On the role of sex and relationship education in Roman Catholic youth ministry

Abstract This article examines the role of sex and relationship education within Roman Catholic youth ministry, with reference to the German context. In Part 1, it analyzes how young people shape their sexual identity and relationships in late modern society. While adolescents seek stable and meaningful relationships, they do so in a setting marked by freedom as well as by new pressure and uncertainties. This creates a tension between lived reality and traditional ecclesial norms. Part 2 explores developments in magisterial teaching, especially since the Second Vatican Council and in Pope Francis’s Amoris Laetitia . The author argues that a shift can be observed from a natural law-based and rule-oriented framework towards a more personalistic and relational ethic, centered on love, conscience, and gradual moral growth. This perspective allows for a constructive engagement with the lives of young people. Part 3 translates these insights into educational implications for youth ministry. It proposes an approach focused on personal development, relational capacity, and education in love, emphasizing the importance of trust, credible role models, peer learning, and reflective group processes. Rather than merely transmitting norms, pastoral care should support children and adolescents in developing responsible and meaningful relationships.