By NZ CATHOLIC staff
As a response to the Synod on Youth in 2018, the Bible Society of New Zealand has developed and released a unique youth Catholic New Testament.
Identity:Identified is a guide to navigating the challenges of life and has been designed to help teenagers who wouldn’t normally read sacred Scripture to discern their calling in life and identify why God created each one of us in the unique way he did.
A key element is the inclusion of 24 x 4 page inserts addressing each of the big challenges teenagers face from a Catholic perspective, that were identified at the synod. Topics include loneliness, peer pressure, living in a sexualised world, online bullying, coping with rejection, why am I here, where is God when it hurts, why am I so anxious, making good choices, is life really worth living, among others.
This unique publication includes a revised Good News translation of the New Testament with hundreds of passages highlighted that touch on some of the above issues.
This material was written by bishops and theologians from seven countries in the Asia-Pacific region such as Cardinal John Dew (NZ), Bishop Michael Dooley (NZ), Archbishop Mark Coleridge (Aust), the late Cardinal Sim (Borneo), Archbishop Simon Poh (Malaysia), Bishop Broderick Pabillo (Philippines), and others.
There are also 32 QR codes throughout that link to videos of young people and others talking about their struggles and how they managed to get through, and the part of Scripture that helped. In addition, there is a downloadable app that links to the inserts, videos and the daily readings.
Cardinal Dew has given his full support to this special youth New Testament.
“This wonderful book will be a practical tool to help everyone but especially young people to follow Jesus as they navigate the challenges of life and trust him as a true friend and companion. Reading Identity:Identified will remind teenagers that God loves each one of us and most importantly, will never abandon us especially in our most vulnerable times. This youth New Testament has my full support and that of the bishops in Aotearoa NZ,” Cardinal Dew said.
NZ Catholic understands that Identity:Identified is to be launched this week at a Youth Mass in Wellington, with Archbishop Paul Martin, SM, as principal celebrant.
For more details contact the developer of the project, John Bergin, who is the Catholic advisor to Bible Societies throughout the Asia-Pacific region: [email protected] or check out https://identityidentified.nz/
Photo: Cardinal John Dew gives a copy of Identity:Identified to Pope Francis.
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