“We want a Church that knows what it’s like to be a high school student.” “We want a Church that wants to get to know us.” “We want to pass on the faith to our children, and we need the Church to help us.” “We balance our careers and our relationships, but we still long for God.”
These are the voices of young Catholics, expressing their desire for a Church that truly listens to their questions, ideas, hopes and needs.
Responding to that request, the Jesuits West Province, in partnership with Christus Ministries—an organization founded to empower young adults and parishes to grow spiritually, change lives and transform communities—recently launched Speak Up: The Jesuits Are Listening, a new initiative designed to hear what youth, young adults and young families have to say about how the Church and the province might better serve, accompany and form them.
While “Speak Up” complements the broader regional spiritual conversations already underway across Jesuits West, it has a distinct focus: amplifying the voices of those who will shape the Church’s future. According to Fr. Tri Dinh, SJ, one of the organizers of “Speak Up”, the initiative is rooted in Ignatian discernment and relational ministry and is about encountering young people where they are. He said, “This effort is not simply a data-gathering exercise—it is a formative process that seeks to build trust, foster authentic dialogue and renew the province’s relationship with the next generation. Our goal is not only to listen, but to allow what we hear to transform how we serve.”
In the coming months, listening sessions will be held across the province’s 11 regions and apostolic sectors. To ensure that diverse voices are heard, sessions—both virtual and in-person—will take place in high schools, colleges, parishes and young adult communities.
Participants will gather for spiritual conversations, facilitated by Jesuits and lay collaborators. They will be invited to share their lived experiences and spiritual longings in a spirit of openness and accompaniment. The insights gathered through the listening sessions will then be synthesized and discerned into a proposal for Fr. Sean Carroll, SJ, provincial of Jesuits West, by late April 2026, which can be integrated into the wider regional apostolic plans being developed. Fr. Carroll hopes that Speak Up’s findings “help shape a future that is responsive, inclusive and aligned with the Universal Apostolic Preferences, ensuring that the province’s ministries continue to accompany young people with compassion, creativity and hope.”
The effort is being led by a group of Jesuits including: Fr. Tri Dinh, SJ, director, Christus Ministries; Fr. Greg Celio, SJ, director adult formation, Bellarmine Preparatory School (Tacoma); Alex Phan, SJ, theology studies, Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University; Fr. Radmar Jao, SJ, socius, Jesuits West Province; Chinh (Chris) Nguyen, SJ, theology studies, Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University; Brad Mills, associate pastor, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (San Diego) and Fr. John Guyol, SJ, provincial assistant for vocations, Jesuits West Province. To learn more, visit here.
