primarily by the headline of an article published by the Catholic News Agency (CNA), a service of EWTN.

In response to the criticism, the news agency altered the headline.

Controversy unfortunately enflamed

The comment, when viewed in isolation, sparked controversy among many WYD participants including Barron who, in a recent column, wrote:

"When any Catholic institution, ministry or outreach forgets its evangelical purpose, it has lost its soul."

Barron concluded his column in a somewhat 'stroppy' tone, writing:

"I'm scheduled to give five presentations at World Youth Day in Lisbon, and I want to assure Bishop Aguiar that each one is intended to evangelise."

Regrettably, Barron took the CNA report at face value and seems to have overreacted.

The Pillar, a Catholic media agency, also strongly criticised Aguiar's misquoted remarks, with author Filipe D'Avillz branding him a "raging heretic."

WYD is not Catholic World Youth Day

Aguiar confirmed that World Youth Day is not exclusively for Catholics.

"Popes have never invited only young Catholics; they have always invited youth from all over the world," he said.

He emphasised the importance of the youth who come to Lisbon to meet other young people from different parts of the world, different backgrounds, different faiths and understanding that this diversity is a richness.

He concluded the interview by expressing his hope that the pilgrims would appreciate the mutual contribution of differences:

"'I think differently, I feel differently, I organise my life differently, but we are brothers and sisters and we will build the future together.' This is the main message of this encounter with the living Christ that the pope wants to give to young people" he said.

A chaplain in charge of World Youth Day in a diocese in France affirmed that "WYD is a source of conversions."

"The invitation is sent to all young people, it's not WCYD (World Catholic Youth Day)" the priest continued.

Yes, the Pope's Catholic

Cardinal-designate Aguiar has met Francis several times in the run-up to World Youth Day and quotes extensively from the pope's work.

"The world will be objectively a better place if we are able to put the certainty of Fratelli tutti in the hearts of all young people," Aguiar told RTP during the July 6 interview.

The encyclical, published in 2020, is dedicated to fraternity and social friendship.

In terms of substance, the cardinal designate's comments are not at odds with the Jesuit pope's teachings. During his visit to small Christian communities in Morocco in March 2019, Francis warned against any temptation to "proselytise" to swell the ranks.

"The paths of mission are not those of proselytism, which leads always to a dead end," the pope said.

"The Church grows not through proselytism, but through attraction and through witness."

Before Aguiar became a priest he was a politician, a fact he has never hidden and is proud of.

Aguiar is still known in Portugal for his political acumen. He has used it to some effect as he manages preparations for the upcoming World Youth Day in Lisbon — the largest public event in Portuguese history.

When asked by The Pillar if he is flattered or offended when people say that he is like a politician in a cassock: "That all depends on the tone with which they say it," Aguiar replied.

Sources

• La Croix International
• The Pillar
• Word on Fire
• CathNews

The guide seeks to present Holy Scripture in an engaging manner to younger individuals who may not typically engage with the Bible.

The guide, a brainchild of the Bible Society of New Zealand, is a unique response to the Synod on Youth that was held in 2018.

The Bible Society describes Identity:Identified as "unique" and a practical tool to help everyone, especially young people, follow Jesus as they navigate life's challenges and trust him as a true friend and companion.

Beyond featuring hundreds of inspiring and uplifting Biblical passages, Identity:Identified offers 96 pages of curated content across 24 inserts, each addressing key challenges facing today's youth.

Among the topics included are

• navigating loneliness
• peer pressure
• living in a highly sexualised society
• coping with online bullying, and
• understanding life's deeper meaning

Adding a modern touch, the guide features 32 QR codes linking to video testimonials on the transformative power of Scripture in life. An accompanying app enhances the utility of the guide by offering access to insert materials, videos and daily readings.

The New Zealand Bishops have expressed their unequivocal support for Identity:Identified.

They believe the guide will be a powerful reminder to young people of God's enduring love and unfailing support, especially during their most challenging times.

They are optimistic that this innovative approach to spiritual guidance will resonate with young individuals navigating the modern world.

Among the contributors of the Catholic teaching materials are Bishop Steve Lowe, Emeritus Cardinal John Dew, Bishop Michael Dooley and Australia's Archbishop Mark Coleridge, alongside other prominent Catholic figures from Asia-Pacific such as the late Cardinal Sim from Borneo, Archbishop Simon Poh from Malaysia and Bishop Broderick Pabillo from the Philippines.

Source

• Supplied - Bible Society

But when 99% of Catholic churches have a male preacher this Sunday in a world where 50% of the Catholic population are women, it's time for our daughters and granddaughters — and sons and grandsons — to see us naming out loud a problem we've endured quietly in our hearts.

What seemed normalised to my devout Catholic Cuban grandmothers, and became uncomfortable for my mother and has become unacceptable for me, is now unbearable for my nieces and many of our daughters.

This will have untold consequences for the future of Catholic ministries.

According to a report by the Pew Research Center, as of 2022, 43% of Hispanic adults identify as Catholic, down from 67% in 2010.

In my work listening to older Hispanic/Latino Catholics in Miami, Los Angeles, New York and elsewhere, I often hear how their children and grandchildren have become disengaged from their families' long-standing, multigenerational Catholic faith.

The loss of family unity feels enormous.

I co-direct Discerning Deacons, a project inviting Catholics to consider women's inclusion in the permanent diaconate — an order that already includes married men ordained to serve in the life of the church.

We launched our effort because young Catholics have only ever lived in a church reckoning with the clergy sex-abuse crisis.

They see other professional fields taking steps to recognize women in visible leadership roles — athletics, government, academics, medicine, business — and wonder why their religious institutions will not.

These challenges have not escaped my own family.

After my niece Carolina was confirmed as a teenager, she begged her parents not to obligate her to keep going to Mass.

My niece found it increasingly painful and unbearable to walk into a church where only men preached.

"I can't find God in church when I'm feeling so angry and rejected," Carolina told her mother.

"They haven't set up a space to welcome me the way I believe God would welcome me."

The family was faced with rethinking Sundays.

Ultimately, they agreed that Carolina would choose a spiritual book that interested her to keep nurturing her soul, which was important to her parents, and on the way to Mass, they would drop her off at Starbucks.

After they picked her up, they would engage in a faith conversation.

Today, Carolina is living out her faith by building a community that is more inclusive and welcoming — much like what Jesus did. Continue reading

• Ellie Hidalgo is a parishioner at Our Lady of Divine Providence Church in Miami, Florida and is co-director of Discerning Deacons, a project that engages Catholics in the active discernment of our Church about women and the diaconate.

But I walked away with hope, thanks to speaker Ellen Koneck, executive director of Commonweal magazine, who was frank and honest but also insightful and upbeat about the future of our faith.

Her April 14 keynote, subtitled "The Context and the Concerns of Young Catholics," kicked off a weekend-long gathering co-sponsored by the Catholic Common Ground Initiative and the Bernardin Center at Catholic Theological Union.

"There is no reason to fret. The Holy Spirit is always creative," said Koneck, who is herself a millennial and formerly worked for Springtide Research Institute, which focuses on young people ages 13-25.

Koneck acknowledged what we already know about millennials and Generation Z: They don't trust institutions, skepticism is their default attitude, and they are leaving or never joining churches at higher rates than ever.

Yet even among the unaffiliated or "nones": 19% attend religious gatherings at least once a month; 38% say they are religious and 60% say they are at least slightly spiritual.

But even these questions about religious gatherings and "religious" and "spiritual" don't acknowledge that these and subsequent generations are "doing religion" differently, if they are doing it at all, Koneck said.

"Stats about disaffiliation are great for hand-wringing, but not that helpful for understanding young people," she said.

While religious institutions are understandably concerned about membership and attendance numbers, "membership is not a particularly meaningful metric for understanding a young person's beliefs or relationship to God or others," she said.

She also noted that concern about polarization in the church ignores the more pertinent issue of alienation among young people. In fact, polarized Catholics on the left and the right actually have much in common in that they care about the church — whereas many young people are already out the door.

"Polarization is a sign of passion, that the church is worth fighting for," she said.

When young people leave the church, "it must be received as a witness," Koneck said. "This is the work of our generation, of our generations," she said, to "roll up our sleeves" to address both polarization and alienation in the church.

During the Q&A, I followed up on Koneck's point about membership not being the metric, while noting that data about beliefs and practices also were not high for young people. If these things are not the metric, what is?

She didn't skip a beat with her answer: "Relationships." Continue reading

• Heidi Schlumpf is NCR executive editor.

Love Better is a programme run by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) with support from Youthline, and offers a text, phone or email contact with advice specifically for young people going through a relationship breakup.

Funded by $6.4 million over three years through previously announced allocations, although just a fraction of that was going towards Youthline directly.

The campaign followed 2022 research by Kantar which found 62 percent of people aged 16 to 24 had been through a break-up, with 72 percent of reporting harm or having done harm.

Youthline chief executive Shae Ronald said relationship issues were one of the top reasons young people contacted the helpline, and the initiative and the research behind it was groundbreaking. Read more

See what works for you and leave the rest behind.

In his beautiful book Domestic Monastery, the Canadian theologian Ronald Rolheiser, O.M.I., writes: "To be a mother or a father is to let your dreams and agenda be forever altered."

For me, this quotation reflects a fundamental truth that, if not adopted by parents, will significantly decrease any chance for change in the relationship with their LGBTQ child.

The truth is: Our children do not belong to us.

They are free agents and their life journey is theirs alone.

The more a parent tries to dictate to their child what direction their life should take, the more a power struggle will ensue.

This is ultimately self-defeating and counterproductive, as it doesn't allow for the generation of new information and ideas.

It's not about understanding, but acceptance

This is a crucial insight towards fostering reconciliation.

Does anyone ever completely understand another person?

People are complex and complicated. We are paradoxical and contradictory.

We sometimes behave against our better judgment and engage in self-defeating and harmful behaviours.

Most interpretation of human behaviour is speculation anyway.

We strive towards understanding because we have a desire for certainty.

Perhaps we would be better off being more humble if we approached our children with curiosity, not certainty.

As my hero St John of the Cross wisely advised, "Learn to understand more by not understanding, than by understanding."

Parents may often assume they know what their children are thinking without sufficient evidence of their thoughts.

Not knowing what your child is actually thinking can lead to an escalation in miscommunication and conflict.

Instead of assuming, check your hunch with your child by simply asking them if your assumption is correct and, if not, what they are thinking.

Remember, no one is an expert about another person.

By over-focusing on your child, you can easily avoid examining your own issues.

Focus on your child's competencies and good qualities

When you're feeling critical of, or irritated by, your child, remind yourself of what you admire and appreciate about them.

What are their gifts? Their strengths?

This is using an "opposite voice" to your "judgmental voice."

Remember that no one likes being labelled, which suggests limitation and one-dimensionality.

Dial down the criticism

Words matter.

So, try your best and use your brakes.

If you're angry, take a time out and leave the room. Take a walk, excuse yourself and return to the talk once the anger has subsided.

This isn't easy for many of us, but it's critically important if you are committed to seeing a change in your relationship.

Acknowledging your anger and owning it is essential.

Disavowing it may leave you feeling more miserable and regretting things that you may have said in the heat of the moment.

As the late father of a dear friend often admonished, "Less said, sooner mended."

Apologize

This is a biggie.

If reconciliation is to occur, it's essential that an attempt is made to repair any hurt caused by something you said.

Unless you feel remorse and are concerned about an injury you may have caused, change and reparation don't stand much of a chance.

Do your best not to be defensive

Try not to interrupt, give advice or defend or rationalize your position when in conversation with your child.

Grant them the courtesy to speak.

The good news is they're talking to you, although you may disagree with what they are saying.

This is not to suggest, however, that you abandon your boundaries and become a doormat.

The idea is to be flexible, but not at the expense of your own self-esteem and well-being. It's important to know when things your child says are not okay. Continue reading

• Amy Zachary is a former clinical director of The Freedom Institute, NYC drug, alcohol and toxocoloy centre. She is a senior family and couples therapist at Greenwich House NYC and the founder of Bereavement Groups for Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, NY.

It wasn't until a youth minister explained the significance, depth and beauty of the Mass that my eyes (and heart) were truly opened.

Slowly, over time, I began to see the liturgy differently. It was as though, with every fact and insight I learned, the dots began to connect between the history and the mystery — between God's divinity and our humanity, all colliding within the parish walls.

I was given a great gift, a proverbial "pearl of great price", by a soul who not only knew about the Mass but who was patient enough to walk with me as my heart and soul opened up to this timeless, inestimable treasure from heaven.

We all desire for the next generation to develop a deep and abiding love for Scripture and the sacraments, in particular the Eucharist, but how do we develop and "unleash" that love in an increasingly overstimulated, disengaged, and screen-obsessed culture?

After more than 25 years in youth ministry, I have found out the hard way what does and doesn't work to engage hormone-packed tech-savvy adolescents with the Catholic faith.

Here are some of my suggestions to help teens get excited about Mass:

Our teenagers need our time more than our teaching points

It's important to meet our teenagers where they're at, without any expectation of them changing their disinterest (or even repulsion) of Mass overnight. With this patience (that only comes from God), they have the space to grow and encounter God for themselves.

The key to evangelization that many well-intentioned ministry leaders sorely miss is this: If you want someone to care about the "what" (church teaching), they must first encounter the "who" (Lord)." Everything we do in the Mass points to worship and to who God is.

You show teenagers who God is through how you live your faith: The reverence with which you receive the body and blood of Jesus, the time you spend in adoration and Scripture and the way you interact with Jesus in the Mass like he's sitting next to you, arms wrapped around you.

They will see that, undeniably, something beyond this world is transpiring before their eyes and begin to encounter the "who" that is the source of the "what."

Go the extra mile

If you want your teenagers or the teens in your parish to really engage in the Mass, it begins with asking yourself this question, "How far am I willing to go for that to happen?"

Are you willing to be a consistent example to your own kids of what it means to enter into worship?

Are you willing to fulfil your baptismal call and sacramental pledge to raise them "according to the law of Christ and his church" (i.e. take them to Mass whether they want to go or not)? Are you willing to help equip the youth minister with the right resources to aid their catechetical efforts? Continue reading

Police have spoken to the person responsible. Area Commander for Auckland East Inspector Jim Wilson said the person was "extremely remorseful" for what occurred.

He also said that police have wound down their presence in the area but we will continue to liaise with the school as inquiries continue.

Details of the concerning situation are not publicly available.

It is understood the threat was made to two people connected to the school. The public was not involved.

Parents were informed of the social media threat via text and email.

"The police have advised that, given the nature of the anonymous threat, we err on the side of caution and close the school for the day until their investigations are completed," the email read.

A college spokeswoman said boys had been asked to stay home. If they had already arrived at school, they were told to return home.

A statement is expected to be made to the school community when more is known.

Patrick Walsh, the headmaster of Sacred Heart College, confirmed that police had completed their investigation and that on Thursday the school will return to normal.

In a message to the school community, Walsh thanked them for their patience and quick response.

Source

• 1News
• News TalkZB
• NZ Herald

It's a fascinating question.

A couple of recent articles in France have contemplated the so-called resurgence of left-wing Catholics, who are identified as young, ecologically sensitive, and - some of them - even very left-wing. They are also distant from their rather conservative Church.

On the other side of the spectrum, there are those who say we must pay more attention to young Catholics who go to church, those who are more sensitive than their elders to rituals, sacraments, prayer, and who are nostalgic for tradition.

This weekend, this second group will be the main participants in the Pentecost Chartres Pilgrimage, known as the "Pilgrimage of Christendom", organized by traditionalist movements.

Once again, people will boast about how many people attended this pilgrimage, arguing that this is the kind of conservative Catholics young people long for.

They pray, but differently

In a recent article published in La Croix, Father Pierre Amar underlines this divide between "young" and "old Catholics", a divide that also emerges in all parishes from the debates on the synod.

The "old" are more attached to involvement in society, the young more to prayer and liturgy, without abandoning charity work.

By the way, imposing opposition by explaining that the "old people" are not concerned about prayer and liturgy is silly.

The graying generations are the ones that fill the pews at Sunday Mass. And as far as I know, they are going there to knit! So they pray, but differently.

Basically, these questions reveal two things.

On the one hand, young people are very diverse; which we already knew. On the other hand, and above all, there is the anxiety - and even panic - that Catholics feel in the face of the strong and brutal reduction in the religious practice of young people.

Wondering for hours if young Catholics are more to the right or more to the left is like trying to find out if the handful of Trotskyites are more Lambertist or Frankist!

The truth is cruder: there are almost no young people left in the Church. And we can endlessly argue about their political and liturgical choices...

Our concern should not be about the political views and liturgical preferences of the few young people who actually come to Mass on Sunday. Rather, we should ask where all the others of their generation - the majority - are.

Do young people feel at home in a Church with so many moral norms?

For a long time, the finger has been pointed at parents, guilty of not having passed on the faith. This is a bit reductive.

Such a massive trend cannot be explained by the inability of parents to transmit their values and what gives them life.

After all, in other areas, they manage to do so quite well.

We must have the courage to ask ourselves certain questions: do these young generations, who are concerned with a great deal of tolerance towards all life choices, feel at home in a Church with so many moral norms?

Can young women, who have grown up in a feminist culture, feel part of the liturgy as it is currently celebrated?

Then again, is the language of the institution and of churchgoers accessible, understandable, and, above all, relevant to the young people?

The Gospel message is anything but bland. Yet it elicits, at best, only polite indifference among the youth.

Instead of endlessly arguing about the young people we already find in our churches, perhaps it's time to take a greater interest in all those who don't come.

• Isabelle de Gaulmyn is a senior editor at La Croix and a former Vatican correspondent.
• First published in La-Croix International. Republished with permission.

It was an upsetting and confusing time, because the same religious mentors who helped her strengthen her beliefs kept saying her sexuality would conflict with her faith.

"That was very frustrating, because I also knew that a lot of other religious people believed that," said Hodak, now a 19-year-old psychology major at Florida International University. In her journal, she kept asking, "Can I please just find someone who's like me — who wants to be religious and is able to embrace their queer identity?"

Hodak found the support she needed by joining Beloved Arise, a Christian nonprofit dedicated to celebrating and empowering LGBTQ youth of faith. It's one of a number of online groups whose members are sharing their stories during Pride Month as part of a campaign aimed at encouraging others who have been shunned by religious communities.

In video and written testimonies, the young advocates' message to their peers also comes at a crucial moment for LGBTQ youth as states like Florida and Texas are adopting legislation or policies that critics say marginalize them.

"I want to show that these identities aren't a contradiction and for younger people to know that there's hope," said Hodak, who in addition to Beloved Arise belongs to another group, Jewish Queer Youth.

Florida's legislation, dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" law by critics, bars instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through the third grade. Supporters say parents, not teachers, should broach these subjects with children; opponents say the law demonizes LGBTQ people by excluding them from classroom lessons and recently sued to block it.

In Texas, meanwhile, the state child welfare agency has been ordered to investigate reports of gender-confirming care for minors as abuse, a directive that opponents say is a first of its kind by any governor amid widespread GOP efforts to restrict transgender rights.

"Texas is definitely one of the hot spots for anti-LGBTQ rights … and that has definitely been really hard, especially given that my faith can also be similar — not the most accepting," said Roswell Grey, a 16-year-old from Sherman, Texas who identifies as queer and nonbinary and was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Utah-based religion, also known as the Mormon church, has tried in the last decade or so to create a more welcoming environment for LGBTQ members. Still, some church stances remain painful for many LGBTQ members, such as its teaching that while being gay is not a sin, engaging in same-sex relationships is against God's commandments.

"It's really difficult to not act upon who I am and not to be who I am," Grey said.

He was recently named a Beloved Arise youth ambassador and has shared his story as part of the campaign through interviews and social media, in hopes of inspiring other young queer people of faith and remind religions that reject them that they should be welcoming.

"The original church that Christ created on Earth was really diverse. He taught sex workers and he taught disabled people, anyone and everyone," said Grey, who is also a member of the Rainbow Connection, a group that focuses on queer young people in his faith.

Across the U.S., circumstances vary widely for LGBTQ youth seeking religious engagement.

Some major Christian denominations, including the Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention, condemn same-sex unions and say all sexual activity outside of a marriage between a man and a woman is sinful. But thousands of houses of worship, including many mainline Protestant churches and synagogues, have LGBTQ-inclusive policies.

Another who has been telling her story publicly is 21-year-old Lily Clifford, also a youth ambassador for Beloved Arise, who was raised Southern Baptist in Missouri in what she called a "very fundamentalist, very homophobic" environment where she often heard that gay people would end up in hell.

Last year Clifford, who identifies as pansexual, came out while attending Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon, and began a club on campus with other queer youth of faith. Meetings are private because they fear reprisals from other students at the Christian college.

"If you have everyone telling you that God hates you and you're going to hell and your family disowned you, or you get fired from a religious job … it causes a lot of depression and you feel isolated," Clifford said. "So just one person telling you God does love you … listening to you, can make all the difference."

Christine Wehner, 22, grew up in northern Virginia and attended a Presbyterian church with her family until she came out as gay in 2019, during college. As a child she never questioned her church's teachings that homosexuality was a sin, she said.

"Once I realized I was gay, two core identities — my sexuality and my faith — felt like they were in deep conflict. I felt like I had to choose one or the other," she said via email. "But I couldn't; they were both too deeply ingrained in who I am."

The result was feelings of guilt, shame and cognitive dissonance that took years to overcome through prayer, therapy and guidance from mentors that helped her reconcile her queerness. She is not involved with the awareness campaign but spoke to The Associated Press with a similar aim of inspiring others.

"Seeing someone in a happy, healthy, God-honoring queer relationship may help relieve that shame for someone watching," Wehner said. "Similarly, queer people who aren't Christians might be able to have a more positive experience of Christianity."

• Luis Andres Henao is an author at Religion News Service.
• First published in RNS. Republished with permission.

He is a wonderful character.

His character gives us a testimony of the special relationship that exists between the fidelity of old age and the honour of faith.

He's a proud one, eh?

I would like to speak precisely about the honour of faith, not only about faith's consistency, proclamation, and resistance.

The honour of faith periodically comes under pressure, even violent pressure, from the culture of the rulers, who seek to debase it by treating it as an archaeological find, an old superstition, an anachronistic fetish, and so on.

The biblical story— [2 Mc 18-28], but it is good to read it all—tells of the episode of the Jews being forced by a king's decree to eat meat sacrificed to idols.

When it's the turn of Eleazar, an elderly man highly respected by everyone, in his 90s; highly respected by everyone—an authority—the king's officials advised him to resort to a pretence, that is, to pretend to eat the meat without actually doing so.

Dishonouring the faith in old age, in order to gain a handful of days, cannot be compared with the legacy it must leave to the young.

Hypocrisy. Religious hypocrisy. There is so much!

There is so much religious hypocrisy, clerical hypocrisy, there is so much.

These people tell him, "Be a little bit of a hypocrite, no one will notice. In this way Eleazar would be saved, and—they said—in the name of friendship he would accept their gesture of compassion and affection. A hypocritical way out. After all, they insisted, it was a small gesture, pretending to eat but not eating, an insignificant gesture.

It is a little thing, but Eleazar's calm and firm response is based on an argument that strikes us.

The central point is this: Dishonoring the faith in old age, in order to gain a handful of days, cannot be compared with the legacy it must leave to the young, for entire generations to come.

But well-done Eleazar!

An old man who has lived in the coherence of his faith for a whole lifetime, and who now adapts himself to feigning repudiation of it, condemns the new generation to thinking that the whole faith has been a sham, an outer covering that can be abandoned, imagining that it can be preserved interiorly.

And it is not so, says Eleazar.

Such behaviour does not honour faith, not even before God.

And the effect of this external trivialization will be devastating for the inner life of young people.

But the consistency of this man who considers the young!

He considers his future legacy, he thinks of his people.

We will show, in all humility and firmness, precisely in our old age, that believing is not something "for the old."

No. It's a matter of life.

It is precisely old age—and this is beautiful for all you old people, isn't it!—that appears here as the decisive place, the irreplaceable place for this testimony.

An elderly person who, because of his vulnerability, accepts that the practice of the faith is irrelevant, would make young people believe that faith has no real relationship with life.

It would appear to them, from the outset, as a set of behaviours which, if necessary, can be faked or concealed, because none of them is particularly important for life.

The ancient heterodox "gnosis," which was a very powerful and very seductive trap for early Christianity, theorized precisely about this, this is an old thing: that faith is a spirituality, not a practice; a strength of the mind, not a form of life.

Faithfulness and the honour of faith, according to this heresy, have nothing to do with the behaviours of life, the institutions of the community, the symbols of the body. Nothing to do with it.

The seduction of this perspective is strong, because it interprets, in its own way, an indisputable truth: that faith can never be reduced to a set of dietary rules or social practices. Faith is something else.

The trouble is that the Gnostic radicalization of this truth nullifies the realism of the Christian faith, because the Christian faith is realistic.

The Christian faith is not just saying the Creed: It is thinking about the Creed and understanding the Creed and doing the Creed. Working with our hands.

Instead, this gnostic proposal pretends, but [imagines] that the important thing is that you have an interior spirituality, and then you can do whatever you please.

And this is not Christian.

It is the first heresy of the gnostics, which is very fashionable at the moment, in so many centres of spirituality and so on.

It makes void the witness of this people, which shows the concrete signs of God in the life of the community and resists the perversions of the mind through the gestures of the body.

The gnostic temptation, which is one of the—let us use the word—heresies, one of the religious deviations of this time...the gnostic temptation remains ever-present.

In many trends in our society and culture, the practice of faith suffers from a negative portrayal, sometimes in the form of cultural irony, sometimes with covert marginalization.

The practice of faith for these gnostics, who were already around at the time of Jesus, is regarded as a useless and even harmful external, as an antiquated residue, as a disguised superstition. In short, something for old men.

Young people are watching us, and our consistency can open up a beautiful path of life for them.

Hypocrisy, on the other hand, will do so much harm.

The pressure that this indiscriminate criticism exerts on the younger generations is strong.

Of course, we know that the practice of faith can become a soulless external practice.

This is the other danger, the opposite, isn't it? And it's true, isn't it? But in itself, it's not so.

Perhaps it is for us older people—and there are still some here—to give faith back its honour, to make it coherent, which is the witness of Eleazar: consistency to the very end.

The practice of faith is not the symbol of our weakness, no, but rather the sign of its strength.

We are no longer youngsters.

We were not kidding around when we set out on the Lord's path!

Faith deserves respect and honour to the very end: It has changed our lives, it has purified our minds, it has taught us the worship of God and the love of our neighbour.

It is a blessing for all!

But the faith as a whole, not just a part of it.

Like Eleazar, we will not barter our faith for a handful of quiet days.

We will show, in all humility and firmness, precisely in our old age, that believing is not something "for the old."

No.

It's a matter of life.

Believe in the Holy Spirit, who makes all things new, and He will gladly help us.

Dear elderly brothers and sisters—not to say old, we are in the same group—please look at the young people: they are watching us.

They are watching us.

Don't forget that.

I am reminded of that wonderful post-war film: "The Children Are Watching Us."

We can say the same thing with young people: Young people are watching us, and our consistency can open up a beautiful path of life for them.

Hypocrisy, on the other hand, will do so much harm.

Let us pray for one another.

May God bless all of us old people.

• Pope Francis

If we want to prevent suicide and help our kids open up about mental health, there are a couple of things we need to get on to.

We need to do more to make those struggling more comfortable to speak up when they're considering suicide, King says.

Last week, King made his feelings crystal clear in a Facebook post after Olympic track cyclist Olivia Podmore's tragic death.

Schools all over the country have young people suffering from serious mental health issues, he says.

King notes when he was speaking at schools around New Zealand, he discovered about two in every five school kids will suffer a major crisis often associated with some sort of suicidal thinking. For some students, this is a one-off thought. For others, it's recurring.

King says when people hear that statistic, they panic. There's no need to panic though, he indicates. In his opinion suicidal thoughts are normal, despite some health professionals treating people who have suicidal thoughts as having a mental illness.

"Having a suicidal thought doesn't make you mentally ill, it makes you human," he says.

"If you haven't left your house at least once in your life thinking 'what's the point?' then you need to get out of the marshmallow you're living in."

King says the statistic New Zealanders should really be worrying about is that about 80 percent of young people who have recurring thoughts of suicide never ask for help.

"When you drill down and ask why, the reason they never ask for help is because they are worried about what other people will think, say and do with that information. In other words, they're worried about us," he says.

King says Kiwis need to start thinking about what we're doing to encourage others to speak up when they're struggling.

"Most of us have never had that conversation ever. My question is why?" he says.

Opening up to kids about your own vulnerability to mental health issues is important, King says. That way, he's found they feel safe to confide in him about themselves.

King says his sincere hope for other Kiwis is that they "stop pretending you have your shit together."

"If you take off your mask and be more vulnerable in front of your kids, maybe, just maybe, they'll be able to take off their mask and reach out and ask for help before something tragic happens."

Where to find help and support:

Shine (domestic violence) - 0508 744 633
Women's Refuge - 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE)
Need to Talk? - Call or text 1737
What's Up - 0800 WHATS UP (0800 942 8787)
Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland
Youthline - 0800 376 633, text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat
Samaritans - 0800 726 666
Depression Helpline - 0800 111 757
Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)
Shakti Community Council - 0800 742 584

Source

• Newshub
• Image: Health Central

The board of the Anglican Family Care centre has appointed Annabelle Cullinane as its first intern director, working alongside the board for a two-year term.

She would not have voting rights but would gain insights and experience and could share her perspective with directors.

The idea was first developed by Anglican Family Care board member and former chairman Jim Hawker.

Many young people had a strong social conscience so it seemed both logical and beneficial to involve them in the decision-making process of community not-for-profit organisations, he said. Read more