PORTLAND — Pope Francis has announced that a Synod of Bishops, with the theme “Youth, Faith, and Vocational Discernment,” will be held in October of 2018. A synod is an assembly of bishops from around the world who assist the Holy Father by providing counsel on important questions facing the Church.

To involve them in preparations for the synod in Vatican City, Pope Francis has asked young people around the world to “make your voice heard, let it resonate in communities and let it be heard by your shepherd of souls.”

In that spirit, Bishop Robert P. Deeley is inviting all Maine young people, ages 16 to 29, to complete a survey on the Diocese of Portland website, providing an opportunity for the group to offer their opinions, viewpoints, and suggestions. The results of the survey will be correlated and provided to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for a report that will be submitted to the Vatican.

“The results from young people in Maine will also assist the diocese in our own planning as we look for ways in which to better engage them in the Church,” said Bishop Deeley. “Maureen Provencher, the diocese’s coordinator for youth and young adult ministry, will be studying the surveys as they come in and reporting what the voices of our young people are saying to us as we plan ministries not only for them, but with them. Parish life will be richer for it as we discover new ways to bring God’s love into the world around us.”

FMI, survey: bit.ly/2gPTCgl.