JY Newsletter August 2014

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CONTD. ON PAGE 3
OFTEN I ASK JESUS YOUTH, “WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST FASCINATING ABOUT THE MOVEMENT?”
“Among so many groups and organisations, how is it different?” Most often the frst answers would
be, “In Jesus Youth there is an intimate fellowship” or “It is a close-knit family”. I think people in the
movement frst think of their deep relationships. Of course, then people continue to speak about its
spirituality, the six pillars, joyful Catholic identity and the like. But often what they value most in the
movement is that here they belong like in a family. Jesus Youth started with its small beginnings in
Kerala and has travelled through many fruitful years, reaching out to different lands and cultures.
In many countries the movement fnds itself amongst a variety of other Catholic movements.
THE FAMILY
HOUSEHOLD
PRAYER
POWERHOUSE
INT’L ASSEMBLY
& INT’L COUNCIL
GLOBAL
NEWSWATCH
9 10 6
13
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T

2
0
1
4
THE JOY OF JOURNEYING TOGETHER AS ONE FAMILY OF FAITH
JESUS YOUTH
A JOYFUL
FAMILY
TRUE JOY COMES FROM
A PROFOUND HARMONY
BETWEEN PERSONS,
SOMETHING WHICH WE
ALL FEEL IN OUR HEARTS
AND WHICH MAKES US
EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY OF
TOGETHERNESS, OF MUTUAL
SUPPORT ALONG LIFE’S
JOurneY. But the BAsIs Of
THIS FEELING OF DEEP JOY IS
THE PRESENCE OF GOD, THE
PRESENCE OF GOD IN THE
FAMILY AND HIS LOVE, WHICH
IS WELCOMING, MERCIFUL,
AND RESPECTFUL TOWARDS
All ... But If GOd’s lOve
IS LACKING, THE FAMILY
lOses Its hArMOnY, self-
CENTREDNESS PREVAILS AND
JOY fAdes. But the fAMIlY
WHICH EXPERIENCES THE JOY
OF FAITH COMMUNICATES IT
nAturAllY. thAt fAMIlY Is
THE SALT OF THE EARTH AND
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, IT
IS THE LEAVEN OF SOCIETY AS
A whOle.
HOMILY OF POPE FRANCIS
SAINT PETER’S SQUARE,
27 OCTOBER 2013
HEART TALK
It has been an eventful year for me, from being elected the Jesus Youth
International Co-ordinator, moving lock, stock and barrel to Cochin from
Bangalore, to miraculously getting Maria - my youngest daughter, back from
the jaws of death.
In all this, I have been encountering the living God walking close beside me.
equally worth mentioning is the support and prayers of the Jesus Youth family.
their journeying with us in rough times has added a profound meaning to the
words ‘Jesus Youth family’. Jesus Youth from around the globe joined together
to intercede for our 14-month old daughter Maria who suddenly took ill and
was fghting for life in the Intensive Care unit from liver failure. doctors told us
to be ready to face the worst. they said, if anything, only prayers can help as
there was nothing much they could do.
word went out like fre to Jesus Youth all over the world and families started
praying, priests and religious offered holy Masses, little children in the
community we live in took turns through the night praying at the grotto of our
holy Mother and groups of Jesus Youth came together in a chapel near the
hospital for intercession before the Blessed sacrament. Messages of love and
assurance gave us strength and kept us going strong. In a couple of days, Maria
showed signs of improvement and responded to medication. every morning
she is a reminder of the power of what happens when God’s glory works on the
‘Impossible’.
during these times of trial in our lives, we were assured and constantly
reminded of the love of the Jesus Youth family keeping vigil all over the
world through prayer. the love, strength and willingness to go to any length
for a family member even when we personally do not know each other is an
assurance that we are one body in Christ.
A few weeks back I received a mail from a JY couple expressing their support
to the larger JY family in their own little way. they collected a small donation
during their child’s baptism and wanted it to be used for the JY International
trainings. recently, I also met a family who had lost one of their children in an
accident. I marvelled at the way they were able to accept it and make peace
with God. they expressed that their biggest strength during the crisis was the
support from the Jesus Youth family around.
each of us must have experienced this dimension of our movement. Many have
kept the doors of our homes open for Jesus Youth to come and share our love
despite the diffcult situations in our lives. this lifestyle of the Jesus Youth
family is becoming a ‘joyful contradiction’ to many.
I am reminded of Pope francis’ call in evangelii Gaudium “to fnd the source
and inspiration of all our efforts at evangelization by an encounter or renewed
encounter with God’s love, which blossoms into an enriching friendship,
whereby we are liberated from our narrowness and self absorption. for if we
have received the love which restores meaning to our lives, how can we fail to
share that love with others”.
Over the years I have come to understand that when God touches or speaks
to us in our hearts, he speaks to us, from and to a place no man can reach or
touch. You recognise when the same power of love touches others and feel
a sense of belonging; and then our lives have a greater meaning becoming a
testimony of love.
I am glad I belong to this great big family of the Jesus Youth movement.
C. C. Joseph
Jesus Youth International Co-ordinator
Contd. from page 1
AUGUST 2014 PAGE 3
In a good family there is variety, yet deep
bonding. talking of movements, many of
the other groups around us bring together
people of a certain social class or age
group. But as in the body of Christ, in Jesus
Youth too, people of varying socio-cultural
backgrounds and age groups journey
together in faith, mutually sharing in their
lives and other concerns. Of course what
binds them closely is their life in the lord
and a deep desire to do what he wants. It
is often quite a joyful sight to see highly
learned scholars and ordinary labourers,
children, youth and elders, priests and
laity, all join hands in the movement
with great mutual love and respect. A
gathering of Jesus Youth is surely a place
where families and youth gladly go to and
children experience a time of great fun.
real families with open doors
Jesus Youth has spread far and wide,
yet there is a curious way in which the
movement takes root in most of these
places. very often there would be a family
that offered care and sustenance for the
young missionaries who try to begin Jesus
Youth in a place. not having many centres
or offce facilities proved to be a blessing
in disguise for the movement and it has
very often relied on such families for
all kinds of support. surely a number of
priests and sisters too have opened their
homes in a similar spirit.
how do these families support the
movement? In some cases a particular
family with a Jesus Youth experience
invites young people to meet in their
place. In many cities around the world
public institutions don’t welcome such
meetings, especially if convened by
an informal and gradually growing
movement like Jesus Youth. Of course
with many ministries and small
gatherings, some at odd times, a friendly
home is a better setting. It is highly
edifying to see how gladly so many of
these homes welcome these youth as
people sent by the lord, providing them
with rooms to meet, often offering a
place to stay and almost always food and
drink with simple Christian generosity.
And its fruits? Very often they have the
joy of seeing the work of the lord grow
in their area. In most cases the family
gradually becomes actively involved
in the movement shouldering greater
But certain characteristics make it unique
amongst these various groups. surely the
foremost among these distinguishing marks
would be its familial approach.
‘tharavaadu’ - a place of noble
traditions and welcoming spaces
eastern cultures are well-known for large
joint families with age-old traditions. In south
Indian culture, such a ‘tharavaadu’ would be
a traditional home in which generations live
together with deep bonds of love and mutual
regard. no wonder such a family would be a
joyful recess of healthy age-old ways and a place
where young and old of different generations,
men and women of varying family positions
would fnd their proper place and receive ample
care. such a family with open arms provides a
joyful space for everyone to discover and grow.
here sharing and caring become second nature
and welcoming others, a normal gesture.
such grand old families have become vague
memories or the stuff of old stories. Yet in a
beautiful way, the spirit of the lord seems
to awaken a similar style and culture in the
Jesus Youth movement. this big family is
able to provide a deep sense of belonging to
innumerable people. In a family, members
are bound by marriage and birth and also by
a shared culture. Mutual care and love makes
life at home rich and fulflling. Obviously, a
movement is quite different, yet there are
parallels. In Jesus Youth the experience of
a rebirth in the lord and a decision to walk
together with the other children of the lord
make a deep bonding possible. Built on this, a
shared prayer life, a sense of joint mission and
a variety of Christian cultural elements give rise
to a set of well-founded traditions that bring
about a deep family spirit in the movement.
COVER STORY
JESUS YOUTH - A JOYFUL FAMILY
IT IS HIGHLY EDIFYING
TO SEE HOW GLADLY SO
MANY OF THESE HOMES
WELCOME THESE YOUTH
AS PEOPLE SENT BY THE
LORD, PROVIDING THEM
WITH ROOMS TO MEET,
OFTEN OFFERING A PLACE
TO STAY AND ALMOST
ALWAYS FOOD AND DRINK
WITH SIMPLE CHRISTIAN
GENEROSITY.
responsibilities. Another great joy is that
the children of these host families discover
joyful pathways of life as they get to know
inspiring missionaries in the movement.
Perhaps the best fruit of these “open door”
families would be that they have left and
continue to leave an indelible mark on the
movement. the Jesus Youth movement has
indeed been modelled after these noble
gestures of joyful generosity and warm
hospitality.
A place for wholesome care
A family should be a joyful place to
belong. Many of us, surely, thank the lord
for the unconditional, wholesome and
enduring love and care that we ourselves
have received from our own families. some
of these refreshing qualities have entered
into the life and styles of the Jesus Youth
movement. “I was a wreck of a life. even
my family would reject me totally. But
the lord welcomed me, touched me
and changed me. It was here that I met
the lord. If it were not for Jesus Youth, I
would have been behind bars long ago.
Here many of my brothers and sisters very
gently followed up on me. they had such
patience. I am deeply indebted to this
movement.” his tears were the sign of his
deep sense of gratitude. now this person
is married, has three children, and his
home and his life are always at the service
of the lord. this young man has willingly taken
up his mission to reach out to other troubled
youth with the same care that changed his life.
And in this process he has opened his life and
his home for others.
Behind the deeply caring approach of the
movement there is this personal experience.
such a positive turnaround in life creates a
conviction and commitment to pass on the
same care to others. In lively Jesus Youth groups
there are ways to cultivate these wellsprings of
generous care-giving. And how do people pass
on this caring love? they take time to listen to
the worries and fears and also to offer some
solace and guidance. surely there are a number
of people to pray for others’ intentions. In a
world where no one has time to help anyone
else, here many fnd ready support in a variety
of personal and family concerns. for most of
the members of the movement when they
came to the crossroads of life, that is, when
they were faced with life’s decisions, there
was some mature help. In selecting a course
to study, fnding a job or entering into family
life or religious life, one fnds support in the
movement. no wonder for many, the movement
has become a second family, very often lending
support and guidance to live family life at home
in a more wholesome and fulflling manner.
faith formation leading to life
formation
when we ask how an intimate family spirit
comes about in the Jesus Youth movement, the
frst answers would point towards the informal
setting and constant interactions that are there
in the movement. then there are Jesus Youth
groups where friendly and welcoming spirits
prevail. Another equally important factor is
the approach and dynamics of Jesus Youth
programmes and formation sessions.
“In our parish we have had many youth
seminars and retreats in the past,” a young
boy told me recently, “But the four-day Jesus
Youth parish outreach was radically different”.
there were friendly, joyful youth in front singing
songs, informally addressing the forty
to ffty youth that had gathered there,
giving the group a highly enjoyable, yet
very meaningful time. “what surprised
me,” he continued, “was that they were a
bunch of friends changing us into a group
of friends”.
Among Jesus Youth programmes, on the
one hand, there are shorter seminars
and retreats, while on the other, there
are longer formation programmes, like
discipleship or Mission trainings and
fulltime volunteer Programmes. there
are some common characteristics to
most of the Jesus Youth sessions. there
is always a setting of joy, friendship and
freedom, allowing individual differences
and giving suffcient space for persons
to be themselves, and to move on at
their own pace. they say one’s true self
comes out only when one is playful or
in a setting of friendly celebration. In
any Jesus Youth programme there are
plenty of action or fun songs, icebreaker
activities, joyful pranks, all intended to
help the participants throw away masks
and allow the real self to come out. there
is ample opportunity to ask questions,
express differences, yet journey together
with peer leaders. this surely sets a frm
foundation to build a joyful family.
ANOTHER GREAT JOY IS
THAT THE CHILDREN OF
THESE HOST FAMILIES
DISCOVER JOYFUL
PATHWAYS OF LIFE AS THEY
GET TO KNOW INSPIRING
MISSIONARIES IN THE
MOVEMENT. BUT PERHAPS
THE BEST FRUIT OF THESE
“OPEN DOOR” FAMILIES
WOULD BE THAT THEY HAVE
LEFT AND CONTINUE TO
LEAVE AN INDELIBLE MARK
ON THE MOVEMENT.
SEPTEMBER 2009 PAGE 5 AUGUST 2014 PAGE 5
THE BEST OUTCOME OF
A SUCCESSFUL JESUS
YOUTH PROGRAMME IS A
GENUINE COMMITMENT TO
JESUS AND TO A PERSONAL
PROGRAMME OF CHRISTIAN
LIVING. VERY OFTEN A
SENSE OF RADIATING
JOY AND DEEP FAMILY
FEELING BECOMES A TRUE
BAROMETER OF ONE’S
ENTRY INTO THE MOVEMENT
THROUGH A FRUITFUL
JESUS YOUTH PROGRAMME.
THERE IS ALWAYS
A SETTING OF JOY,
FRIENDSHIP AND FREEDOM,
ALLOWING INDIVIDUAL
DIFFERENCES AND GIVING
SUFFICIENT SPACE
FOR PERSONS TO BE
THEMSELVES AND TO MOVE
ON AT THEIR OWN PACE.
THEY SAY ONE’S TRUE SELF
COMES OUT ONLY WHEN
ONE IS PLAYFUL OR IN
A SETTING OF FRIENDLY
CELEBRATION.
Keep in touch and be healed -
Overfowing of the intimacy of the group
into daily life is the true spirit of a Jesus
Youth family. remembering to pray for
one another, being in touch and spending
time together, and offering real help are
these channels of fellowship-building. this
should further grow into reconciliation,
forgiveness and opportunities of healing
hurts.
Share a culture and lifestyle - the
active participation in culture and
lifestyle creates a family. resolving to
actively live the ‘six pillars’ will build the
Jesus Youth community into a fruitful
family. this requires a lot of support and
encouragement. surely this spiritual
family should “stir up one another to love
and good deeds” (heb. 10: 23-25) and
help everyone in their journey of love and
holiness.
Belong, belong! -“tell me who your
friends are and I will tell you who you are”.
One becomes a Jesus Youth by becoming
an integral part of some Jesus Youth
fellowship. we will not only be transformed
by our active participation in it, but also
become a special infuence in the life of
others. then we will never be able to keep
away from these gatherings or other events
of signifcance!
when many families fall apart we see the
lord doing something marvellous. we
hear that families are under great threat.
Everywhere we hear bad news about
families. But thank God, in the universal
Church we hear so much of good news
about families, and one such good news
is the Jesus Youth movement. Jesus Youth
families as well as the deep family spirit in
the movement are two sides of the same
coin, a mirror image of the new generation
celebrating the joyful community life of the
father, Jesus and the holy spirit. the need
of the hour is that this tribe should increase.
And blessed are those who sell everything
and invest all of their wealth to take hold of
this invaluable treasure of great joy.
dr. edwArd edezhAth
One of the pioneering members and senior
animators of the Jesus Youth movement,
he shares several key responsibilities in the
Church, including being the Joint secretary
to the CBCI Commission for laity.
If anyone thinks that these programmes
are all fun and enjoyment, they fully miss
the point. every session leads to greater
self-refection and realisation, which
in turn challenges the person to have a
genuine relationship with the lord and
follow God’s plan. the best outcome of
a successful Jesus Youth programme
is a genuine commitment to Jesus and
to a personal programme of Christian
living. very often a sense of radiating
joy and deep family feeling becomes a
true barometer of one’s entry into the
movement through a fruitful Jesus Youth
programme.
What they do (or what you
should do) to build God’s
family
We have heard the story ending, “They
lived happily ever after”. Can we say the
same about the movement? I have heard
many say, “what a joyful community it
was. now no one has time. the wonderful
days are all gone”. the secret of a joyful
family life is the effort of its members
not just to ‘fall’ but also to ‘stay’ in love.
On a similar line, in the family of the
lord people experience a special joy of
becoming part of a beautiful family, but
then everyone has to allow the spirit
of the lord who is the real architect of
communion to continue building the true
house of God. we can do many things to
build God’s family around us.
Be childlike - Jesus said, ‘you have to
be born again’ to be part of this new
family. this is a spiritual rebirth as well
as a giving up of all self-importance and
becoming childlike. In Jesus Youth, the
efforts of everyone to be simple, joyful
and rejoicing in the company of others
will surely build a family.
Setting and sitting - setting for a family
gathering is not like a classroom, or a
performance space. Gather in a circle; if
more people are there, just crowd around.
some disorder is beautiful; help everyone
to realise that. If it can be managed, avoid
the artifciality of microphones and other
gadgets. And Jesus often had something to
eat when they came together.
Pray together, sing along - ‘A family that
prays together stays together’. use prayer
styles in which most of the group can
actively participate. Avoid the temptation
to use ‘impressive songs’ that only a few
can sing, but opt for ones that all will join
in. If needed make a song list and teach the
family. Joyful praying and singing builds up
the group.
Full of the Spirit and led by the Spirit
- As seasons change, a dry spell comes.
this is true of a group also. how to build
the community in such times calls for
maturity. Allow greater time to listen to
the word; to use Gifts and to go out in
Ministry. A group grows best when there
is lively use of praying and singing in the
spirit and active listening and sharing of
messages in the group.
THEY DEVOTED
THEMSELVES TO THE
APOSTLES’ TEACHING
AND TO THE FELLOWSHIP,
TO THE BREAKING OF
BREAD AND TO PRAYER
(ACTS 2:42).
HOUSEHOLD
THE FAMILY
friendship groups, families that welcome
young people and long lasting cell groups
have always been part of the Jesus Youth
lifestyle. Yet, as the movement spread
across cultures and continued its journey
into a deeper, missionary spirituality,
the need for a regular gathering of every
Jesus Youth was discussed over time in the
movement. the Jesus Youth household,
which evolved over the last few years, can
be perceived as an answer to the yearning
to enter deeply into the missionary life of
the Church. As a regular gathering of the
Committed and Confrmed members, the
household thus becomes the fundamental
unit of life in the movement.
“GATHERING EVERY MONTH, TO
BE NURTURED BY THE WORD
OF GOD, BEING ACCOUNTABLE
TO EACH OTHER CONCERNING
OUR SACRAMENTAL LIFE AND
PERSONAL DIFFICULTIES, AND
PRAYING THE JY PRAYER WHICH IS
A COMBINATION OF CHARISMATIC
AND CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYERS
MAKES THE HOUSEHOLD A
BlessInG In MY lIfe. heArInG
EACH ONE SHARE THE UNIQUE WAY
IN WHICH THEY ENCOUNTERED
THE LORD HAS ALSO BEEN A
PrOfOund exPerIenCe.”
DAVID VARGHESE MANJALI,
DUBAI, UAE
“THE HOUSEHOLD GIVES ME A
FEELING OF BEING PART OF A
FAMILY WHICH CARES FOR EACH OF
Its MeMBers; PrAYInG tOGether
AND HELPING EACH OTHER TO
GrOw In Jesus. the hOusehOld
REFLECTS THE WARMTH OF THE
JESUS YOUTH FAMILY TO ALL WHO
Are A PArt Of It.”
SEBASTIAN GEORGE,
RUWI, OMAN
“THE TRUE JY FEELING OF
A ‘FAMILY’ CAN BE FELT IN
A HOUSEHOLD AS WE HAVE
LEADERS BELONGING TO ALL
AGE GROUPS COMING TOGETHER
AND SPENDING TIME WITH EACH
Other In the lOrd. It Is AlsO An
OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE PROPER
FORMATION ON A REGULAR BASIS
BY UNDERSTANDING THE MONTHLY
hOusehOld MAterIAl. All thIs
IS REALLY HELPING ME IN MY
JOurneY As A Jesus YOuth.”
TIMSON THOMAS, DELHI, INDIA
AUGUST 2014 PAGE 7
JY households will eventually become
forums for the Committed and Confrmed
in the movement to come together
monthly for prayer, sharing, scripture
refection, catechesis, and discussion on
human and ecclesial realities with a view
to a common commitment.
Relevance of Households
l As the most basic
manifestation of the Jesus
Youth fellowship
By this everyone will know that you are
my disciples, if you have love for one
another (Jn. 13:35).
The Jesus Youth movement, by its very
nature has always veered towards the
formation of groups that resemble the
warm, close and enduring fellowship
between members of a family. Jesus
Youth households, in that sense, are
the most basic, tangible, regular and
“THE HOUSEHOLD HAS PROVIDED
EVERY JY WITH A SPIRITUAL
GROUNDING AND HAS KNITTED
us ClOse As A fAMIlY. wIth
REFLECTIONS THAT ARE
SPIRITUALLY NOURISHING AND
dIsCussIOns MOre YOuth-
ORIENTED AND PRACTICAL, I FEEL
EMPOWERED AND EQUIPPED TO
LIVE A FRUITFUL CHRISTIAN LIFE AS
A JY MIssIOnArY.”
SHANICE CASTELLINO,
MUMBAI, INDIA
“THE HOUSEHOLD REMINDS ME OF
THE EARLY CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
WHO CAME TOGETHER TO PRAY,
REFLECT ON THE SCRIPTURE
AND ENJOY A GREAT BOND OF
fellOwshIP. At the hOusehOld
MEETINGS, I AM TRULY INSPIRED BY
THE TESTIMONIES AND PERSONAL
shArInGs Of MY fellOw JY’s.
THE HOUSEHOLD HELPS ME TO
re-dIsCOver the true BAsICs Of
BeInG A Jesus YOuth.”
RAJESH JOSEPH, DUBLIN, IRELAND
“THE HOUSEHOLD ENABLES ME
tO hAve reGulAr fellOwshIP.
WE USUALLY END UP SPENDING
MORE TIME INFORMALLY AFTER THE
MeetInG hAs COnCluded. the
REFLECTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
ARE EVEN CARRIED FORWARD
thrOuGh OnlIne fOruMs - thIs
HELPS US TO BE ENGAGED WITH
THE TOPICS AND LEARNING TILL
the next hOusehOld.”
CHARLES ANTONY BASTIAN,
KARNATAKA, INDIA
“It Is A BeAutIful hOMe-lIKe
PLATFORM WHERE ALL JESUS
YOUTH COME TOGETHER LEAVING
ASIDE ALL BARRIERS OF AGE,
PROFESSION AND GENDER TO
SHARE, LEARN AND TO IDENTIFY
theIr PersOnAl MInIstrY; And
LEAVE BETTER EQUIPPED TO LIVE A
ChrIst-Centered lIfe.”
BABU JOHN, KERALA, INDIA
catechesis, it is the right platform for
growing together as a movement.
l As a platform where personal
missions are inspired, kindled
and set ablaze
One of the highlights in the journey of a
Jesus Youth - after a personal experience
of God and the recognition of the lordship
of Jesus - is the discovery of the personal
charisms and the involvement in a ministry
where these charisms can be exercised in
an effective way. the household, being a
gathering of individuals who are growing
“THOUGH I WAS SKEPTICAL
ABOUT BEING PART OF A
HOUSEHOLD IN THE BEGINNING,
I HAVE NOW COME TO REALISE
THAT A JY HOUSEHOLD IS
MUCH MORE THAN ANOTHER
MeetInG. nOt OnlY Is It An
OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE
CONCRETE ADULT CATECHESIS
And fOrMAtIOn; But It
PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR TRUE
fellOwshIP. the hOusehOld
MOSTLY REMINDS ME OF WHAT
THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH’S
GATHERINGS MIGHT HAVE BEEN
LIKE, COMING TOGETHER TO
UNDERSTAND THE TEACHINGS OF
ChrIst.”
THUSHARA ZACHARIAS,
JEBEL ALI, UAE
“THE JY HOUSEHOLD GIVES ME A
FEELING OF BEING IN A FAMILY
Get-tOGether. It AlsO GIves Me
A BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF THE
rICh teAChInGs Of the ChurCh.”
SIJUMON ABRAHAM, SINGAPORE
experiential manifestations of the Jesus
Youth family and its fellowship of love.
with regular gathering and growing in the
same household for years together, the
support and care arising from a deeper
understanding of each other will enable
the members to be a visible sign of the
Jesus Youth lifestyle in today’s world.
l As a sustained platform for
continued catechesis
As a lay movement rooted in the
contemporary world, the need for a
continued and uniform catechesis in
line with Jesus Youth spirituality has
been a constant desire of the leaders
of the movement across the world. the
regular gathering of Jesus Youth in the
same location ensures the dissemination
of this catechesis within a receptive,
prayerful, loving and mutually supportive
fellowship. each scripture theme for
catechesis is taken forward over three months.
while the frst month’s catechesis leads to
a refection on the nature of God in relation
to the theme, the second month looks at
its practical dimension. A community-
based deeper refection through the lectio
divina ties up this scripture theme in the
third month. As all the households around
the world participate in the same monthly
JUNE 2014
MATHEW 3:13-17
MAY 2014
ISAIAH 66:10-14
in their mission through different
ministries, inspires, catalyses, sharpens
and supports the personal call of each
Jesus Youth to be a missionary. even
though the household will not have
its own initiatives and ministries, it
inspires the participants to renew,
review and persevere in their mission.
l As a tangible sign of the
Jesus Youth pillars at work
The growth of the movement has
always been linked to its essential
emphasis - the six pillars. Yet at
least to some extent, the consistent
practice of these pillars has been
arbitrary and subjective. It is also
true that sustained growth in the
practice of the pillars calls for
support from a community of friends,
constant inspiration and prayer. the
households are thus called to be a
tangible sign and a workshop for the
six pillars at work.
The Working of a
Household
A single household typically holds
approximately 20-40 Committed and/or
Confrmed Jesus Youth congregating at
a regular venue in an easily accessible
place, so that the locations can be
shared - and travelling Jesus Youth can
also enjoy the experience of being in a
Jesus Youth household, in whichever
part of the world they are. A regular
Mary, Queen of the Apostles, pray that every
Jesus Youth be transformed by the power
of Pentecost and sent forth to be true
‘missionary disciples’ of your son Jesus.
the image of Mary Queen of the Apostles in the
‘cenacle’ envisaged and depicted by st. vincent
Pallotti, with several lay people around Mary along
with the Apostles, speaks a lot for the importance
of the role and mission of the laity in the Church.
the ‘cenacle’ is the place where ordinary human
beings are transformed into authentic apostles of
Jesus, always under the power of the holy spirit
and accompanied by Mary Queen of the Apostles.
these apostles then go forth from the ‘cenacle’
to proclaim the Good news of salvation to all
people. Mary Queen of the Apostles is adopted as
the guide and heavenly patroness of Jesus Youth
formation and households. hence, because of its
special relevance to the movement, this beautiful
image is being offcially promoted for use during
prayer and refection.
Image used with kind permission of 'the society of the
Catholic Apostolate'.
this joy is refected in praying together, shared
meals, times of laughter, etc.
the holy spirit is moving very powerfully in the
movement, giving greater clarity on the way
forward in its journey of holiness. the initiation
of households is one such step inspired by the
holy spirit. A Jesus Youth household is an avenue
for every single member to experience the love
and life of the movement, to share one’s life in
Christ, including one’s struggles and to develop a
truly Christian relationship with others within the
movement leading to a Jesus-centered fellowship.
“IN THE HOUSEHOLD, MY
FAITH HAS BEEN DEEPENED
THROUGH STRUCTURED
DIALOGUES, BY ENGAGING IN
REFLECTION AND BY SHARING
MY EXPERIENCE OF NOT
ONLY MY EXTRA ORDINARY
SPIRITUAL MOMENTS BUT
MY dAY-tO-dAY events.
CATECHESI TRADENDAE OF
POPe JOhn PAul II (nO. 43)
MENTIONS ‘THE CATECHESIS
OF ADULTS… IS THE PRINCIPAL
FORM OF CATECHESIS,
BECAUSE IT IS ADDRESSED
TO PERSONS WHO HAVE THE
GREATEST RESPONSIBILITIES
AND CAPACITY TO LIVE THE
CHRISTIAN MESSAGE IN A
fullY develOPed fOrM’. As
JESUS YOUTH, WE ARE EVEN
MORE OBLIGED TO ENSURE
OUR ONGOING CATECHISM
IN CREATIVE WAYS LIKE OUR
hOusehOlds.”
SHALINI ANTONY,
RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE
“EVERYONE LOVES TO HAVE
‘fAMIlY GAtherInGs’.
JESUS YOUTH IS MY FAMILY
AND JY’S ARE MY FAMILY
MeMBers. hOusehOld Is A
PRECIOUS ‘FAMILY TIME’ THAT
I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO
And eAGerlY wAIt fOr. I
treAsure It IMMenselY.”
NOBIN JOSE, SINGAPORE
“THROUGH THE HOUSEHOLD,
I RECEIVE ENCOURAGEMENT
AND MY SPIRITUAL LIFE IS
strenGthened. It OPens A
DOOR FOR ME TO SHARE MY
MISSION AND TO GET INSPIRED
BY lIstenInG tO Others.”
SHEJI VARGHESE,
GHALA, OMAN
“ACts 2:42 Is One Of MY
fAvOrIte BIBle verses.
BEING WITH THOSE WHO
ARE CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS,
EVEN AMIDST OUR BUSY
LIVES, IS TRULY A JOYFUL
exPerIenCe. I Get thIs
FEELING WHEN I AM IN MY
hOusehOld GrOuP. After
EACH GATHERING, I EAGERLY
wAIt fOr the next One.”
JITTO GEORGE,
SHARJAH, UAE
Jesus Youth household ideally meets
once a month for around 3 hours which
includes time for the ‘Jesus Youth
Prayer’ and catechesis, i.e. a scripture-
guided refection that is provided every
month to all households worldwide,
followed by a time of personal sharing,
listening, inspiring, complementing and
consoling each other - in the context
of personal living, spiritual growth,
ministry and mission. finally, there is a
special joy when Jesus Youth meet one
another in the presence of the lord.
JULY 2014:
ACTS 8:15
AUGUST 2014 PAGE 9
PILGRIMAGE 2014
JESUS YOUTH
INTERNATIONAL
TRAININGS 2015
the Jesus Youth Intercession website
http://intercessor.jesusyouth.org/ was
formally launched on 9 March 2014, the feast
of st. dominic savio. Intercession has been
and still is the backbone for all the endeavours
of the movement over the years. undoubtedly,
to joyfully participate in the
Canonisation Ceremony of Blessed
Chavara and Blessed euphrasia
on 23 november, Jesus Youth is
organising a pilgrimage to Italy
from 19 to 24 november 2014. the
pilgrimage would include visits
to places in rome, Assisi, san
Giovanni Rotondo (Padre Pio’s
shrine), lanciano (eucharistic
Miracle), etc. those interested
may contact the Jesus Youth
national Co-ordinators of their
respective countries for more
details and registration.
INTERNATIONAL
FULLTIME VOLUNTEERS’
TRAINING
4TH TO 31ST JULY, 2015
BANGKOK, THAILAND
INTERNATIONAL
LEADERS’ TRAINING
5TH TO 18TH JULY, 2015
BANGKOK, THAILAND
INTERNATIONAL
ANIMATORS’ TRAINING
20TH TO 31ST JULY, 2015
BANGKOK, THAILAND
PRAYER POWERHOUSE
it is the storehouse of prayer which
powers up each and every JY initiative
undertaken anywhere in the world.
the Intercession website was evolved as
a response to collate all the intercession
commitments worldwide. As an initial step, this
website helped individuals post their intercession
commitments for the ‘season of Prayer’- Ash
wednesday to Pentecost. Offering a holy Mass,
taking time for Adoration before the Blessed
sacrament, praying the rosary or the divine Mercy
Chaplet or fasting meals are some of the ways one
could intercede for the needs of the Church and of
the movement, and for the suffering brothers and
sisters across the world. they can also subscribe to
refections on various topics. developed by a team
from ‘ethicCoders’, the website has a wider scope
and is looking at further expansion. to make an
intercession commitment, log on to
http://intercessor.jesusyouth.org.
A JOURNEY ACROSS
SOME OF ITALY’S
IMPORTANT CENTRES OF
FAITH AND MIRACLES.
19 - 24 NOVEMBER 2014
As the year 2013 drew to a close bringing with
it new hopes and new beginnings, it was also
a time of great anticipation for the Jesus Youth
movement as thousands prayerfully awaited the
new Jesus Youth International Council (ICouncil).
In the run-up to the reconstitution, an
International Assembly was convened from 27 to
30 december with the participation of around 200
active leaders from nearly 20 different countries
27 TO 30 DECEMBER 2013 l ASHIR BHAVAN, COCHIN, INDIA
INTERNATIONAL
ASSEMBLY &
INT’L COUNCIL
RECONSTITUTION
around the world. Most rev. francis Kallarackal,
Metropolitan Archbishop of verapoly, Cochin,
India inaugurated the Assembly and spoke to
the delegates who had come together at Ashir
Bhavan, the Archdiocese’s Pastoral Centre
for the programme. the day ended with the
participants consecrating the Assembly to the
most Immaculate heart of Mary, while praying
the rosary. each of the days that followed was
structured on a daily theme and began with a
time of Praise and worship along
with praying the lectio divina.
On the frst day, the delegates
delved on God the father, through
the teachings of Pope francis’
apostolic exhortation evangelii
Gaudium. rev. fr. stephen
Alathara, deputy secretary of the
Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council led
this time of refection. the theme
for the day - JY formation - was
taken forward by Manoj sunny, JY
International formation director,
who gave the latest updates and
status of the formation plans. A
trial implementation was also
carried out with the participants
being split into three groups and
then asked to share their feedback
on the formation module provided
to them.
the focus of refection on the
second day was Jesus Christ, taking
inspiration from the writings of
Pope Benedict xvI in his book ‘Jesus
of nazareth’. It was animated by
rev. fr. Jacob Parappally Msfs -
rector, tejas vidya Peetha (Msfs
Institute of Contextual theology).
AUGUST 2014 PAGE 11
the day’s theme - JY Mission - was
explored by making the delegates
aware of the various mission
possibilities around them and by
highlighting the different missions
being presently carried out by JYs
across the globe. that evening
also featured a beautiful time of
worship led by the Crosstoc team.
Accompanying the great music was
awesome food from the ‘thattukada’,
re-creating the experience and taste
offered by the road-side food stalls
of Kerala. the long-day culminated
in the long-awaited reconstitution of
the JY International Council.
INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL
C.C. Joseph
(International Co-ordinator)
siljo thomas
(Assistant Co-ordinator)
fr. Bitaju Mathew O.ss.t
(International spiritual director)
Team members
subin Jacob
(International Mission director)
ravindha silva
Jithin George
Abhy Thomas
siju Mathew
sumol Pious
Bimesh Boniphus
Vandana Maria
Shimy Stephen
Manoj P. Jose
Animators
dr. Julio Kandhathil
Chackochan njavallil
fr. thomas tharayil
Ex-Offcio members
raiju varghese
Manoj sunny
(Int’l formation director)
Shoy Thomas
(JY India Co-ordinator)
freju sebastian
(JY europe Co-ordinator)
Bejoy Cherian
(JY Middle east Co-ordinator)
Seema Thomas (JY South East
Asia Co-ordinator)
core areas and challenges that they
faced and also shared suggestions on
how to improve the working style in
each country. recent happenings in the
movement and a few key future proposals
were also brought up.
Amidst much prayer and excitement, the
new International Council was announced
shortly afterwards with C.C. Joseph
(India) as Co-ordinator and siljo thomas
the holy spirit formed the fnal day’s
refection point. rev. fr. George
Kumblumoottil OP - dean of the faculty of
theology at st. Charles’ Major seminary,
nagpur based this time on the teachings of
Pope John Paul II’s encyclical ‘dominum et
vivifcantem’. the central theme for the day
– JY working style – then had C.C. Joseph
take the group through a time of refection
and discussion on the present working style
of the movement. the leaders discussed the
(Ireland) as Asst. Co-ordinator. the new
team was anointed and commissioned
during the holy Mass celebrated by
Most rev. Abraham viruthakulangara,
Archbishop of nagpur & ecclesiastical
Advisor - Jesus Youth.
the days of the Assembly were indeed
an immense blessing for the movement
globally. each of the delegates returned
to their respective countries with greater
zeal, conviction, clarity and enthusiasm;
and is today nurturing more missionaries
for the Catholic Church.
CELEBRATE JESUS
WITH REXBAND
OCTOBER 2014
10 October
Cork, Ireland
11 & 12 October
Dublin, Ireland
14 October
Naples, Italy
17 October
Rome, Italy
18 October
Olten, Switzerland
the logo and the offcial prayer for the
world Youth day 2016 was released by the
Metropolitan Archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal
stanislaus dziwisz on 3 July 2014. As per the
offcial communication, the logo is composed
of the geographical outline of Poland with a
Cross - the symbol of Christ who is the soul
of world Youth day. the yellow circle marks
the position of Krakow on the map of Poland
and is also a symbol of youth. the fame of
divine Mercy emerges from the Cross, and its
colours recall the image “Jesus, I trust in you”.
the colours used in the logo – blue, red and
yellow – are the offcial colours of Krakow and
its coat of arms. “Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7) is
the theme for wYd 2016 to be held in Krakow,
Poland from 25 July to 1 August 2016.
WORLD YOUTH DAY 2016
LOGO UNVEILED
KRAKOW, POLAND
25 JULY - 1 AUG. 2016
“BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL,
FOR THEY SHALL OBTAIN MERCY”
(MATTHEW 5:7)
GLOBAL NEWSWATCH
National Conference, Kuwait National Team, Sri Lanka ‘Voice 2014’, Sri Lanka
National Conference, Kuwait ‘Ad Gentes’, Canada
KUWAIT
 Medical Professionals’ Programme
A one-day programme for medical
professionals was organised at the City
Cathedral on 16 Jan. More than 350
members participated in the event.
 National Conference
The 6th National Conference – themed “Be
a Living Witness”, was organised on 25 Feb.
at the City Cathedral. Fr. Bitaju Mathew, JY
Int’l Pastor, was the main resource speaker
for this programme which was attended by
nearly 900 people.
 Camp Festival
Around 450 work camp dwellers came
together for a Camp Festival held at the
City Cathedral on 29 May.
 Re-commitment Day
Re-commitment Day was celebrated at the
City Cathedral on 7 June in which more
than 200 leaders, who after a fruitful time
of preparation, actively participated in the
liturgy and took the pledge.
Dinoy David
SRI LANKA
 Master Builders
A training programme to help twenty-
six youngsters grow in their discipleship
commitment was held from 11-13 April.
Subin Jacob, George Devassy, Fr. Jeewantha
Peiris and a few other priests animated the
programme. The presence of Most Rev. Dr.
Maxwell Silva, Auxiliary Bishop of Colombo,
was an added blessing.
 ‘Voice 2014’
Sixteen Jesus Youth attended a training
camp conducted for those presently
preaching the Word of God and for those
interested in doing so in the future.
 Discipleship Training Programme
The National DTP was held from 9-13 April
at St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa
with 63 participants from 5 dioceses.
 Teens’ Retreat
‘Step Up’ - an encounter retreat focused
on teens was organised parallel to the DTP
at the same venue from 11-13 April. Forty
teens from the diocese of Colombo made
the retreat.
 Service Team Reconstitution
The JY Sri Lanka National Service Team
Reconstitution was held on 12 April. The
new team with Shanuka Perera as Co-
ordinator, Meuru Muthuthanthri as Asst.
Co-ordinator and Fr. Daya Dharshana as
Spiritual Director was blessed by Most Rev.
Dr. Maxwell Silva.
 Re-commitment Day
Re-commitment Day, held on 7 June with
around 175 participants, included a Gospel
concert by the music ministry and an input
session based on the day’s theme.
Shanuka Perera
CANADA
 ‘Ad Gentes’
‘Ad Gentes’ is a four-part Catholic
workshop series for teens and youth of
Toronto introduced prior to the JY National
Conference. Dr. Edward Edezhath spoke on
Kerygma in the frst series while Fr. Hansoo
Park encouraged participants to live life like
saints in the modern world in the second
series. Both the series had more than 75
participants.
 Evening with Abp. Abraham
Few families, youth and teens came
together for a time of Adoration and
fellowship with Most Rev. Abraham
Viruthakulangara (Archbishop of Nagpur
and Ecclesiastical Advisor, Jesus Youth)
who was in Toronto for an evening.
 Adults’ Retreat
A retreat for the adult group was organised
from 3-4 May at St. Rose of Lima Church.
There were 35 participants for this retreat
led by Br. Thomas Paul, who inspired the
participants to be attuned to Jesus’ voice.
Boban Mathew
NEW ZEALAND
 ‘Familia ’14’
About 25 families and children came
together for the family retreat – ‘Familia ’14’
led by Elvis Kottooran from 24-27 April in
Christchurch. Most Rev. Barry Jones, Bishop
AUGUST 2014 PAGE 13
GLOBAL NEWSWATCH
‘Exult ’14’, New Zealand ‘Revive ’14’, Australia
‘Familia ’14’, New Zealand Family Leaders’ Training, Ireland
of Christchurch, celebrated Holy Mass on the
second day.
 ‘Exult ’14’
The annual youth retreat camp organised
by JY New Zealand was held this time from
30 May to 2 June at Auckland for 105 young
people. The main resource persons were
Br. Fritz Mascarenhas ICPE, India, Fr. Bony
Abraham MGL, Australia and Fr. Tony Alex
ICPE, New Zealand.
Soji Joseph
IRELAND
 Prayer Group Leaders’ Training
Budding leaders from prayer groups across
different parts of Ireland came together
in February for three days of training. The
participants stayed with JY families in and
around Dublin and had a live-in experience
of the JY lifestyle besides other input
sessions, activities and discussions.
 Family Leaders’ Training
An initiative of the National Family Team,
the training was held in June in Drogheda
to aid the participants to realise their call in
the Church. Dr. Edward Edezhath, one of the
senior animators of the movement, guided
the participants.
 Priests’ Gathering
The frst ever Priests’ Gathering organised
by JY Ireland took place on 29 May in Bray,
County Wicklow, animated by Dr. Edezhath.
It was an informal get-together of priests and
other lay leaders who have shown immense
support to the movement over the years.
Joel Jose
AUSTRALIA
 ‘Revive ’14’
As part of its 10th anniversary celebrations,
JY Queensland organised a Conference
- ‘Revive ’14’, from 24-27 April at Mt.
Tambourine for more than 100 married
couples, 50 youth, 45 teens and 30 kids.
Most Rev. Mark Coleridge, Archbishop of
Brisbane, celebrated Holy Mass on one of
the days. Resource persons included C.C.
Joseph (JY Int’l Co-ordinator), Alex Njavally,
Shayne Bennett (Emmanuel Community),
Fr. Bony Abraham MGL, Navin Thomas, etc.
 ‘Connect’ and ‘Capture’
A four-day initial retreat for teens
(‘Connect’) and youth (‘Capture’) was
conducted at Edmund Rice Centre,
Melbourne from 12-15 April. More than 35
teens and youth from different schools and
universities in Melbourne participated in
these retreats.
 Mission Trip
In January, a 7-member team visited the
Diocese of Mendi in Papua New Guinea for
two weeks, where they conducted a one-
week retreat, three days of training for the
youth as well as evening sessions for them
in the various mission stations.
 ‘Hours of Grace’ & ‘Adopt a Bishop’
JY Australia hosted round-the-clock
Eucharistic Adoration, ‘Hours of Grace’ for
the 3rd consecutive year from 1 March to 8
June in 18 Catholic parishes across 8 cities.
‘Adopt a Bishop’- a prayer initiative to pray
for the ‘Shepherds’ in Australia was also
launched during the ‘Hours of Grace’.
 ‘Youth Turn’
JY Adelaide organised a youth and teens
retreat named ‘Youth Turn’ from 2-3 May. C.C.
Joseph inspired the 35 young participants to
give their lives completely to Christ.
 ‘Trendsetters 2014’
The 7-day national training for Year 12 and
1st & 2nd year university students was
conducted from 10-16 Feb. George Devassy
along with Fr. Bony Abraham MGL led the
25 participants to deeper commitment and
discipleship.
 Pilgrimage on Wheels
Manoj Vechoorettu and his wife Binnu from
Melbourne along with their six children
aged 3-14 years set out on a pilgrimage across
Australia from 5-23 April. To celebrate the
‘Year of Families’ announced by the Church,
they travelled over 12,000 km in a van, visiting
over 30 cities and 21 Cathedrals, 40 Churches
and Shrines, while also meeting different JY
families across the country.
Navin Bruce Thomas
GLOBAL NEWSWATCH
National Leaders’ Gathering, USA National Youth Workshop, Oman
‘Crucis Singapura’, Singapore National Team, India
AUGUST 2014 PAGE 15
USA
 National Leaders’ Gathering
Jesus Youth USA National Leaders’
Gathering took place in Schaumburg,
Illinois from 2-4 May. Leaders from across
the country came together with Fr. Bitaju
Mathew and Dr. Edward Edezhath to
understand their call to mission and how to
answer the current needs of their regions.
 ‘Re:Collect 2014’
Jesus Youth families and youth gathered
for ‘Re:Collect 2014,’ a National Conference
held in Atlanta, Georgia in January, to
pray, refect and share their experiences.
Five programme streams were conducted
in parallel for the 700+ attendees, which
included several preists and Nuns. The
presence and teachings of Fr. Isaia Birollo,
a Scalabrinian missionary priest in Haiti
added depth to the programme.
 ‘JY NoW’
‘Jesus Youth Night of Worship’ is an open
event for youth in the Northeast and
Mid-Atlantic regions that includes music
interspersed with prayer, catechesis,
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and
opportunity for Confession. The event,
which was initiated last year and held
again in April, has so far drawn nearly 200
participants.
Princy Abraham
SINGAPORE
 ‘Crucis Singapura’
This year’s ‘Crucis Singapura’ on 12 April saw
123 participants walking barefoot from the
North, South, East and West corners of the
island to mark the Sign of the Cross across
Singapore. The intercession walk carried out
while contemplating the Way of the Cross
covered a total of 1132.2 km.
 ‘Feliz Navidad’
A joy-flled Christmas and New Year
celebration for campus students was held
on 11 Jan. at the Church of the Risen Christ
Parish Hall. More than 80 students from
various campuses attended the event, which
was blessed by the presence of JY Singapore
Spiritual Director, Fr. Frederick Quek and
C.C. Joseph.
Fionne Lai
INDIA
 National Team Reconstitution
From 27-28 Dec., the National Team
Reconstitution was held at Ashir Bhavan,
Kochi with around 85 leaders, animators,
and priests from eight different regions
present. Shoy Thomas was elected as the
new Co-ordinator and Reji Francis as the
Asst. Co-ordinator.
 Intercession for the CBCI Assembly
The 31st CBCI Plenary Assembly was
held in Kerala from 5-12 Feb. JY Kerala
organised 200 hours of intercessory
Adoration for the Assembly. Most Rev.
Abraham Viruthakulangara inaugurated the
intercession, which began on 4 Feb. at
St. Thomas Church, Palai.
 ‘Campus Vibes’
The National Campus Leaders’ Training was
held at Canossa Ashram, Mumbai, from 8-15
June. Nearly 19 leaders, from eight states,
attended the programme which began with
a retreat.
 Co-ordinators’ Meeting & NEM
More than 200 leaders from various parts of
India gathered at St. Thomas Mount, Chennai,
from 23-25 May for the Co-ordinators’ Meeting
and National Evaluation Meeting.
 ‘Chalo Bengal’ & Leaders’ Training
From 8-20 May, 30 teenagers from 13 states
came together for ‘Chalo Bengal’, which
started off with a preparatory programme at
Proggaloy Pastoral and Development Centre,
Kolkata. The fnal gathering following the
outreach had Most Rev. Thomas D’Souza
(Archbishop of Calcutta) join them. A Teens
Leaders’ Training was also conducted at the
same venue from 9-14 May.
Asha Sanil
OMAN
 National Youth Workshop
About seventy-fve youth leaders from
different parts of Oman gathered together
GLOBAL NEWSWATCH
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 www.jesusyouth.org  editor-in-charge: shelton Pinheiro  editorial team: Beena Manoj, Anu Pinheiro & liss thomas  layout: sanil Augustine  Printed by sr Graphics, Kottayam, Ph:+91 481-2301142
‘Chalo Bengal’ & Leaders’ Training, India ‘LEAD’, UAE Re-commitment Day, UK
O BELOVED MOTHER, HELP US, THE
JESUS YOUTH FAMILY, TO ALWAYS
LIVE IN FAITH AND SIMPLICITY LIKE
THE HOLY FAMILY OF NAZARETH.
AMEN.
on 24 Jan. for the workshop organised by
the National Youth Team. Jomy Abraham
and Steo Ouseph from UAE were the
resource persons for the event.
Lijin Sebastian
UK
 Pre-teens Programme
A two-day programme for pre-teens was co-
ordinated by the Pre-teens ministry of JYUK
at Newcastle & Sunderland. The programme
was an amazing experience for all the
children who participated.
 Youth Formation Programme
The JYCFPAM (Jesus Youth Centre for Prayer
and Mission) located in Sheffeld hosted
the ffth module of the Youth Formation
Programme 2014 from 31 Jan. to 2 Feb. With
16 participants, this time’s themes included
the meaning of Divine Love, Theology of the
Body, and Human Relationships & Chastity.
 ‘Awakening’
‘Awakening’, the 100-day Eucharistic
Adoration started this year on 2 March from
JYCFPAM, Sheffeld and concluded on 7
June at Ratcliff, Leicester. Jesus Youth in
the various regions were also encouraged to
organise as many days/hours of Eucharistic
Adoration in their own parishes during
this period. Additionally, Adoration also
happened in Ireland, Belfast and Italy.
 Re-commitment Day
On 7 June, around 200 JYs from all over UK
came together for a time of recommitment
and fellowship. Fr. Binu Palakapally,
National Pastor along with Fr. David Cain,
celebrated the Holy Mass. Sessions were
taken by Dr. Edward Edezhath, who also
visited most of the regions of UK.
 Cardiff Youth Retreat
Twenty youth who were regular attendees
of the local prayer group made this retreat
which started on 1 Nov. with a special All
Saints Day Mass. The retreat focused on the
importance of the Sacraments and how to
incorporate them in our daily lives.
 Sheffeld Youth Retreat
From 21-24 Feb., a youth retreat was
organised at Sheffeld for 14 participants.
The days also included a time of sharing
when the participants spoke about their
renewed love for the Sacraments and their
commitment to the pillars of the movement
as a pathway to Holiness.
 ‘Credo 2014’
Following the Sheffeld youth retreat,
‘Credo’ was started as a means for the
prayer group to share Jesus to people in
their parishes and schools. An outreach
music event to St. Patrick’s parish was
organised on 3 May.
 ‘Amen 2014’
A series of charity galas is being organised
in aid of the Outreach Child Support
project. The frst of the ‘Amen - To live is
Christ’ series took place in Birmingham on
29 March at Aston University with 45 adults
and 13 children in attendance.
Anju Abraham
UAE
 ‘Ente Pizha’
‘Ente Pizha’ – an audio visual retreat in
Malayalam on the Passion, was performed
in almost all the parishes of UAE during the
Lenten season.
 UAE Reconstitutions
A new National Council, National Youth
team, National Family team, Regional
teams, Mission team and Formation team
were formed during the reconstitution held
on 4 April at St. Francis Assisi Church, Jebel
Ali. Jecko George is the new National Co-
ordinator and Fr. Varghese Chempoly, the
Spiritual Director.
 One Month Mission
On 28 Feb., Vinish Scaria, Rijo Vinish and
their four kids proceeded for a month
to Uganda - the mission continent of JY
Middle East. They stayed in one of the
parishes of the Tororo Archdiocese and
reached out to the locals of the place.
 Re-commitment Day
Re-commitment Day celebrations were
conducted in different streams across UAE
on the Feast of Pentecost. In preparation,
the Holy Spirit Novena was prayed in
different locality groups.
 OCS Benefactors’ Meetings
Between 25-31 May, Outreach Child Support
benefactors came together in different
regions of the UAE. Subin Jacob, the Project
Director, addressed these meetings.
 ‘LEAD’
The 4th batch of ‘LEAD’ - Leadership
Enhancement for Active Discipleship – is
presently underway with 25 participants
from across the Emirates. This ‘discipleship-
centered’ formation, which spans over
a year and includes six modules, will
also have the group travel to another
country for mission exposure. They will be
commissioned by Jan. 2015.
Vincy Sybin

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