<![CDATA[The Catholic Church currently embraces the spirit of synodality as the foundation for the entire community to fulfill its mission. In this spirit, Catholic youth are no longer viewed merely as the next generation but as active pastoral agents playing a vital role in both society and Church ministry. However, the reality at St. Anthony of Padua Station in Pakisaji reveals that youth empowerment does not yet fully reflect this synodal spirit. Guidance provided by Church leaders remains dominated by supervision and control, thereby limiting opportunities for young people to develop creativity, leadership skills, and independence, or to participate in decision-making processes. This situation highlights a gap between the Church's ideal viewing all the faithful as active participants and guidance practices that do not yet fully entrust responsibility to the youth. Consequently, this article aims to analyze the role of Church leaders in realizing synodality through youth empowerment at St. Anthony of Padua Station, Pakisaji, and to propose a more participatory approach to guidance. The study employs a literature review approach complemented by direct observation of the pastoral situation on the ground. The findings indicate that guidance grounded in dialogue, active participation, and youth capacity building can enhance youth engagement in the life of the Church. Therefore, Church leaders need to act as mentors, facilitators, and dialogue partners so that youth empowerment can foster a Church that is increasingly synodal, inclusive, responsible, and relevant to the needs of the faithful.]]>
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