Editor: Bishop Vásquez, as we discussed in the December issue, one of your priorities for 2025 is young adults. What is happening in our diocese when it comes to young adults?

Bishop Vásquez: Nationally, many of our young adults are leaving the church. I am deeply concerned about why they are leaving and what the church needs to do to keep them. Because our diocese is blessed with four major universities as well as several community colleges and we have growing young adult groups throughout Central Texas, we must reach out to them, invite them and involve them. Their presence is vital to the Catholic Church.

As a diocese we must invest resources to strengthen our ministry to young adults; therefore, we have implemented a new young adult initiative, which is led by the Office of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry. Seven regions have been established throughout the diocese where young adult leaders will be named, and quarterly activities will be announced. The goal is that everyone from the young adults themselves to parish staff members and families will be able to connect young adults with parish communities and help them boldly live out their Catholic faith.

We must listen to our young adults and find out what it is they want from the church. We want them to feel welcome in our parishes, and we want to invite them to participate in all the ministries offered. Visit centraltexascatholic.org to find out more information about this initiative.

Editor: How does Pastoral Juvenil Hispana fit into the initiative?

Bishop Vásquez: Pastoral Juvenil is the Hispanic young adult ministry in our diocese that has been active for many years. We want to continue to strengthen this ministry with more resources to serve our growing population of Hispanic young adults, and we want to increase parish support for this ministry. The goal of this initiative is to form all our young adults so that they understand and embrace the call of Christ to discipleship and service.

Editor: You have appointed two priests to serve as spiritual advisors for young adults. What does this mean?

Bishop Vásquez: Recently, I appointed Father Enrique Sada-Coeto, associate pastor of St. William in Round Rock, to serve as spiritual advisor for Pastoral Juvenil. He is one of the youngest priests in the diocese; born in Mexico, he studied here at the University Texas.

I have also appointed Father Chris Smith, who served at Texas A&M University and is now pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in La Grange, as the spiritual advisor for young adult ministry in the diocese.

These priests are full of zeal for Jesus Christ, they love the church, and they want to help young adults to live their Catholic faith. They have hearts to listen to what our young people are asking from the church. They serve as advocates for the young adult population, and they will help guide the formation of lay young adult ministry leaders. I am grateful to Fathers Sada-Coeto and Smith for undertaking these roles in addition to fulfilling their responsibilities at their assigned parishes. Please join me in praying for them.

Editor: How will this initiative be funded?

Bishop Vásquez: The initiative is funded by the Encountering Christ Campaign, which has been such a blessing to our diocese. Even though the campaign is completed, the funds it raised continue to allow us to serve the people of God. I am extremely grateful to all who participated in this campaign because it allows me to provide the resources and funds necessary to undertake initiatives such as this one for our young adults.

Editor: What is your prayer for young adults as we move forward?

Bishop Vásquez: Heavenly Father, you sent your only begotten Son Jesus Christ to save us and through the Holy Spirit to lead us to you. Fill our young adults with zeal and joy in knowing Christ and in offering their lives in service to his church. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Blessed Carlo Acutis, who will soon be the first millennial to be canonized, pray for us.

Find more information at centraltexascatholic.org.