10 living the 7 the new 12 brand new teams evangelizers JY spiritualitY

newswatCh 13 glOBal

a missionary movement at the service of the church

jANuAry 2012

REFLECTIONS ON NEW EVaNGELIZaTION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE MOVEMENT

it was a cool october night in 1978. entrusted with the task of mobilising youth from all over kerala, i was returning with our animator to cochin after a meeting with fr. fio mascarenhas, the national chairman of the catholic charismatic renewal in india. his vision for the follow -up of the large youth conference we recently held in kerala rang clear in our ears. so many youth have already come together, he said. communities of formation reaching out with a sense of mission, he added, must be your vision.

CONTD. ON PAGE 3

HEarT TaLk
christian leadership begins from going down on ones knees. this is the great conviction that drives every jesus youth missionary. it is from prayer on bended knees with hands lifted up that every jy receives strength for a life of service. prayer is the hallmark of jesus youth who are most often described as people of prayer. indeed formation and activities that arise out of prayer are key traits of jesus youth. Prayer is the first fundamental requisite and constant that every JY is required to necessarily practise and adopt as a way of life. of the many forms of prayer, personal prayer holds great importance for it sustains jy in the most trying circumstances and especially in places where it is not possible to receive the sacraments regularly. i believe that a day begun with a time of personal prayer turns out to be specially beautiful and blessed. i have been influenced by many jy leaders who never miss out on their personal prayer and often get up early to pray at the appointed time even after hectic days and sleepless nights. that god provides personal convictions and stimulus to service most often during times of personal prayer is an experience shared enthusiastically by many a jesus youth.

the new evangelization depends largely on the domestic church. in our time, as in times past, the eclipse of god, the spread of ideologies contrary to the family and the degradation of sexual ethics are intertwined. and just as the eclipse of god and the crisis of the family are linked, so the new evangelization is inseparable from the christian family. the family is indeed the way of the church because it is the human space of our encounter with christ. ... the family founded on the sacrament of matrimony is a particular realisation of the church, saved and saving, evangelized and evangelizing community. just like the church, it is called to welcome, radiate and show the world the love and the presence of christ.

the many varieties of community prayers existing in the movement such as the weekly prayer meetings, night vigils, adoration of the blessed sacrament, intercessory prayer meetings, taiz prayers, rosary, praise & worship and other forms of communal worship followed by jesus youth from the very beginning have all gone a long way in raising the standards of spiritual life of jys and in sustaining them. the jesus youth prayer, which was the fruit of many years of prayer and planning by some jy leaders, has been well received and put to practical use in the movement over the last 5 years. this prayer combines the rich heritage of christian prayer with the contemporary modes of spontaneity and spirit-led dynamism (introduction to jesus youth prayer), and is useful for personal as well as participative prayer as testified by young and old, newcomers and veterans alike. intercessory prayer is yet another of the movements strengths and that this is the responsibility of every jesus youth is a strong conviction of the movement. i recognised this great responsibility as a student when i inadvertently happened to hear and see three of my seniors kneeling on a rock-strewn floor, praying for my repentance! The intercession retreats that used to be held to impart awareness and training for the same have been reintroduced of late, with similar retreats being preached in several places across europe and india. a deep conviction and recognition of the intercessory needs of individuals, the society and the church has led to a resurgence of intercessory prayers in Jesus Youth involving penance and sacrifice. night vigils as a way of intercession are a widespread phenomenon in jesus youth today and are being organised in many countries on a monthly basis. on a recent visit to a gulf country, i was privileged to attend one such night vigil and was surprised and inspired by the lively participation of youth and elders, with many families bringing all their children, even infants. i recently heard that some young people in auckland, new zealand walk up the winding road to the top of mount eden every thursday, reciting the rosary and praying for the land stretching out on every side of the mountain. i remember how many years back, leaders in india walked for miles around cities, praying for the evangelisation of their residents. similarly, jesus youth leaders in places without religious freedom such as the gulf countries, regularly drive around cities praying for the nation. such intercessory prayers have wrought wonders and changes in the world and also increased the faith and missionary zeal of the participants. yet another means of intercession is the prayer before the blessed sacrament such as the one that has been going on for the last 8 years in delhi - the capital of india, the one held in the vatican youth centre during the 50 days of lent in 2010 - the jy jubilee year, and the 24hour adorations and intercession prayers organized last year in several countries. i now call upon all my brothers and sisters in the movement on every continent to prepare for and hold 50 days adoration this year too in their respective countries, either during lent or in the days between easter and pentecost. let me also remind you of the international teams request to all the countries to celebrate 1st to 8th september 2012 as a special intercession week. may all these endeavours help every jy missionary to live a life distinguished above all in the art of prayer (john paul ii, novo millennio ineunte, 33). raiju varghese jesus youth international co-ordinator

HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI AT ThE PlENAry AssEmbly Of ThE PONTifiCAl COuNCil fOr ThE fAmily, 1 DECEmbEr 2011.

COVEr STOrY
The New Evangelization

contd. from page 1

As our bus reached a quiet town at dawn, the voice of a newspaper boy woke us at dawn. the new pope is elected, a young pope from Poland!. After the confusion and dark rumours that followed the death of the shortlived pope john paul i, this new promise was exciting. years later, looking back, i would see a divine providence in this coincidence. a seed of the vision sown on the 16th of october 1978 would grow up to be a world-wide movement, and the great man elected on the same day would inspire this movement to follow a new refreshing approach to mission, the new evangelization.

the new evangelizatiOn is nOt a matter Of redOing sOmething that has Been inadequately dOne Or has nOt aChieved its purpOse, as if the new aCtivity were an impliCit judgement On the failure Of the first evangelizatiOn. nOr is the new evangelizatiOn taking up the first evangelizatiOn again, Or simply repeating the past. instead, it is the COurage tO fOrge new paths in respOnding tO the Changing CirCumstanCes and COnditiOns faCing the ChurCh in her Call tO prOClaim and live the gOspel tOday.

is the New Evangelization taking up the first evangelization again, or simply repeating the past. instead, it is the courage to forge new paths in responding to the changing circumstances and conditions facing the church in her call to proclaim and live the gospel today (5). The New Evangelization requires new skills and habits. it is always the fruit of a new discernment, something like the triple-step reflection at the first path-breaking Conference of the movement: (the life of) youth today, (the vision of) jesus today and (the mission of) jesus youth. and mission discernment happens always in a christian community. from the initial days when the movement began to take shape, the call of jp ii to the new evangelization has been a guiding light. during the third weekend of every month, the first liners would come together to fan the fervour, to seek new methods to approach youth and form novel expressions of faith and mission. and its fruit? the gradual formation of a culture and a mission. A defining moment came in the call of jp ii to observe 1985 as the international year of youth (iyy) and the movements response was a year-long preparation culminating in jesus youth 85 that gave the community a name and outlined its path for the future.

The New Evangelization: What is it?

the resounding call of pope john paul ii stirred up the movement deeply: look to the future with commitment to a new evangelization, one that is new in its fervour, new in its methods and new in its expression (haiti, 1983). by his example and through much of his exhortations this call to a fresh awakening to evangelization was repeated. in the lineamenta of the forthcoming synod this concept is reflected on in detail: ...the new evangelization is not a matter of redoing something that has been inadequately done or has not achieved its purpose, as if the new activity were an implicit judgement on the failure of the first evangelization. Nor

jANuAry 2012 PAGE 3

the mOvement, in shOrt, has BeCOme a nursery fOr missiOn, in whiCh a Culture Of making every little aspeCt integral tO fOrming persOns and fellOwships fOr missiOn is given the highest priOrity. the Culture and lifestyle Of a grOup is its mOst fOrCeful fOrmatOr. in Other wOrds missiOn is Caught, nOt taught.

The New Evangelization: How do we do it?

how do you go about this god-given task? in the movement there has been a constant reminder that it has to be a missionary movement and every member a missionary. so, no gathering or training concludes without a serious thought on mission, leading to clear plans on reaching out to other youth and bringing them to a christexperience. then again, how does one join the movement? not by a membership enrolment, but through an encounter. for the new evangelization needs new witnesses people who have experienced an area of change in their life because of their contact with jesus christ, and who are capable of passing on that experience to others (jp ii, 1991). the movement, in short, has become a nursery for mission, in which a culture of making every little aspect integral to forming persons and fellowships for mission is given the highest priority. the culture and lifestyle of a group is its most forceful formator. in other words mission is caught, not taught. the songs, the games, what one reads, the points of argument, the friendships, all these form elements of this culture. in the casual discussions at the workplace, in the little dreams of teenagers, or in what youth do when they get together to relax and have fun, is where the sense of mission blooms. But then it gets clearly defined in the various formation programmes, and in the variety of packages of jesus youth such as discipleship training, fulltime volunteers, professionals to mission, etc., that promote commitment as well as evangelistic fervour.

the proof of the pudding is in the eating. most people see the outward mission initiatives of jesus youth and marvel at it, though very often they never come to see the inner dynamics that generates it. a little snack time meet or youth picnic that quietly invites other youth to new life, a small lunchtime gathering in a factory or university department to pray and share, a colourful skit with emotional appeal that leads to reconsideration of a teens life, the high energy music and dance that moves not just the feet and the hearts, but ones spirit as well, an exhibition, a study group, a visit to a poor slum - all these are the fruits of new evangelization in the movement that bear a rich harvest of hearts for the lord. this encounter-formation-mission paradigm is what lends the movement its depth and breadth.

The New Evangelization: Where do we do it?

the new evangelization is a frame-ofmind, a courageous manner of acting and capacity to know how to read and interpret the new situations in human history (lineamenta, 6). the document further speaks of six areas in contemporary society that require urgent attention from all of us, or the sectors calling for the new evangelization. they are: i) the contemporary culture which is getting highly secularised, ii) the social phenomenon of migration, iii) the means of social communications, iv) the economically backward sector v) the realms of science and technology, and vi) civic and political life. as the master said, the wind of the spirit blows where it wills. so has it happened with jesus youth, seeing which we rejoice. when we look back at the history of the movement spanning more than a quarter of a century it is highly uplifting to note this dynamism of the spirit, which has helped the movement spontaneously focus on these special sectors, that the church is also taking note of. it is good for all of us to ask ourselves how well we address these sectors in life.

The New Evangelization: Where should we move on to?

in recent times pope benedict xvi has repeatedly used the image of the courtyard of the gentiles, a part of the temple precincts in jesus times that was set apart for non-jews to give them a limited exposure to revealed religion without any serious commitment. he continues, i think that today too the church should open a sort of court of the gentiles in which people might in some way latch on to god, without knowing him and before gaining access to his mystery, at whose service the inner life of the church stands. this call is especially relevant for the jesus youth movement which has always been very close to the present day generation far removed from the church and god. for the many at the other end of the faith-spectrum, a jesus youth may well be the only messenger of christ near them, talking their language. of the few such initiatives within the movement, rexband, a musical outreach, is a small, but relevant example. over the last 23 years, this band has seen its music and mission influence many living on the boundaries of the conventional church often outside its visible frameworks. over half of its concerts and interactions

sectors 1 culture

jesus youth involvement music, art, social customs especially of youth have been targeted well by all jy ministries and more so through concerts, skits, cultural exchange, etc. primarily a migrant movement, jy has spread through educational and job-related placement. jy groups are migrant groups in many parts of the world strong media initiatives in jy - kairos magazine, joynet e-group, youth vibes podcast individual forays into films, ads, music and journalism the 6th jy pillar - receives focus through exposures, visits & initiatives like outreach child-support campus and professional groups make optimal use; large section of jy are tech-savvy sporadic presence in the area of civic and political decisions with a few in top businesses, politics and bureaucracy

need for new direction Further reflection to be given on culture and evangelism; resultant initiatives will produce radical differences out of the 4 major migrant sectors, students and workers attended to by jy. family-based migrants and refugees need more attention focused formation and sustained efforts in media evangelization required in JY jy to become more poor-oriented, more volunteers to live & work with the poor are needed focused and sustained presence in Sci-tech field and research networking needed majority shy away from most levels of public presence; greater awareness and formation needs to be given

2 migration

3 media

4 the poor 5 sci-tech

6 public life

this Call is espeCially relevant fOr the jesus yOuth mOvement whiCh has always Been very ClOse tO the present day generatiOn far remOved frOm the ChurCh and gOd. fOr the many at the Other end Of the faithspeCtrum, a jesus yOuth may well Be the Only messenger Of Christ near them, talking their language.

jANuAry 2012 PAGE 5

in the midst Of these COmplex Challenges there is the need fOr a new Breed Of the disCiples Of Christ, wide-eyed in this thrilling wOrld deeply rOOted On the rOCk Of all ages, Carrying ever new wine in fresh wineskins.

have been in urban public spaces and auditoriums, opening up the outer courts of the lords presence and beauty to a group that would have stayed away from what pope benedict called classic or permanent evangelization (address to catechists and religious teachers, 12 dec. 2000). its music (which clearly sets it apart from instantly recognisable traits of existing devotional music) and its eclectic approach in exposing influential musicians to Christ, can also be seen in this context. with music being a key cultural influencer of this generation, many other related initiatives are springing up simultaneously. another recent initiative, though small in scale, has been the soul caf, an informal musical lounge experience set in an urban secular location. the initiative has been drawing a niche of influential people far removed from the periphery of our church structures towards an initial exposure to the mystery and beauty of jesus. in fact many more groups in the movement are initiating such open platforms across different countries. in redemptoris missio jp ii notes, in the churchs history, missionary drive has always been a sign of vitality, just as its lessening is a sign of a crisis of faith (2). for the jesus youth movement, sustaining and deepening

the mission of the new evangelization is its most urgent challenge for which there is a need to lay the firm foundation of a focused formation. missionary effort without the foundation of a relevant spirituality and formation is like a beautiful christmas tree; it doesnt have roots and will wither away. but there are also trees with the roots of so called formation that do not bear fruits, and the lord indicates that they will be cut away. The movement needs firmer foundation that will bear abundant and enduring fruits of the new evangelization. a rapidly changing world is posing unprecedented challenges for nations, communities and families. very often the church and well-meaning elders are bewildered by the erosion of sublime elements, culture and undisputable values. for answers and meaning many of todays generation look to science and technology and even for those who believe, faith and religion are relegated to a joyful company or a skin-deep solace. in the midst of these complex challenges there is the need for a new breed of the disciples of christ, wide-eyed in this thrilling world deeply rooted on the rock of all ages, carrying ever new wine in fresh wineskins. this call for the new evangelization is also the call of jesus youth for the coming generation.

dr. edward edezhath one of the pioneering leaders and 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. he is an associate professor at st. alberts college, ernakulam.

todays world needs people who proclaim and testify that it is christ who teaches the art of living, the way of true happiness, because he himself is the path of life; people who first of all keep their own gaze fixed on jesus, the son of god: the word of proclamation must always be immersed in an intense relationship with him, in an intense life of prayer. todays world needs people who speak to god, so as to be able to speak of god.
address Of the hOly father BenediCt xvi at the meeting with church leaders involved in the new evangelization on the occasion of the international conference organised by the pontifical council for promoting the new evangelization

Evangelizers
an international conference was organised in Rome by the Pontifical Council for Promoting the new evangelization from 15-16 october for church leaders and movements involved in the new evangelization. as the church looks ahead to both the year of faith (11 oct. 2012 24 nov. 2013) declared by our holy father, pope benedict xvi, in his apostolic letter porta fidei (door of faith) and the october 2012 synod of bishops on the new evangelization for the transmission of the Christian Faith, this was a very significant event. the conference, with the theme new evangelizers for the new evangelization - the word of god grows and spreads, had thousands of participants representing 115 movements from around the world, to discuss efforts in new evangelization. raiju varghese and manoj sunny represented the jesus youth movement at this conference. on saturday, 15 oct. special invitees from 50 movements including jesus youth, met the pope in the paul vi audience hall. addressing these participants, the holy father reminded them that being evangelizers is not a privilege but a commitment that comes from faith. he also urged them to communicate the joy of faith to all with the enthusiasm that comes from being driven by the holy spirit. on sunday, 16 oct. the holy father celebrated holy mass in saint peters basilica with around 5000 people from different movements across the world. in his homily, pope benedict xvi once again emphasised that every gospel missionary must always bear in mind this truth: it is the lord who touches hearts with his word and with his spirit, calling people to faith and to communion in the church and that evangelization, to be effective, needs the power of the spirit, who gives life to proclamation and imbues those who convey it with the full conviction of which the apostle speaks. sibi joseph (jy european co-ordinator), jose mathew (former european co-ordinator) and around 20 jesus youth from rome participated in the saturday afternoon programme and the sunday morning papal mass.

The new

jANuAry 2012 PAGE 7

RE aCHING

OuT

TO

jesus youth uae shares a special bond with the country of uganda in east africa. for a few years now, uganda has been spiritually adopted by jy uae who have been praying for the suffering people in uganda and for a spiritual renewal in that land. it was only two years ago that actual visits materialised on this strong foundation of prayer. at the end of november 2011, a small jesus youth mission team comprising of fr. bitaju mathew (international pastor), dr. edward edezhath and c. c. joseph from india along with jomy abraham, santhosh mathew and julius antony from uae visited several places in uganda for some trainings and interactions. the mission trip began with a three-day youth animation training held from 1st to 3rd december in the fort portal diocese. jesus youth was absolutely new to the diocese but the bishop had heard about the movement and invited the leaders to introduce jy to his diocese. about 40, including priests, sisters, elders and youth leaders,

attended this very fruitful training. there were three gatherings too with the entebbe jesus youth group, which is just a year old and is in its initial growth phase. there was a one-day training for the youth chaplains of kampala archdiocese under the banner of the national youth chaplain on 7th december 2011. the training, which was a mix of youth animation and personal reflection, was an eye-opener for the participating priests. the team animated an Advent reflection programme on the same day for the priests and religious of the diocese of masaka, which is about 130 kms from kampala, the capital. there were about 30 participants including most rev. john baptist, the bishop of masaka. all were very happy to hear about the jesus youth movement and its activities. fr. ssenfuma, the diocesan youth chaplain, gave a suitable introduction about the movement and its activities. on 9th december, jy animated the national youth conference of uganda conducted at the lugazi diocese, which is about 45 kms from kampala. there were nearly 230 youth from 19 dioceses of uganda for the four-day conference.

The National Youth Office of Uganda together with jesus youth conducted a prayer breakfast for the catholic professionals and corporates on 10th december at the grand imperial hotel in kampala. there were about 100 selected participants which included h.e. emmanuel cardinal wamala, supreme court judge, finance minister, former vice presidents wife, top executives from centenary bank (owned by the catholic church in uganda), etc. c. c. joseph was the main speaker for the event. the young people of the church of africa are seeking exemplary young men and women to help them translate their talents and energy towards the promotion of moral and gospel values. this is where jesus youth can become leaven and contribute much. the mission model initiated by jy uae is bearing much fruit. recently a group of nine jy leaders from uae spent 2 weeks in chiyunga village, a very remote area of uganda, as part of their two-month long mission training. however this is just a beginning. the whole of africa waits to be reached out in the lords name.

GaTHErING OF ECCLESIaL MOVEMENTS IN aSIa

25 - 27 NOvEmbEr 2011 rEDEmPTOrisT CENTrE, PATTAyA ThAilAND
the second gathering of ecclesial movements in asia was held from 25th to 27th november 2011 at the redemptorist centre in pattaya, thailand. this gathering based on the theme mission in asia new evangelizers for the new evangelization, was organised by fabc-oe (federation of Asian Bishops Conference Office of evangelization) and fema (fraternity of ecclesial movements in asia). although more than 28 ecclesial movements from different parts of asia were expected to participate, the prolonged flood situation in Thailand posed serious difficulties, and representatives of only 14 ecclesial movements were able to make it to the gathering. the basic purpose of the event was for a deeper study and reflection on the lineamenta of the bishops synod on the new evangelization for the transmission of the christian faith in the context of asia. the inspiring presence and guidance of the chairman of fabc-oe, archbishop thomas menamparampil and the insightful inputs of bishop pablo virgilio david, provided a clear and challenging direction to the deliberations. george devassy represented the jesus youth movement at the event. in addition, manoj sunny, who is the co-ordinator of fema, was behind the organising of the gathering and dr. edward edezhath presented the keynote address, setting the tone for the three days. all the participants agreed that it was an important step for fema to meet annually as it recognised the importance of continued fellowship and reflection on Mission. While all ecclesial movements are members of fema, a council of six movements, namely couples for christ, focolare, fondacio, holy trinity community, jesus youth and worldwide marriage encounter, were selected to be the co-ordinating council for the next 3 years.

CaTHOLIC FraTErNITY aSIaN CONFErENCE

over 180 delegates attended the 3rd asian conference of the catholic fraternity of charismatic covenant communities & fellowships, held from 20th to 23rd october 2011 at the lords flock heritage center, Quezon city, philippines. the theme of the conference was towards a more empowered community. established in 1990, the catholic fraternity of charismatic covenant communities and fellowships is made up of catholic charismatic communities, and strives to identify with the saving mission of the church in communion with the pope. the jesus youth movement became a member of the catholic fraternity in 2009. seven charismatic communities, which are members of the catholic fraternity in asia, were represented in the conference. the conference began with holy mass presided by archbishop raom c. arguelles of the archdiocese of lipa. the conference was blessed with the presence of professor matteo calisi, president of the catholic fraternity, vatican city. in his inspirational talk, he challenged everyone to be humble missionary disciples and to be a new breed of evangelisers not only in asia, but also in the whole world. manoj sunny, who represented the jesus youth movement at this conference, was also one of the speakers at the event.

jANuAry 2012 PAGE 9

LIVING
it all began during the summer of 2010 with a simple question in an e-mail: where are You all living the next three Years? maYbe we can live together!

THE JESuS YOuTH SpIRITuaLITY

Reading this, a few of us were deeply struck by the concept of young women living the Jesus Youth spirituality together as we finished our education or began our careers. We had all deeply encountered the Lord at different points through the movement and having been inspired by the lives of our elders, we felt that communal living might be the next step to deepening our journey towards holiness. We began praying about this idea and by September, different aspects of the Jesus Youth Community House (JYCH) slowly began to fall into place. After receiving deep conviction from Psalm 127: Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain that build it, the idea of a

short-term project that focused upon a disciplined life of the six pillars of the movement evolved. Deepening in Daily Prayer, Word of God and Sacraments would be our starting point for an authentic expression of love towards our neighbours through Fellowship, Service, and Evangelisation. Next, we needed to find a place. For months we searched for an affordable location in New York that would be within walking distance of a Church and provide the opportunity to work with the poor. Almost falling into desperation, we brought it up during a Jesus Youth gathering and thats when a couple of our elders opened up their home to us. We were really touched particularly when the husband offered to live elsewhere during the month so that the house could be completely dedicated to women. Once we had the house, a nationwide search began for potential boarders. Recommended by various regional Service teams,

have been encouraged by the guidance received. During our stay we also got the opportunity to host the second pre-World Youth Day gathering and journey to New Jersey for Kids Kamp where we could connect with the Family Team. The most vivid moments, however, were those before the Blessed Sacrament. We were incredibly blessed to have a perpetual Adoration Chapel located near the house. Reflecting upon this time, the JYCH could be summed up as a beautiful struggle. The house greatly contributed to our spiritual development by encouraging a lot of patience, listening and conflict resolution among the different personalities within the house. The month of communal living presented many challenges, particularly as people began to understand each others strengths and weaknesses. Yet, the Lord consistently encouraged us towards reconciliation, openness and forgiveness in order to give us a taste of the oneness shared within the Holy Trinity. While this experience lasted only a month, it produced many fruits. Firstly, it appears to have triggered other such communal living! The young men in the New York area have been talking about gathering together in the same house for a 9-day Novena in preparation to work amongst the poor in the Bronx. There are also plans for young women from the JYCH who are seeking to live together for 1-2 years in Chicago and Boston. Moreover, this house has given us all a stronger sense of what it means to live an integrated life of the six pillars. May the Holy Spirit continue to inspire more initiatives based on unity within our beautiful movement. JaISY JOSEpH, uSa

THE MONTH OF COMMUNAL LiviNG PRESENTED MANY CHALLENGES, PARTiCULARLY AS PEOPLE BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHERS STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. YET, THE LORD CONSiSTENTLY ENCOURAGED US TOWARDS RECONCiLiATiON, OPENNESS AND FORGivENESS iN ORDER TO GivE US A TASTE OF THE ONENESS SHARED WiTHiN THE HOLY TRiNiTY.
for Mass at the local parish. Afterwards, we would return home and have a small time of reflection on the days reading before cooking breakfast together. Through the day we engaged in various activities, like private study, working with the Missionaries of Charity in Harlem, spending time with local youth or going through formation material. Sometimes joined by our elders, we would have honest and open discussions within this Sisters Circle. We found this time to be very valuable and

six young women joined the JYCH. in preparation, for a whole month material based on the writings of St. Edith Stein and Pope John Paul ii concerning the dignity of women and their vocation were reflected upon. The material was also uploaded to a Facebook group, where more than 50 other young women from all over the US joined us in this process of reflection. The JYCH officially began on 6th July 2011. in the weeks that followed, we would rise early to pray the Divine Office together before heading
jANuAry 2012 PAGE 11

australia
The re-constitution was held on the final day of a 4-day growth retreat organised from 1-4 Dec. The new National Team has Navin Thomas as the Co-ordinator, Siju Mathew as the Asst. Co-ordinator, Fr. John Aravankara & Thomas issac as the Animators and Fr. Thomas Areekuzhy as the Pastor. The new National Youth Coordinator is Sidharth Jose and the new National Family Team has Biju Kattikkaran & Preetha as the Co-ordinators.

qatar
Nearly 60 leaders gathered on 7 Nov. for the re-constitution. Jinto George was elected as the new National Co-ordinator and Jinoy K. J. as the Asst. Co-ordinator. Lyju varghese is the new Animator. Mr. and Mrs. Bosky George were elected as the new Co-ordinators of the Family Team and Denit was elected as the new Youth Co-ordinator.

BraND NEW TEaMS

Canada uk
The re-constitution of the JY UK National Team, Youth Team and Family Team took place from 18 to 20 November. Nearly 12 hours of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was held on the first evening prior to the time of discernment. The concluding Mass ended with an anointing and commissioning prayer for all the team members.

new zealand
Around 30 leaders gathered on a weekend to pray and discern the new National Team. The re-constituted team has Soji Joseph as the Coordinator, Ferdin Antony as the Asst. Co-ordinator and Fr. James Mulligan as the Pastor. The new Youth Team Co-ordinator is Francis Abraham and the Family Team Co-ordinators are Saby & Jinsy.

The National Team was re-constituted on 1 Oct. Boban Mathew was elected as the new Co-ordinator and Joseph Michael as the new Asst. Co-ordinator. Mimi Pukulakkat & Shone Boben were elected as the National Youth Team Co-ordinator and Asst. Co-ordinator respectively. Fr. Kurian Puramadathil is the National Pastor and Fr. Jose Thaiparambil is the Youth Team Pastor.

A weekend gathering of leaders held from 8 -10 Oct. came to a close with the prayerful discernment of the new National Teams for the next three years. The Co-ordinator of Jesus Youth America is Sunil Nadarajan with Georgee Malayil and Jithin George leading the Family and Youth National Teams, respectively.

usa

GLOBaL NEWSWaTCH

Discipleship Training, ireland

Youth Retreat, Canada

IrELaND discipleship training programme The first ever DTP in Ireland was held in Maynooth University Campus in Dublin from 2 to 10 August 2011. Around 22 teen leaders took part in the residential training programme. George Devassy and Alexander Kuruvilla were the key resource persons helped by the ireland Service Team and Family ministry. The programme turned out to be a very fruitful and inspiring experience for the participants and the volunteers. Arun George NEW ZEaLaND ave maria rosary Campaign The Ave Maria Prayer Campaign was launched across 5 major cities of the country in the month of October. The campaign, initiated by JY New Zealand, aimed at fostering and promoting love for our Eucharistic Jesus and at bringing about a revival in the devotion to our Blessed Mother. There was a two-fold approach - one for the clergy and the other for the laity. While the laity from different parishes were asked to join in praying the Rosary daily for the whole month, priests were requested to offer their daily Holy Mass for the intentions of the campaign which included prayers for the Catholic Church in NZ, for youth and families and for specific personal prayer intentions. Soji Joseph

CaNaDa youth retreat The Jesus Youth Teens team conducted the Praise and Worship and helped with the Music Ministry for the Shalom Festival Youth Retreat held from 8 10 October at the St. Thomas Syro Malabar Parish, Toronto. The JY Campus youth assisted with the Christeen and Kids retreats. There were over 400 attendees from all over Toronto and neighbouring areas. Boban Mathew SWITZErLaND growing in faith retreat JY Switzerland organised a residential retreat from 11 to 13 November at Olten with the theme Growing in Faith. The programme was attended by about 50 youth from different regions and local parishes of Switzerland. Many of the youngsters had attended the Rexband concert last summer and were interested in knowing more about Jesus Youth and its spirituality. The main resource people were Fr. Andreas Gschwind, Fr. Thomas Widmer and other JY leaders from Europe. George Thomas ITaLY presentation on jesus youth, rome JY Roma was invited to make a presentation on the movement at the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome on 16 Nov. 2011. The occasion was the Curriculum Day of the Department of Youth Ministry of the same

University, the theme for which was The contribution of Movements to the New Evangelization. There was a 100-strong group of students from different countries including priests, nuns and lay people, in attendance. Rosmi, Lija, Fr. Sanoj and Fr. Jude made the presentation, which was in italian. A 20-minute interaction period followed the presentation, which was quite well-received. Sunil varghese USa leaders gathering, Chicago From 8 to 10 October, around 120 family members and youth gathered in Chicago, iL to recollect the past 3 years of Jesus Youth America, to look towards the coming years and to reconstitute the three National Teams. Special invitees for the gathering included Henry Cappello, Manoj Sunny and Raiju varghese. annual family retreat, northeast region The annual retreat held specifically for Jesus Youth families was organised from 24 to 27 Nov. at the St. Peters Parish Retreat House in Belleville, NJ. 60 participants attended this retreat based on the theme Family Rooted in Christ. weekend retreat, Boston Over 20 prayer group members of the Boston region attended a weekend retreat from 14-16 October. A few from the ecumenical prayer group also attended this retreat. wyd reunion gathering A month or two after WYD, those who had
JY Presentation, italy

Growing in Faith Retreat, Switzerland

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Youth Formation, Qatar

Malacca Pilgrimage, Singapore

attended the World Youth Day 2011 came together in their respective regions to recall their experiences at Madrid and to share how their WYD experience was helping them grow in their relationship with God. it was also a time to re-connect with their fellow pilgrims. all saints day Celebration, illinois in an effort to bring back the true meaning of the famous American holiday Halloween, parents, youth, and kids from various parishes came together on 29 October at the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church to celebrate the lives of the saints, pray for our departed and for the souls in purgatory. Everyone came dressed in saints costumes. One-day retreat, milwaukee A one-day retreat geared towards tenth graders from Latin parishes in Milwaukee was held on 5 November at Mary Queen of Heaven, West Ellis. Fifteen youngsters took part in the retreat. jy gathering, southeast region A gathering of Jesus Youth from Florida (Tampa, Jacksonville and Miami) and Atlanta was held from 12 13 November at the Holy Spirit Church, Jacksonville. Nearly 30 people took part in the gathering. youth Conference, indianapolis From 17 - 19 Nov., over 23,000 young Catholics from all over the United States gathered in indianapolis, indiana for the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) and National Catholic Collegiate Conference (NCCC). Several Jesus Youth participated in this event.
Retreat, Milwaukee, USA

youth harvest 2011, new jersey A one-day programme for youth was conducted at incarnation St. James Church, Ewing, by the Jesus Youth of Mid-atlantic and Northeast region under the leadership of Fr. Santosh O.Ss.T. Princy Abraham QaTar middle east team meeting The Middle East Team Meeting was held in Doha from 20 - 21 October. The team constituting of country co-ordinators and representatives from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE came together to pray and discuss about future initiatives. On 21 Oct., a Chain Rosary and an Adoration were conducted by the families and youth to pray for all Middle East countries. youth formation programme A formation programme for youth is being conducted once every month. Twenty-six youth from different regions are participating in this programme. An outreach to camps was also organised as part of this formation. Jinto George SINGaPOrE malacca pilgrimage JY Singapore initiated a pilgrimage on 9 August to the historic city of Malacca in Malaysia, which is sanctified by the footsteps of St. Francis Xavier. A hundred JYs visited the Red Square, St. Pauls Hill, and the St. Francis Xavier Church on the day.
WYD Reunion (Midwest), USA

jy sports day JY Sports Day was conducted on 18 Sept. at Changkat Primary School, Simei to increase the fellowship between ministries. jy family retreat Twenty-two JY families attended a family retreat from 21 to 23 Oct. at the Choice Retreat Centre. Elvis and Priya Kottooran led the retreat for couples. Alice Mathew and Bony Joseph from the Angels Army Team led the retreat for children. lumina - One-day programme Jesus Youth Working Ministry organised Lumina, a one-day programme for the migrant workers in Singapore on 26 October at St. Francis of Assisi Church Hall, Boon Lay. More than 100 migrant workers attended this gathering which was led by Elvis Kottooran. rejoice initial youth retreat Nine Singaporeans, including two nonCatholics, gathered at the Choice Retreat Centre from 5 7 November to know, experience and share the love of God. C. C. Joseph and George Devassy led the sessions and discussions. Shimy Stephen UaE annual gathering Around 1300 Jesus Youth from 8 different regions of UAE came together to celebrate their Annual Gathering on 2 December.
Annual Gathering, UAE

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Darshan 2011, Oman

National Animators Training, india

Based on the theme of the Great Commission (Mk. 16:15), the programme was directed at helping every JY present - kids, teens, youth and families to live out Every Jesus Youth, a missionary. Besides presentations on Mission by various regions and the National Co-ordinator, the day also saw a wonderful time of Praise and Worship, Holy Mass and a special performance by UAEs music band, the Covenant Singers. iReflect On 4, 5 and 6 November, a residential youth retreat was organised at St. Marys Church, Al Ain. it drew the participation of over 200 youngsters from all the regions of UAE. The programme was led by Bro. Jude Antoine from Malaysia and Dony Peter. missionary training programme Thirty-five youngsters underwent a 40day training programme (MTP) to equip themselves for a year-long weekend commitment for the Lord. As part of their mission exposure, they will now visit parts of Africa or india. On their return they will spend every weekend of the next one year travelling to a different mission place in the country. P. v. Jojo Uk jesus youth uk completes 10 years On the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed virgin Mary, i.e. 8 Sept. 2011, Jesus Youth UK completed the 10th Anniversary of the
Family Retreat, Oman

inception of the movement in UK. A day of prayer and thanksgiving was organised across the country to pray and remember the numerous Jesus Youth who had migrated to this country over the past 10 years with a mission to proclaim their faith. musical evening, Berwick-upon-trent As an outreach initiative, a musical evening was held in the north most city of England on 30 September. Around 40 local parishioners attended the programme. night vigil, london A 24-hour Rosary vigil was held on 28 October in a parish in London. More than 200 people from various nationalities and parish groups got involved and took the initiative to pray. The day also included celebration of the Eucharist and Adoration, and a special time of worship and sharing for youth. Abhy Thomas OMaN darshan 2011 An initial level programme was held from 31 Aug. to 2 Sept. at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Ghala. Nearly 300 youth from different parts of Oman attended this programme, which was led by Joshy M.A. from india. Fr. Albert De Silva, Fr. Baby Mathew and Fr. Kristhudas were the other key speakers. walk in the light retreats A series of initial retreats for families was held in Sept. and Oct. in the Holy Spirit

Catholic Church, Ghala, St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, Ruwi and St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Salalah. in total, more than 200 families participated in these retreats. Santhosh Chittilapilly and Sali Santhosh were the main resource persons. national family leaders meet A gathering of leaders was organised by the National Family Team from 7 - 8 November at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Ghala. 30 families attended the gathering. half-yearly evaluation meeting Thirty-five key leaders from different regions of Oman came together at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Ghala on 26 Nov. to evaluate the past 6 months and to plan for the coming months. Fr. Kristhudas inaugurated the gathering and Mrs. Lina Fernandez gave a session on True Leadership. Anto L. Puthur INDIa national leaders & animators training, 2011 Pallotti Home, Goa was home to two important JY india trainings recently. From 16-25 November, the National Leaders Training was conducted with 26 leaders from different regions. Almost simultaneously the national level animators training took place from 19-25 November with 21 participants including both JY pastors and lay animators. The Commissioning Ceremony held on the final day was graced by Most Rev. Filipe Neri

Cultural Exchange Programme 2011, india

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Revive, Sydney, Australia

Teens Retreat, Kuwait

Ferrao, the Archbishop of Goa and Daman. mission nurses training From 14 to 30 October, the 4th Mission Nurses Training was held at CST Generalate, Thrikkakara with twelve participants from across the country. Following a 3-day retreat by Fr. Abraham Pallivathukal S.J., the remaining days helped the group to explore their hidden talents, skills and potential to become efficient missionaries. Cultural exchange programme 2011 Nearly 145 youth from different parts of India came to Kerala to participate in this years Exchange Programme. The welcome ceremony and orientation were held at the Divine Retreat Centre on 10 December. At the close of their stay, a final gathering was held at Cherthala from 28 Dec. 1 Jan. Antony A.J. aUSTraLIa making and Becoming saints, Brisbane A three-day family retreat was held from 26 to 28 August at the Frederick Marsden Centre. The resource ream of Fr. George Kumblumootil and Elvis Kottooran helped the participating families to get a new vision of living the Catholic faith as a family and to renew their marriage covenant of becoming and making saints. arise11, adelaide A teens camp was organised at the Rostrevor College from 26 to 28 August. Fr. Bony Abraham and Dr. Priya Allencherry catered to the 40 odd enthusiastic participants . living a Christo-Centric life, melbourne Desiring to live a Christo-Centric Life, 26 families and 23 youth came together at Campaspe Downs Country Resort, Kenetton from 13 to 15 August. Fr. George Kumblumootil and Elvis Kottooran led the group in these days of prayer and learning. rosarium fiesta, melbourne To promote daily rosary among the Catholics in Melbourne, 30 Jesus Youth gathered regularly in the month of October. Their main activities included Rosary gatherings, Chain

Fasting, Rosary Walks, Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Ta Pinu Marian Centre, Bacchus Marsh and Rosary Night Vigil. The fiesta culminated on 29 October with celebrations at the St. Francis De Sales Parish, Oak Park. in his radiance, perth A retreat based on the verse i am the radiance of Gods glory was attended by nearly 20 youth from 2 4 September. Fr. George Kumblumootil was the main resource person. jericho trip, sydney As part of the Rosarium Fiesta celebrations, JY Sydney went on a day-long intercessory bus pilgrimage around Sydney on 15 October to pray for the city. The twenty youth set off from Holy Spirit Church, North Ryde and also stopped to pray at Mary MacKillop Memorial Chapel, where the tomb of Saint Mary of the Cross is located. revive, sydney As part of Revive, a 3-day residential family retreat and a 2-day youth retreat was organised between 19-21 August at Edmund Rice Retreat Centre, Mulgoa, NSW. 16 families and 15 youth participated respectively. Fr. George Kumblumootil and Elvis Kottooran formed the resource team. Mayrose Abraham kUWaIT discipleship formation programme A Disciplesip Formation Programme was organised at the Ahmadi Parish from 3 19 August. Thirty-two members from various part of the country participated in this programme led by Joshy M. A. from Kerala. teens retreat A Teens retreat - Yes Lord - with 450 participants, was organised by the Youth team at Carmel School. The main resource persons were vijay (Bangalore) and Rajesh (Fujairah). family retreat A family retreat was conducted under the guidance of Fr. Jose Kottayil and Prof. v. M. George from 24 27 November at the Carmel School and the City Cathedral. Around 150 families participated in the retreat.

ministry leaders training About 70 leaders took part in the Ministry Leaders Training (MLT -2011) organised in Doha from 31 Aug. 2 Sept. Manoj Sunny was the resource person for this 3-day residential programme. jy festival A JY festival was organised on 9 Sept. at the indian Public School, Salmiya, to commemorate Mother Marys birthday and also to celebrate the festival of Onam. About 150 active members participated. Bethzetha A one day programme for medical professionals - Bethzetha, was organised at the City Cathedral on 29 October. Siljo Thomas was the resource person for this programme with nearly 400 participants. Dinoy David

Blessed Virgin Mary, you gazed at the face of your new Born child and your heart was at peace. intercede for us that we May continue to seek the face of your precious son and our lord Jesus, despite the distractions of this world. aMen.

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