The CHARIS Asia Oceania Continental Service of Communion has arranged a youth conference that emulates the fervor and energy of World Youth Day and is slated to take place in Cebu, Philippines, from July 25 to 28, 2024.
Ms. Fe Mantuhac Barino, National Coordinator for CHARIS Philippines and President of the Commission on the Laity of the Archdiocese of Cebu, revealed this.
She sits on the 10-member continental coordinating team for CHARIS Asia Oceania. Ms. Barino was also recently elected a council member of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services, representing Asia during an international assembly held in Rome in late October.
In an interview, Ms. Barino said the youth gathering would be in line with Pope Francis’ mandate to “focus on the youth.”
The event will be the first charismatic renewal gathering for youth that CHARIS has ever organized, with the theme "Youth Arise Asia Oceania." Hundreds of delegates from 17 countries comprising the Asia-Oceania region are expected to join the event.
According to Barino, the Asia-Oceania Continental team had had preliminary discussions on the sidelines of the CHARIS international conference in Rome. Zoom meetings with the regional youth coordinator and Asia-Oceania leaders followed this.
A few weeks after she arrived from Rome, Ms. Barino organized a two-day planning seminar-workshop to discuss preparations for the youth conference. Over 60 lay leaders from different dioceses all over the country attended the working conference, including three priests who minister to different charismatic renewal communities.
Asked if a lead time of 7 to 8 months is sufficient to prepare for an international event with thousands in attendance, Ms. Barino said she will once again tap the archdiocesan charismatic renewal communities and lay organizations that were behind the success of the three-day National Retreat for Priests held on November 7-9, 2023.
“The outcome of the NRP 2023 exceeded all our expectations. The Archdiocese of Cebu did not spend a centavo, thanks to the generosity of the faithful in Cebu.”
In particular, Ms. Barino thanked Fr. Ciano Ubod, parish priest of the San Vicente Ferrer parish in the northern town of Liloan, who raised a sizable amount through an online fundraising campaign.
She also thanked local government agencies and civic groups for extending their support throughout the event.
Ms. Barino stressed that their experience in organizing and carrying out the plans and programs of the national clergy retreat will be a model or template for the youth event next year.- Malou Guanzon Apalisok
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