Adults, stop and go back

For one thing, the articles have something significantly different about them this year. Our award-winning annual teen issue is usually for and about young Catholics, but written by our staff. This year, a panel of four teenagers from around the Diocese has penned articles about their peers (see page 2). In addition, five essay-winners tell about their favorite places to pray, ranging from a cathedral in France to a church in downtown Albany. We invited this input as another way of marking our 75th anniversary in 2001; in this way, we are not only celebrating the past but also looking ahead to the future of the Catholic press.

We say to anyone who has not read the teen section, "Stop and go back." Those who spend time there will find much to ponder, from the array of prayer places to the profile of young woman with Tourette syndrome who considers God a part of her everyday life (see pages 18-19).

Also in that section are profiles of teen Catholics who give of themselves to others, living out the Christian command to love their neighbors. There are also discussions of important issues that adolescents must confront: the new war against terrorism, for example, and the powerful stresses of growing up today.

What teenagers have to say about their faith and prayer, their involvement in their parish and world, and their fears and hopes for the future should be read by everyone, regardless of their age. The teen section, far from being "for kids only," has much to offer all Catholics, including powerful proof to oldsters that their Church is being passed along to very good hands.

(11-08-01)