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JESUSYOUTH
JULY 2007

International Newsletter

New Media
A MISSIONARY MOVEMENT AT THE SERVICE OF THE CHURCH

New Avenues
LIVING AND SHARING THE FAITH IN A FAST CHANGING, MEDIA-DRIVEN CULTURE

THE PRESTIGIOUS NEW YORKER MAGAZINE RECENTLY ORGANIZED A CONFERENCE WHICH

BROUGHT TOGETHER SOME OF THE FOREMOST PROFESSIONALS, MANAGEMENT THINKERS,
ART HISTORIANS, TECHNOLOGY EVANGELISTS, MEDICAL EXPERTS, SOCIAL
PSYCHOLOGISTS AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGISTS ON A COMMON PLATFORM.
The conference, titled ‘2012 - Stories from the near future’ attempted to
take a look at the future of Morality, Art, Mobile Technology, Web, Corporate
Power, Medicine and such other factors in the light of the new media and
communication technology. Interestingly, a host of other agencies too are
involved in similar independent projects around the world at the time of
this writing.

CONTD. ON PAGE 3
 HEART TALK
For a week now, I have been with the present batch of International volunteers,
having joined them at the fag end of their training. The picturesque venue – a
Franciscan retreat centre – in Bangkok housed the 24 young participants from 8
countries and a 4-member training team. As I write now, based on my
experience there, my heart is both joyful and burdened. Joyful, at the
expectation and hope that people have in Jesus Youth. I thank God for this.
Then I contemplate the need for us to meet the rising expectation and to
respond to this special call of the Spirit, and feel burdened. For I wonder how
many of us are actually aware of the significance of this call.
I was caught by surprise when one of the participants, a Pakistani, confided to
me that his life had been transformed by the love of an Indian - Fr. Abraham,
the 67-year-old Jesuit priest in charge of the team.
Then there was Bishop John Bosco Panya of Rachapuri diocese, secretary of the
Bishops’ Conference of Thailand whose words were amazing. Talking about
youth and hero worship, he pointed out that in recognizing Jesus as their real
hero alone would young people find meaning in life. And he said, “The best way
to know Jesus is through Jesus Youth!” His conviction deepened at the

[[
feedback he received from one of his sisters who attended our SE Asia
…TWO THOUSAND YEARS conference. She had attended many International youth programmes and found
AGO TWELVE APOSTLES GAVE this to be the best and now desires to work with JY. His Grace then invited us
saying “I want Jesus Youth in my diocese.”
THEIR LIVES TO MAKE CHRIST
KNOWN AND LOVED. Two days before the commitment ceremony, we had a cultural evening and we
THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES invited all the members of the Franciscan centre to join us. Among them was a
SINCE THEN, THE GOSPEL HAS friend of one of the brothers - an Austrian from Argentina whose husband works
CONTINUED TO SPREAD BY with the Argentinean Embassy. The evening was a time of fun, fellowship and
prayer. This lady was so impressed by the conduct of our youth that she came
MEANS OF MEN AND WOMEN forward to express her appreciation. Later on she came over to me, asking for my
INSPIRED BY THAT SAME card. This mother of a 16-year-old son and a young daughter then made one of
MISSIONARY FERVOUR. TODAY TOO the most remarkable statements I have ever heard. “I am hopeful”, she said. “I
THERE IS A NEED FOR DISCIPLES am sure that I have found a place where my son too can join and live his
OF CHRIST WHO GIVE Catholic faith.” She wanted her son to be a part of the movement and she
UNSTINTINGLY OF THEIR TIME AND wanted us to start working in Latin America.
ENERGY TO SERVE THE GOSPEL. A Franciscan priest, an Indonesian, who was at the centre, wanted to have JY
THERE IS A NEED FOR YOUNG missionaries placed in Indonesia to work among the youth there… A
PEOPLE WHO WILL ALLOW GOD’S Vietnamese priest we met on the campus of Assumption University asked us to
LOVE TO BURN WITHIN THEM AND help him start Jesus Youth in Vietnam… The need is definitely growing.
WHO WILL RESPOND This Millennium dawned with the prophecy of our late Holy Father John Paul II
GENEROUSLY TO HIS URGENT about reaping a harvest of faith in the soil of Asia. How many of us understand
CALL, JUST AS MANY YOUNG the urgency, the need of telling the story of Jesus in this vast continent
BLESSEDS AND SAINTS DID IN ‘through our deeds and words’? How many of us realize the grace we have
THE PAST AND ALSO IN MORE received from the Spirit to accomplish His mission according to the will of the
RECENT TIMES. IN PARTICULAR, I Father? Amidst the growing secularism and religious fanaticism, the
ASSURE YOU THAT THE SPIRIT OF importance of lay mission is increasing day by day. And through the years, the
Spirit has equipped us and blessed us with a ‘cool’ way of living joyfully in
JESUS TODAY IS INVITING YOU
this world with Jesus.
YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE BEARERS
OF THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS TO Asia is waiting... And its youth – they account for nearly 50% of the population of

\\
YOUR CONTEMPORARIES.
Message of the Holy Father Benedict XVI to
the young people of the world on the
occasion of the XXIII World Youth Day, 2008
the world - are waiting for someone to lead them to the living waters.
I join my heart with the hope and prayers of the Holy Father and the entire
Church that each one of us will read the signs of the times and step out
courageously to follow his call!
Manoj Sunny
Jesus Youth International Co-ordinator

Jesus Youth International Full Time Volunteers’ Training, 10th July-4th August 2007, Bangkok, Thailand
COVER STORY
New Media New Avenues
The aim of such initiatives is to study and
“THE CHURCH SEES measure the impact of a rapidly changing new-age
technology and communications on the lifestyle of
THESE MEDIA AS humans. As some of these studies point out, the
‘GIFTS OF GOD’ synergy of these diverse factors are radically
transforming our society, values and lifestyles. In
WHICH, IN other words, it is directly changing the way we
eat, talk, love, work, relax, travel and even pray!
ACCORDANCE WITH If you always thought that the new-age media
HIS PROVIDENTIAL revolution is more rampant and relevant in
developed countries, take a look at this. A
DESIGN, UNITE MEN IN stunning 450 million internet users, the highest
chunk in the world today, are not from North
BROTHERHOOD AND America or Europe, but Asia. And they are growing
at an astounding pace of over 200%. Again, 56%
SO HELP THEM TO of the mobile technology users (mobile phones,
PDAs, etc.) are in countries like China, India and
COOPERATE WITH HIS Russia and this group too is growing at a
PLAN FOR THEIR whopping 79% every year.
SALVATION”. The use of modern media and communication
technology naturally brings with it many new
attitudes and behavioural elements that transform
cultures across the world. For instance, preferences
in fashion, language, music and food seen in
another corner of the world are right at our
doorstep at lightning speed. Restaurants in Berlin
serve Sushi while the supermodels in Paris wear
Indian Mehndi and art connoissuers in New York go
gaga over African tribal art.
For management, business and social agencies,
this calls for new perspectives in understanding
the consumer’s beliefs, buying habits, likes,
dislikes, needs and desires. For anthropologists,
psychologists and sociologists, this is about
understanding the changing societal structures
and behavioural patterns. But what does it mean
to us who are trying to live and share our Catholic
faith in these changing times?
Can you believe that the Church had already
foreseen the need for such a holistic
Contd. from page 1
understanding of these times a long time
back? Three decades ago, Communio et
Progresso declared that “modern media
offers new ways of confronting people
with the message of the Gospel...” (No.
128). Pope Paul VI cautioned that the
Church “would feel guilty before the Lord”
if it failed to use the new media for
evangelization. Pope John Paul II went
beyond that, calling upon all to understand
this new culture so that “it is not enough
to use the media simply to spread the
Christian message and the Church’s
authentic teaching. It is also necessary to
integrate that message into the ‘new
culture’ created by modern
communications” (Redemptoris Missio;
1990, No. 37).
Essentially, the Church approaches this
media driven culture from a positive
standpoint. Quoting Pope Pius XII’s 1957
encyclical letter Miranda Prorsus , the
Pastoral Instruction on the Means of Social
Communication, Communio et Progresso
(1971) underlined: “The Church sees these
media as ‘gifts of God’ which, in
accordance with his providential design,
unite men in brotherhood and so help
them to cooperate with his plan for their
salvation”.
Yet, there are certain challenges that the
Church sees in this media driven culture.
Firstly, the Church points to the ‘media-
branded’ post-modern understanding that
there is no absolute truth. The Holy Father
has been constantly warning us about this
relativist thinking process. Secondly, it
warns us of hate websites and SMS
messages against our values that are
“reflections of the dark side of a human
nature marred by sin”(Pornography and
Violence in the Communications Media: A
Pastoral Response; 1989, No.6). Thirdly, the
Church cautions us about the babel of
confusing doctrinal interpretations that
disguises itself as the truth and its
proliferation in the modern media. Fourthly,
the Church asks us not to turn the internet
and other communication avenues into a
religious supermarket - where the users can
pick and choose their beliefs and doctrines
to suit their convenience. Finally, and I
believe most importantly, the Church warns
us about the ‘virtual reality’ culture and the
JULY 2007 PAGE 3
aspect of anonymity on the internet.
Somehow, the constant exposure to virtual
chats, e-communities, video communications
and the like, is gradually enhancing the
impression that they are a substitute for real
relationships in life. The Church clearly
states, “virtual reality is no substitute for
the Real Presence of Christ in the
Eucharist, the sacramental reality of the
other sacraments, and shared worship in a
flesh-and-blood human community. There
are no sacraments on the Internet; and
even the religious experiences possible
there by the grace of God are insufficient
apart from real-world interaction with
other persons of faith.”(The Church and
Internet; 2002, Part 1, No. 2).
Such realities of these powerful means of
communication and technology makes it
imperative that we understand these media
and its culture so that not just we can use
them but also guide others to use them in a
way that God wants us to do so.
Let us look at some of the most popular new
media vehicles today that have a Catholic
presence of some kind.
WEBSITES
Websites have become so integral to our
lives that I wonder whether the term ‘new
media’ is appropriate for it anymore. Today,
apart from the website of the Holy See,
Catholic websites range from official sites of
congregations to Apologetics sites, Bible
training sites to community/organization
spaces like our own jesusyouth.org. Listed
below are the top Catholic websites in the
world selected by the Independent agency-
Alexa.com.
STARTER PACK
http://www.vatican.va
http://www.aciprensa.com
http://www.catholic.net
http://www.corazones.org
http://www.ewtn.com
BLOGS
A blog is literally a publicly accessible
online diary of individuals. What started
with a student named Justin Hall at
Swarthmore College in 1994 is today one of
the most powerful and controversial faces of
the new media. At last count, the number of
blogs on the net had touched an unbelievable
70 million! Remember that even catholic blogs,
often being personal reflections, have to be read
with maturity to discount certain elements as
personal opinions. Yet, a lot many of them are a
treasure house of riches. The starter pack below
is a selection from blogs that I visit. Some of
them are news-based, some personal
reflections, some controversial, some humorous
and some intellectual; yet all of them have
challenged, informed, inspired, corrected and
sometimes even scared me.
STARTER PACK
http://insightscoop.typepad.com
http://markshea.blogspot.com
http://sanctissima.blogspot.com
http://snoringscholar.blogspot.com
http://floscarmeli.stblogs.org
PODCASTS
Perhaps one of the most recent additions to the
broadcast media, podcasts give the power of
broadcasting to everyone - you are the
presenter; and your desktop, the studio. A
podcast is actually an audio or video file which
is regularly broadcasted over the internet for its
subscribers. Which means that I get the day’s
mass readings, daily breakfast shows, music,
reflections or news entirely free - which I can
either listen to on my computer or carry around
in my ipod. The starter pack here is picked from
the top Catholic podcasts on podcastalley - a
podcast portal that reviews and ranks this
amazing media.
STARTER PACK
Daily Breakfast
http://feeds.feedburner.com/dailybreakfast
Technopriest
http://www.technopriest.org/index.xml
Ipadre Podcast
http://feeds.feedburner.com/ipadrepodcast
Catholic Under the Hood
http://feeds.feedburner.com/
CatholicunderTheHood
Meditations from Carmel
http://rss.mac.com/stl_ocds/iWeb/
Meditations%20from%20Carmel/
Podcast/rss.xml
VIDEO SHARING PORTALS
I am sure most of us already use some of the
services of youtube.com, google videos or other
video sharing websites in our workplaces or at
home. According to a survey done on 16th July
2006, 100 million clips are viewed everyday on
youtube.com by an average of 20 million viewers
and 65,000 new clips are uploaded every 24
hours. Right now, I searched ‘catholic’ on
youtube.com and I came up with a video on the
catholic faith, videos of the traditional Latin Mass,
some anti-catholic clips, some catholic music
videos and lots more. Cardinal Justin Rigali of the
Archdiocese of Philadelphia became the first
Church leader to make regular use of YouTube.
Every week of Lent, Cardinal Rigali presented a
weekly two-to-four-minute video reflection on the
gospels called ‘Living Lent’. Cardinal Rigali’s first
video received 3,000 hits in 24 hours. Today many
sites, such as GodTube (Godtube.com) and
EJVideo (ejvideo-place.blogspot.com) have been
created to provide specific Christian or Catholic
content to viewers.
FRIENDSHIP NETWORKS
Today millions around the world, including
me, are suddenly discovering their old school
friends through orkut.com – one of the many
highly popular friendship network sites.
People, both young and old, are finding new
acquaintances, building communities and
‘scrapping’ away. Sites like Facebook,
MySpace, Linkedin etc. are drawing more and
more subscribers. There are more than a
million communities on orkut.com including a
Jesus Youth Community and a Friends of
Rexband community. Just a simple search for
catholic brought up over 1000 communities -
many of them with over 500 members.
MOBILE NETWORKING
When Apple recently launched the much-
hyped iphone in the US, I saw people
queuing up for days to buy this expensive
phone. Although this passion may seem
natural for young people,it demonstrates how
much the mobile phone has come to
dominate our lifestyle. Receiving emails,
conferencing, viewing videos and even
watching television on a mobile phone has
become common. But amidst all this, there
are many who use the mobile networks to
pass on a catholic message. I have a friend in
Jesus Youth who sends an inspiring Bible
verse everyday to a large group of her friends.
She considers it as a personal ministry! Many
Jesus Youth use mobile networks to remind
each other of intercessions, prayer intentions,
prayer meetings and the like.
I sincerely hope that this will inspire us to
journey through the bylanes and highways of
today’s communication and media driven
culture. A journey, as the Church advocates,
“from the pride-driven project of Babel
and the collapse into confusion and
mutual incomprehension to which it gave
rise (cf. Gen. 11:1-9), to Pentecost and
the gift of tongues: a restoration of
communication, centered on Jesus,
through the action of the Holy Spirit”(The
Church and Internet; 2002, Part 1, No. 2).
SHELTON PINHEIRO
A Jesus Youth for over a decade, and
the lead singer, song writer and the
present Co-ordinator of the
Rexband, he currently works as the
Creative Director of an advertising
agency in India.
 Q. What in your opinion are the
important aspects or elements of the
Catholic Charismatic Renewal?
A: The first is a desire to foster a deeper
relationship with Jesus through the
Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The wonderful
gift of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not
just for the Renewal; it is for the whole
Church. Secondly, the role of leaders in the
Catholic Charismatic Renewal should
always be to encourage people, to foster
the charism of hope. Sometimes people
may find it difficult to persevere in walking
in the light of the Holy Spirit, and often
they will feel disappointed in the limited
support they receive from the clergy.
Nevertheless, this is the work of the Holy
Spirit and God does not mean for it to fail.
Therefore take courage! It is an important
factor in leadership within the Renewal to
manifest courage so that people may know
that they are not alone. Thirdly, I think it
is important that we have a love for our
Catholic faith. I have no time for people in
the Charismatic Renewal and especially
leaders who continuously criticize the
Church. My mother died twelve months
ago. She was aged 95. I loved my mother
very much, and for the last 14 years of her
life she had Alzheimer’s and she did not
know me. I would go to visit her in the
hospital and I would simply sit with her
and hold her hand. She couldn’t speak to
me, but I know that she felt my love
flowing to her and I could sense her love
for me. I think that people in Catholic
Charismatic Renewal should relate to the
Church in the same way. The Church in one
sense is my spiritual mother, and as it
would be unthinkable to hurt my earthly
mother in any way, so also it is equally
important not to treat my spiritual mother
in any way that would hurt her. The Church
is the Body of Christ, and as Catholic
Charismatics we need to see ourselves as
members of that Body.
IN THE CONCLUDING PART OF
LEADING
HIS INTERVIEW, ALLAN
PANOZZA, FORMER
PRESIDENT OF THE
INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC
CHARISMATIC RENEWAL
WITH
SERVICES (ICCRS) TALKS TO
DR. EDWARD EDEZHATH ON
THE CHALLENGES FACED BY
CHARISMATIC MOVEMENTS
ACROSS THE WORLD, OUR
COURAGE
RESPONSE TO THESE
CHALLENGES AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH IN
THE CHURCH AND THE
CHARISMATIC RENEWAL.
Frequent reception of the Sacraments should
be an important factor for life in the Renewal.
We should make it a point to attend Mass and
receive Holy Communion as often as possible –
even daily, and to make frequent use of the
Sacrament of Reconciliation. Without the
grace of the Sacraments there is a danger that
the difficulties we face may sometimes become
too overwhelming. We should always focus on
Jesus, especially if we have some
responsibility or are in a position of authority.
We should be aware that there is always the
danger of treading a path using only our own
power and resources. If you consider what has
happened to some of the people who became
leaders at the beginning in Renewal, sad to
say, some of them have lost their way even
with the Church. I do not wish to judge others
but I think that one of the biggest dangers
can be that instead of following in Jesus’
footsteps we try to walk in front of Him. This is
especially important for leaders in the
Charismatic Renewal. I remember a wise priest
once telling me that the devil has three main
targets - priests, nuns and leaders in
Charismatic Renewal. I believe that the
Renewal has a tremendous power through the
Holy Spirit to change the hearts and lives of
people. The Renewal is literally at the heart of
the Church, and in my opinion it has the
capacity to change the spiritual lives of
people. Therefore leaders in the Renewal can
certainly expect opposition from the evil one.
Q. What are your views about the role of
various prayer groups and communities
under the Charismatic Renewal?
A: In Australia where I come from, the prayer
group situation is quite strong. There are
relatively fewer Covenant Communities in
comparison to U.S.A. and other places in the
world. I think the existence of the
Communities operating under the umbrella of
the Catholic Charismatic Renewal is very
important for those people who are called in
that direction. However, in my personal
JULY2007 PAGE 5
opinion, to become a committed member of a
covenant community is to receive a strong
vocation from God, and a person or a family
becomes a member of the community only
when they unreservedly respond to that call
from God. Many of us across the world are
involved in prayer groups, and I see growth in
the work of prayer groups developing more and
more within the parishes. We see people who
are able to witness from the prayer group level,
and they have a power to change the parish.
Certainly one of the big difficulties that we are
facing worldwide is that in general there is a
lack of support from the clergy. Even though
the Renewal is a lay movement, it is still very
much affected by the acceptance of bishops
and priests. Many people complain that they
do not get active support from their priests, so
part of what I do is to help uplift prayer groups
as much as possible, especially in more
isolated areas. Jesus tells us in the Gospel
that the best way to judge a tree is by its
fruits, and this is certainly the best way to
gain support for the work of Charismatic
Renewal. If you look at a majority of parishes,
at least where I come from, those who are most
active in the life of the Church are from the
Charismatic Renewal. This is a big witness
and a fruit which should be obvious to priests
and bishops. In my early years in the Renewal
there were some priests and bishops who were
outwardly antagonistic towards the Renewal,
but these days I rarely find that happening.
Most of them accept Renewal as part of the
Church, even though many priests would
simply say that their spirituality is not
charismatic. But there has been a growing
acceptance of the Charismatic Renewal within
the Church worldwide over the past 25 years
as the good fruits become evident in the lives
of Catholics.
Q. Would you like to share something on the
Charismatic Renewal inspiring many new
movements in different parts of the world?
A: I think it is probably true to say that many
movements and the leadership of those
movements have come out of the Charismatic
Renewal. For instance, I think one experience
here in Australia would be the ‘Couples for
Christ’ movement. Many of their leaders came
out of the Renewal, especially from the
Philippines. Many who have begun in CCR are
continuing their ministries in other
movements, and they still exercise the gifts of
the Holy Spirit. That is how it should be,
because the gifts were not given to the
Charismatic Renewal, but they were given to
the Church (1 Cor 12: 4-11). I think your own
movement – ‘Jesus Youth’ – is another example
of this. This is a wonderful thing. What I am
not so comfortable about is when a few people
coming out of the Charismatic Renewal, move
on to other movements where the leadership
develops their own aims and objectives. They
lose the facility of exercising the charisms and
I think this is dangerous and not what the
Holy Spirit is leading the movements to do.
Since the second Vatican Council, it has been
a great blessing that many movements have
begun in the Church. The movements should
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT
AND VITAL NOT ONLY
FOR THE CHARISMATIC
RENEWAL BUT FOR THE
WHOLE CHURCH THAT
YOUNG PEOPLE COME TO
EXPERIENCE THE BAPTISM
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
be aware of the importance of the charisms
and seek to foster them and use them
wherever possible. For the past six years here
in Melbourne, different movements have
gathered together annually to share their
own giftedness, their own charisms, and to
celebrate their Catholic roots. This year I
think there were 31 movements who came
together and when you see the different
groups, each with their own charisms
working together in unity, it is a great
witness to the power and presence of the
Holy Spirit in the Church.
Q. As Chairman of the ICCRS, how do you
co-ordinate the different teams at
different levels in the Renewal?
A: The Renewal is not exactly like any other
organization we see around. It is a move of
the Holy Spirit rather than an organization. I
think the Holy Spirit is moving in the
Charismatic Renewal in a way where it works
from the bottom to top - through the little
people up to the leadership and not from the
leadership down. But having said that, we
cannot underestimate the need of support
from the Church. For instance, the support
Holy Father Pope John Paul II gave to ICCRS
in 1993 when he gave it the mandate to be
“….at the world level the principal co-
ordinating organization of the Catholic
Charismatic Renewal (CCR)…”. The Catholic
covenant communities come together under
the title of the Catholic Fraternity, but they
also come under the umbrella of the Catholic
Charismatic Renewal. So the International
Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services
(ICCRS) office in Rome relates to about 260
countries throughout the world.
The structure is leadership role on the
national level (NSC), then to leadership at
state or regional level, then breaking down to
leadership at the diocesan level. I think that it
is important for the world wide Renewal to
recognize the role of ICCRS, which is vital as it
is the umbrella body of the Renewal which is
in constant touch with the Vatican, especially
with the Pontifical Council for the Laity. I
think this is vital for the world wide Renewal,
because ICCRS is literally at the heart of the
Church (geographically) as is the Charismatic
Renewal (spiritually). In different countries
there are expressions of the Renewal following
different types of communities and local
culture.
Q. What are your thoughts on the role of
youth in the Church and the Charismatic
Renewal?
A: In my country, the young people are not so
involved in the Charismatic Renewal as much
as they are in other countries like Brazil. Some
years ago we had many young people coming
to youth groups, but the problem these days
is that after completing their schooling they
go on to other things. Therefore there has not
been an increase in numbers over recent years.
The average attendance of young people for
Sunday Mass is only a small percentage of the
entire young Catholic population. In such a
situation, getting young people into the
Charismatic Renewal becomes very challenging.
That’s why I’m very happy to be with the Jesus
Youth in Australia, because they use the
charisms and also because I strongly believe in
youth evangelizing youth. A higher number of
young people attend Mass in Latin America
and countries such as Philippines, which
makes it easier to get them into Renewal. I
think it is important and vital not only for the
Charismatic Renewal but for the whole Church
that young people come to experience the
Baptism of the Holy Spirit. One of the other
things that I find happening in my own country
is that Covenant Communities are able to attract
young people mainly because of the Christian
music, which is a big attraction for youth.
Q. And finally, what is your message to the
Jesus Youth across the world?
A: I have been very impressed through my
association with Jesus Youth . I have met
them here in Australia, and I know of their
work in other parts of the world. They have a
good set of aims and they are very committed.
Above all, I see their strong focus on the
presence of Jesus in their movement. I pray
that the Holy Spirit will continue to lead and
guide Jesus Youth in their important ministry,
and especially anoint all of the young people
from across the globe who will be in Australia
for the World Youth Day to be held in Sydney
in July 2008. May this be a mighty outpouring
of God’s power and presence to enflame the
hearts of young people, that they will come to
know Jesus in a new and deeper way. May the
Holy Spirit continue to bless the work of Jesus
Youth throughout the world.
Involved with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) since 1978,
Allan Panozza was elected to the ICCRS in 1990 and took over as
its President in 2000. In 2007, he ended his second term as
President. He still continues to be an advisor to ICCRS and is an
active member of the Pontifical Council for the Laity (PCL).
This June, as we set out on our second tour of the
United States covering the cities of Miami, Tampa,
Dallas, New Jersey, Philadephia and New York, many
of us in the Rexband, as usual, had just come into a
time of ministry right from our tight work schedules
and families. Yet, in our weaknesses, His strength
and grace was more real than ever. And in the midst
of the hectic schedules and the preparations for the
concerts, the Lord renewed us with opportunities to
grow closer to him. And these, I guess, would be
some of the thoughts that we carried with us after
the tour.
THE MIRACLE OF WATCHING YOUTH BEING
TRANSFORMED
Each time we watch the transformation of young
people after concerts or retreats, we keep
wondering ‘Lord, how do you do it?’ Often we see
youth from cultures so different from ours being
touched - and all we can say is - ‘Thank you, Lord,
for giving us the privilege of carrying Your name’.
THE JOY OF MINISTERING AND MAKING MUSIC
TOGETHER
Having been together for over fifteen years,
coming together for each tour is a family reunion
for us. The travelling, praying, and making music
together for a common ministry is, we believe, one
of the greatest blessings of the Lord.
THE BLESSING OF BEING PART OF THE JESUS
YOUTH FAMILY
Wherever we go, we meet people who take care of
us, open their homes for us, pray for us, travel with
us and minister with us because we are part of the
same Jesus Youth family and share the same
mission. This is something that never fails to make
us thank God for this one big Jesus Youth family.
THE NEED FOR MORE PEOPLE WHO MINISTER
THROUGH MUSIC
Everywhere we go, we see more young people
outside than we can ever reach out to - plentiful
harvest and few labourers. This makes us look at
our inadequate commitment for His work- it also
makes us pray for more ministries, more musicians
and more labourers in His vineyard.
GEORGE ETTYIL, REXBAND
MUSIC
“There are many incidents of God’s
special intervention that come to
my mind. One of these was our
journey from Dallas to New Jersey.
The concert in Dallas got over late
THAT
in the night and we were packing
all night to catch the early
morning flight. The security
procedures in the local flights
were extreme, and we had already
MAKES
had a bad experience as many of
our sophisticated instruments
were damaged by the security
personnel during our flight to
Dallas. Besides, we had to catch a
SENSE
connecting flight. So reaching
New Jersey in time with all our
equipment intact called for a
miracle. And that’s exactly what
happened. When I think of how
tired and sleepy all of us were, and
yet how the concert in New Jersey
REXBAND was one of the most powerful, I
know for sure that the Holy Spirit
TOUR OF USA was with us - and everything was
the work of the Spirit.”
JUNE-JULY 2007 ANTONY MATHEW, REXBAND
Rexband in concert
JULY 2007 PAGE 7
AWAKENING
AT ROME
A SPIRIT-FILLED
PENTECOST VIGIL
INSPIRES YOUTH
IN ROME

The largest youth celebration on the planet is set to begin once

again- this time in the beautiful Australian city of Sydney. For
Jesus Youth, like many other youth movements, this is once again
a time of refueling, networking, learning and discerning the move
of the Holy Spirit. The Jesus Youth journey includes World Youth
Day at Sydney, JY International Gathering at Sydney, Youth Arise
International at Brisbane, and optional packages to Singapore and
Bangkok.

WORLD YOUTH DAY 2008

15th – 20th July, Sydney, Australia
Organised by the Catholic Church, World Youth Day gathers young
people from around the world to build bridges of friendship and
hope between continents, peoples and cultures. Through the
WYD’08 experience, young people from around the world will make
a pilgrimage in faith, meet and experience hospitality and the
love of God. The young people will have an opportunity to
rediscover their baptismal calling and the centrality of the
sacraments of the Eucharist and reconciliation, and so discover a
new apostolic zeal to witness to the Gospel more fully.
The world famous Piazza Navona in the
heart of Rome which often hosts various JY INTERNATIONAL GATHERING
events witnessed a different style and 21st – 23rd July, Sydney, Australia
content on the vigil of Pentecost. The Jesus Youth International Gathering in Dormagen in the wake
‘Gioia’07’ - the night vigil organised of WYD 2005 was a landmark experience for the movement. This
by Jesus Youth of Rome began with a time in Sydney, Jesus Youth will come together again right after
one-hour cultural programme in the the days of WYD 2008 to interpret and put into action the
square. Hundreds flocked to enjoy the message of the Holy Father at WYD 2008. It will also be a time of
entertaining and enriching programme interaction and sharing among the Jesus Youth from over 20
packed with Italian, English and Indian different countries around the world.
songs, thought provoking skits and
lively dances. The powerful impact of YOUTH ARISE INTERNATIONAL
the programme was evident by the large 10th – 13th July, Brisbane, Australia
number of participants for the Rosary The YAI Festival is an international youth event hosted by the
procession held immediately after the Youth Arise International. YAI promotes youth evangelization and
cultural programme. discipleship throughout the world by planning and implementing
international youth festivals and youth leaders’ training, and by
Organised in the Church of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore di Gesù, the night vigil was
providing opportunities for international mission.
inaugurated by Rev. Fr. Fernando Domingues MCCJ, Rector of the Pontifical Urbanian
College. The central theme of the event was, ‘Holy Spirit: The Spirit of Mission in
FELLOWSHIP & SIGHTSEEING
Rome’. The vigil included a talk, Adoration, testimonies, Jericho Prayer, Chaplet of
Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Bangkok
Divine Mercy and Holy Mass. Mrs. Bruna Pernice and Mrs. Maura, representatives of the
Every Jesus Youth gathering is also a time for celebration,
Italian Charismatic Movement (RNS), delivered the talk while two Italian youngsters -
thanksgiving and joy. As in the last WYD, where Jesus Youth
Fabio Magalini and Felice Gualtieri – gave their testimonies which touched the hearts
offered a comprehensive package for the participants, this year too
of many. ‘Gioia’07’ ended with Holy Mass celebrated by Msgr. Antony Kollamparambil,
there is a special tour package covering the cities of Singapore,
Fr. Justus Paul, Fr. Joshy Mayyatil, Fr. George Kumblumoottil, Fr. Antony Pattaparambil,
Bangkok, New Zealand and Australia.
Fr. Johnson, Fr. Mathew and Fr. Thomas. After Communion, many of the participants
made a pledge to proclaim Jesus Christ at all times wherever they are - at their work,
Come be a part of this journey. For more details contact :
public places, etc. Packed with powerful audio-visual presentations and uplifting music,
Jesus Youth International Office
this was a landmark programme and the first of its kind organized by Jesus Youth in Rome.
6F, Thadikaran Centre, Palarivattom P.O. Cochin 682025
With their renewed enthusiasm and outstanding teamwork, Jesus Youth has captured the
Tel: +91-484-4054870 Email: wyd2008@jesusyouth.org
hearts of the youth in Rome.
GRINSON GEORGE, C0-ordinator, JY Rome
GLOBAL NEWSWATCH
JY Teens Retreat, Singapore
SINGAPORE
n Teens Retreat 2007, Boon Lay
A retreat on the theme ‘Celebrate Jesus - Know
Him, Love Him, Live Him’ was organized from
21st to 23rd June 2007 at Choice Retreat Centre,
Boon Lay. The aim of this retreat was to help
the young participants discover and encounter
Jesus in a personal way. More than 20
teenagers participated in the event and
received a renewed anointing of the Holy Spirit.
n Jesus Net Anniversary Celebration
The first anniversary of JY Singapore’s central
gathering - Jesus Net was celebrated on 5th
May 2007 at the Church of Risen Christ, Toa
Payoh. Around 90 Jesus Youth from different
ministries participated in this one day
programme based on evangelization and faith
formation. Gerard Francisco - Chairman,
SACCRE - was the main resource person.
Biju Joseph
AUSTRALIA
n Pentecost and Recommitment Day
Pentecost and Recommitment Day
celebrations in Australia were held on 26th
and 27th May 2007. More than 100 Jesus
Youth participated in the celebrations held in
Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The heart
of the Recommitment Day was the adoration
before the Blessed Sacrament. An
enlightening talk on ‘Life in the Spirit’ and a
powerful session of praise and worship
prepared hearts for a renewed outpouring of
Recommitment Day, UAE
the Holy Spirit. The Mass was celebrated by
Fr. George in Sydney, by Fr. Thomas
Areekuzhy in Brisbane and by Fr. John
Aravankara in Melbourne.
n JY Gathering, Brisbane
The monthly JY Gathering ‘IGNIS’ was held
on 27th May 2007 at New Farm Holy Spirit
Church in Brisbane. Luke and Carrie
McCormack from NET ministry were the
resource persons for the day.
n Re-constitution of Brisbane Service Team
A new JY Service Team for Brisbane was re-
constituted on 28th April 2007 at Clifton,
Queensland. Siju Mathew took over as the
new Co-ordinator, Fr. Thomas Areekuzhy as
the Spiritual Director and Dr. Preshy
Varghese as the Animator.
n CCR Multicultural Day, Melbourne
More than 200 youth from different groups
and diverse backgrounds came together to
minister and interact at Our Lady Help of
Christians Church on 19th May 2007. The day’s
events included music, talks by Allan
Panozza and Fr. John Aravankara along with
an outstanding street play based on the
message “sin to salvation”.
Mayrose Pius
UAE
n Recommitment Day
Jesus Youth across UAE celebrated Pentecost
and Recommitment Day on 25th May 2007. In
preparation for the Recommitment Day, the
CCR Multicultural Day, Melbourne, Australia
JY Gathering, Brisbane, Australia
nine-day Novena to the Holy Spirit was
conducted in all the seven parishes and night
vigils were held on the concluding day in
each parish. The prayer conducted on the
Recommitment Day concluded with an
anointing service led by the Spiritual
Director/Priest of the individual parishes.
n New JY Prayer Group, Jebal Ali
On 1st June 2007, a JY English Prayer group
was started in the Jebal Ali parish under the
guidance and blessings of the Parish Priest
Fr. Eugene.
n Commitment Teams’ Gathering
On 18th May 2007, the commitment team of
English prayer groups from Abu Dhabi, Dubai
and Jebal Ali gathered at the Jebal Ali
Church. Over 60 participants attended the
programme. The main speaker was Mr. Aneel
Arahna - a well-known preacher from the
‘Holy Spirit Interactive’ movement.
n ‘YES’ Formation Programme
A formation programme named ‘YES’ -
(Youth Empowerment in the Saviour) has
been initiated for the commitment team of
Dubai. The training will take place over 25
weeks with two and a half hours of sessions
per week.
n Middle East Convention
As part of the series of continental
conferences, the Middle East Conference will
be conducted in the Holy Land from 14th to
21st September 2007. The programme
includes 2 days’ convention and 5 days’
JULY 2007 PAGE 13
GLOBAL NEWSWATCH
Recommitment Day, UAE
pilgrimage in the Holy Land. Mobilization is
already underway and around 300 Jesus
Youth from UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain,
Qatar and Saudi Arabia are expected to
attend this convention.
Prejomy Jose
IRELAND
n Growth Retreat
A residential growth retreat was held at St.
Columban’s Retreat Centre, Wicklow from
20th to 22nd April 2007. Fr. George
Kumbulumoottil O.P. from Rome conducted
the retreat attended by over 40 Jesus Youth
from different parts of Ireland.
n Pentecost Night Vigil
The Pentecost Night Vigil was held at the Divine
Mercy Church, Lucan, Dublin. About 25 JY
leaders participated in the vigil. Fr. Sony
Palathra (Pastor, JY Ireland) and Fr. Thankachan
Paul (Vicar, Dublin Indian community) ministered
during the vigil, which included anointing prayer,
confession and Holy Mass.
Togy Tom
UK
n ‘Destination Christ’, London
About 55 youth gathered for ‘Destination
Christ’ – a retreat held on 19th May 2007 at St.
Joseph’s Church, Wembley, London. The retreat
was based on the theme – ‘Basic Christian Life’.
Sean Mansfield took the sessions for the day.
The London Music Ministry was also launched
during the programme.
Joby Mundackal
Growth Retreat, Ireland
Most Rev. Bishop Paul Hinder with JY Qatar
n Northern Ireland: One-day Programme
About 25 youth participated in a one-day JY
programme held on 14th July 2007 in Belfast.
The main objective of the programme was to
prepare youngsters who are planning to
attend the upcoming JY European
Conference in September 2007. The presence
of Fr. Justus O.P., and his powerful sessions,
motivated the participants to offer
themselves to Jesus. Jose Mathew, Co-
ordinator JY Europe and Alex Mathew from
UK were also present.
Dellish Vamattam
INDIA
n JY National Team Reconstitution
The National Team for JY India was re-
constituted on 11 th and 12 th May 2007 at
Dharmaram Campus, Bangalore. Siljo
Thomas was elected as the new
Co-ordinator, Subin Jacob as Assistant
Co-ordinator,and Rev. Fr. Bitaju OSST as
Pastor. Most Rev. Abraham
Viruthukulungara, Archbishop of Nagpur was
present throughout the days and led the
anointing ceremony for the new team.
n Recommitment Day
After 100 days of preparation, Jesus Youth
across India gathered in their respective
states to celebrate Recommitment Day on
27 th May 2007. In all the 22 zones of Kerala,
Jesus Youth came together to renew their
spiritual commitments. In Mumbai, Jesus
‘Communion 2007’, India
One-day Programme, Northern Ireland, UK
Youth gathered for the ‘Renewal Day ’
service conducted by the Kalyan Renewal
Service Team.Over 300 Jesus Youth in
Bangalore came together for a half day
programme which included an input session,
Mass and annointing prayer.
n ‘Communion 2007’
‘Communion 2007’ – a Jesus Youth family
gathering of priests and religious was held at
Chavara Bhavan, Dharmaram Campus,
Bangalore, from 9th to 11th May 2007. The
gathering, organized by the Jesus Youth
National Team, aimed to bring together all
the animators and supporters of Jesus Youth,
and to emphasize the involvement of priests
and religious in youth ministry.
n ‘Beacon ’07’, Trichy
About 325 teachers belonging to the Trichy
diocese came together for ‘Beacon ’07’ - a
JY Trichy initiative - held on 24th March 2007
at the Bishop’s House. Through his sessions
Dr. Edward Edezhath, JY International
Animator and professor at St. Albert’s College
in Ernakulam shared his own experiences of
value-oriented-teaching and encouraged the
participants to follow the great teacher, Jesus.
n ‘Taste’, Mangalore
The JY Campus Ministry of Mangalore
organized ‘Taste’ - a training programme for
their Campus leaders from 31st May to 3rd
June 2007 at Rishivana Ranipura. The
training aimed to make these leaders more
‘Chalo Nagaland’, India
GLOBAL NEWSWATCH
JY National Team, India
committed towards their prayer groups, to
help them create cell groups and also to
encourage them to intercede for other
campuses.
n ‘Chalo Nagaland’
‘Chalo Nagaland’, the first teen mission to
the North East of India took place from 10th
to 30th April 2007. About twenty teenagers
and nine supporting leaders from various
states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh
participated in this mission. Sr. Icey DSHJ
and Sr. Philomine FMM accompanied the
group. In Nagaland, the entire group was
divided among the three different parishes
of Kohima city where they stayed with local
Catholic families, conducted programmes for
children, and interacted with the local youth.
n Full time Volunteers’ Training
The 16th batch of Full time Volunteers
finished their intensive training in English
with the Commitment Ceremony on 3rd June
at Emmaus in Ernakulam. The total number
of participants this year was 33, of which 21
are boys including six seminarians and 12
are girls. They have been placed in various
mission centres and campuses across India.
The Full time Volunteers’ training in Hindi is
being held from 20th July to 19th August
2007. Thirty-three participants from 10
states across India are participating in the
training held at Nagpur.
Rodney Pereira
‘Campus Fire’, New Jersey, USA
JY Full Time Volunteers’ Training, India
KUWAIT
n JY Leaders Programme, Cathedral Church
On 30th March 2007, leaders from three
different parishes gathered at the Cathedral
Church for a half-day Leaders’ Programme.
Fr. Antony K.OCD took a session emphasizing
on the qualities of a missionary. Fr. Joseph
Edappulavan - Spiritual Director, JY Kuwait
was also present during the event.
n JY Prayer Group in English
It was a dream-come-true for JY Kuwait
when on 19th May 2007, an English prayer
group was initiated at the Cathedral Church
with about 25 youth. Fr. Melvin, Parish Priest
of the Cathedral Church was present and
guided those present with plans for the
growth of the prayer group.
n Re-commitment Day
A group of 150 Jesus Youth, who had prepared
themselves from Easter to Pentecost day with
prayers, Novena, fasting, meditations, etc.
came together to celebrate Re-commitment
Day on 26th May 2007. The Holy Mass was
celebrated by Fr. Joseph Edappulavan. He also
inaugurated and released a DVD ‘Set on Fire’
and a CD ‘Sing Halleluiah’. Fr. Melvin too
graced the occasion.
n Youth Retreat, Abbassiya
A half-day retreat for youth was organized
on 1st June 2007 at the Abbassiya Church.
The programme started with a skit and
praise and worship, followed by a session by
Fr. Joseph Edappulavan OCD. Jesus Youth
‘PingstFire’, Mainz, Germany
activities are held in Abbassiya Church on
the first Friday of every month.
Mahesh Peter
NEW ZEALAND
n Pentecost and Recommitment Day
Pentecost and Recommitment Day
celebrations were held in Auckland on 27th
May 2007 at Our Lady of Sacred Heart Church,
Epsom. The evening gathering included
praise and worship, Holy Mass and anointing
prayer led by Fr. James (Pastor, JYNZ).
Liza Johnson
OMAN
nRecommitment Day
Recommitment Day was celebrated in all the
four regions of Oman - Ruwi, Ghala, Sohar
and Salalah. Each region prayerfully
participated in the 100 days of preparation
and the nine-day Novena to the Holy Spirit.
The Sohar and Salalah regions celebrated
the feast of Pentecost along with the rest of
the parishoners, while in Ghala and Ruwi
Jesus Youth came together for a time of
prayer and anointing. In Salalah, all the JY
members gathered in the church chapel after
Mass, under the guidance of Fr. Kuriakose
Kannamkara OFM.CAP for prayer and
anointing service.
n Leaders’ Training Programmes
The first Leaders’ Training Programme took
place in Salalah on 26th and 27th July 2007,
thus initiating a long cherished dream to
‘Crossroads’, Tampa, USA
JULY 2007 PAGE 15
 GLOBAL NEWSWATCH

‘PingstFire’, Cologne, Germany JY Retreat, Austria ‘Crossroads’, Tampa, USA

organise a series of leaders’ training from 9th - 13th July 2007. The retreat was the growth of the movement in Qatar. His
programmes across Oman. The next training facilitated by the Rexband. Three bishops Excellency prayed for the growth of JY in
programme is planned in Ghala on 9th and from three different rites – Most Rev. Mar Qatar and encouraged them to start a
10th of August 2007. Jacob Angiadath of St. Thomas Syro-Malabar programme for the English speaking youth
n New JY Pastor and outreach to new region diocese of Chicago, Most Rev. Joseph Mar of the parish.
Rev. Fr. Kuriakose Kannamkara of the Salalah Thomas, Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum and n Outreach Ministry
parish took charge as the new pastor for Apostolic visitor for Europe and North The Outreach Ministry visited camps of Ras
Jesus Youth in Oman on 1st June 2007. America and Most Rev Edgar M DaCunha SDV Laffan and Industrial Area. The sessions and
Planning is underway to reach out to the DD, Auxiliary Bishop of Newark, Regional skits during these visits focused on Christ’s
youth in Nizwa – an interior region in Oman. Bishop for Essex County – celebrated Holy message of unity, joy and peace.
This would take the number of regions in Mass and spent time with the participants n Formation Programme
Oman with Jesus Youth presence to five. during the days of the retreat. JY Qatar organized a three-day series of
n Middle East Conference Saji Sebastian formation programme for its members.
The Jesus Youth of Oman are looking forward K.G. Mathews and Biju Joseph from the UAE
GERMANY
to the upcoming Middle East Conference and were the main resource persons for these
are enthusiastically preparing for it. Over n ‘PingstFire’, Cologne & Mainz programmes. They enriched the participants
forty youth have already registered Re-commitment Day was celebrated in with powerful talks on “Know Jesus, Live
themselves for this event. The Middle East Germany on Pentecost Monday, 28th May Jesus and Give Jesus”. Special leaders
Conference is slated from 14th to 21st Sep. 2007. The prayer groups in Cologne and meetings and trainings were also
2007 in the Holy Land. Mainz organized a programme for youth - conducted.
Binoy Xavier ‘PingstFire’ in their respective areas. In Sanu Philip
Cologne, the one-day programme was
AUSTRIA packed with music, praise and worship,
n First JY programme in Austria input sessions and audio-visual
Over 20 youngsters came together on 23rd and presentations. Fr. Ignatius Chalishery gave
24th June 2007 for the first ever Jesus Youth the inaugural address while Fr. Fritz May and
programme held in Austria. The retreat Fr. Rainer conducted interactive sessions. Fr.
conducted in German was held in the beautiful Ajy Jacob was also present. The day
tourist city of Innsbruck. The programme was concluded with Mass and infilling prayer.
the result of teamwork between the Innsbruck Diakon from Community of Beatitudes and
Charismatic Prayer group and the Jesus Youth Bruder Bernhard Maria were the resource
of Europe. After the Spirit-filled retreat, the persons for the ‘PingstFire’ held in Mainz.
participants committed to meet regularly to The Holy Mass was celebrated by Fr. Ansgar
renew their spirit and strengthen their Wucherpfennig SJ. The programme also
fellowship. included praise and worship, testimonies,
Jose Mathew adoration and Mass with infilling prayer.
USA Anil Israel
n ‘Crossroads’ QATAR
An initial retreat ‘Crossroads’ for 50 young n Pastoral Meet with Most Rev. Bishop Paul Hinder
participants was held at the Franciscan Jesus Youth Qatar was blessed to meet Most Mary, Queen assumed into heaven,
Centre, Tampa, Florida from 28th May to 1st Rev. Bishop Paul Hinder, Vicar Apostolic of may your glorious beauty fill our
June 2007. Rev. Fr. Kurian Kariyil was the Arabia to update His Excellency about JY hearts with distaste for earthly things
main resource person for the retreat. activities and seek his blessings. Fr. and ardent longing for the joys of
n ‘Campus Fire’ Andrews (Pastor, JY Qatar) and Juttas Paul heaven. Crown us with the pure robe
More than 120 youth came together for (Co-ordinator, JY Middle East) presented a of innocence and grace here on
‘Campus Fire’ organized at the Archdiocesan detailed report on the vision of Jesus Youth earth, and with immortality and
Youth Retreat Centre, Kearny, New Jersey for the current year, its current status and glory in heaven.

Printed and Published by Mr. Manoj Sunny on behalf of Jesus Youth International Office, 6F Thadikaran Centre, Palarivattom P.O., Cochin-682 025, Kerala, INDIA, Ph: +91 484- 3295859 / 4054870, Fax: +91-484-2346084, Email : jyglobal@jesusyouth.org
Website : www.jesusyouth.org n Editor-in-charge: Shelton Pinheiro n Editorial Team: Beena Manoj, Anu Pinheiro, Jubie John & Deepa Sabu n Layout: Sanil C.A.n Printed by SR Graphics, Kottayam, Ph :+91 481-2301142