Indian Catholic national youth conference to be held in April-May

The Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) will hold the 4th National Youth Conference in April-May.

The April 26 to May 1 conference will deliberate on the theme: “Youth for a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission.”

The five-day meeting will gather leaders of the youth ministry along with bishops, youth directors and animators at the Pastoral Centre, Nadiad, Diocese of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, western India.

“As the universal Church is reflecting and deliberating on Synodality, the theme for the next General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2023, through this conference we wish to invite youth leaders from across the country to reflect and discuss their experience, hope and dream for a Synodal Church,” said Father Chetan Machado, national youth director and executive secretary of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI).

The ICYM functions under the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India-Youth Commission.

“We initiated the annual youth conference for representatives from across 132 Latin dioceses and youth movements in 2018, to give focused training and formation to young people on various themes and realities,” said Father Machado.  

After organizing two successful events in Delhi and Hyderabad, and one virtual during the pandemic, National Youth Commission is now looking forward to another conference this year, he said.

“We will also have the ICYM Annual National Council Meeting and the General Body meeting of ICYM that is held once in 2 years during the National Conference, as per the constitution of ICYM,” said Jyotsna D’Souza, president of ICYM.