World Youth Skills Day is a global initiative aimed at promoting the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. For Catholics, this day serves as a reminder of our responsibility to empower young men and women with not only practical skills but also spiritual formation and moral guidance rooted in our faith.

Catholic social teaching emphasises the dignity of work and the importance of providing opportunities for individuals to develop their talents and abilities. Pope Saint John Paul II, in his encyclical Laborem Exercens, underscores the value work as a means of personal fulfilment and contribution to the common good. Skills development, therefore, is not merely about acquiring technical expertise but also about fostering integral human development – spiritually, morally and socially.

Young Catholics are called to actively participate in the life and mission of the Church and society. Pope Francis, in his apostolic exhortation Christus Vivit, calls upon young people to “awaken the world” with their enthusiasm, creativity and commitment to justice. This includes developing skills that enable them to serve others effectively, whether through pastoral ministry, social work, education, healthcare or other forms of vocational service.

As Catholics, we are called to accompany young people on their journey of skills development, equipping them to become servant leaders who bring hope, healing and compassion to a world in need. By nurturing their talents and empowering them with the skills and virtues of our faith, we contribute to building a society rooted in justice, solidarity, and love. May World Youth Skills Day inspire us all to invest in the future of young Catholics, recognising their potential as instruments of God’s peace and agents of transformative change in our communities and beyond.