An Indian bishop has reminded Catholic youth to be catalysts of change in society.
Bishop Nazarene Soosai, chairman of the Tamil Nadu Youth Commission, was addressing the participants of the Young Catholic Students/Young Students Movement (YCS/YSM India) on May 23.
The occasion was the 28th formation session and the XIX National Council of YCS/YSM India at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Poonamallee, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, south India.
The International Young Catholic Students (IYCS) organization, which is dedicated to establishing a world that is tranquil, just, and sustainable, includes YCS/YSM India.
IYCS, a faith-based youth movement founded in 1946 and inspired by the Catholic faith, has helped students become designers and agents of constructive social change through its activities. It works to develop resilient humanitarian action, combat inequality and injustice, advance peace, and safeguard the environment by promoting global solidarity to end extreme poverty.
Bishop Soosai of Kottar addressed the theme, "'The call—God has given us all."
Students from eight different regions of India attended the program.
The National Council's inaugural ceremony began with the hoisting of the flags. Bishop Soosai, and Fr. Martin Joseph, region youth director of Tamil Nadu, respectively, raised the national flag and the YCS/YSM flag.
The program was followed by the inauguration of regional stalls that highlighted the richness and diversity of India.
Catherine Saryana, the inaugural program's guest of honor, noted that youth play one of the most important roles and that their potential should not be neglected by anyone, not even them.
"We are the changemakers and should practice what we preach. It is essential to be conscious politically, economically, and in all aspects," she said.
The day concluded with a cultural program put forth by the Tamil Nadu region.
The keynote address was given by the former national and IYCS International Chaplain, Fr. Charles Menezes. He emphasized that a movement is always in motion, and it is the youth’s dedicated passion that is responsible for keeping its spirit ignited.
He advised participants to do everything with the new spirit but listen to the old ones.
He said, "We need to reflect, evaluate, and take action because we have a future that is hopeful." – Santosh Digal
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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