“Do not afraid; from now on you will be catching people” Luke5:10
Are you disturbed by the ethnic clash of Assam? Are you disturbed by the Mumbai violence which occurred during the last protest? Are you disturbed by the home stay attack at Mangalore? Are you disturbed by the killing of fishermen at Kerala cost and Tamilnadu costs? Are you disturbed when you heard a girl was thrown away from the moving train in attempt of rape at Karnataka? Are you disturbed when Anna Hazare disbanded his team? Are you disturbed when innocent children, girls, women are molested? Are you disturbed when negative news about church is published in the magazines? Are you disturbed by the attitude of today’s politicians? Are you disturbed and helpless when corrupt system is dominating our nation? Are you disturbed when young people meet with accident and die daily? Are you disturbed when young people commit suicide? Are you disturbed daily hearing of murder, rape, suicide and fatal attacks etc.,?
Yes if you are disturbed then only you can think for doing something and being somebody in life. Being a catholic youth have you found meaning for your existence? Or you too are one who EXIST and EXIT in this life? Don’t you feel that you have to make a difference? Don’t you feel that you want to become a HERO in life? Yes ICYM gives you such an opportunity to become someone for somebody in your Parish, in your Diocese and in your Region at large at Nation. This movement is official parish movement of the CBCI. You may be in any ecclesial group but be a part of your parish youth group. If it is not there, then start one with the help of the Parish Priest, Diocesan Youth Director, and Regional Youth Director. Church gives the opportunity but are we making use of it?. Why do you want to waste your youthful energy?
We have 166 Dioceses and 13 Regions which makes Indian Catholic Youth Movement. We are one nation also one in our faith. United we stand. ICYM is not a movement created by an individual. It’s collective effort of many years’ reflection as well as introspection by all the Regional and Diocesan Representatives. If we don’t promote our national movement then who will? At present we have seventh national youth body. I thank God for this. Also I thank CBCI which dreamt to promote youth leadership at national level. Without youth CBCI Youth Office-ICYM will not exist. YUVAGRAM at Nagpur is another golden opportunity for our young people. I invite Young people to come forward as volunteers to build this yuvagram.
Let us make use of every opportunity that ICYM gives us. Also own the ICYM as our movement. Being youth animators we should seriously think about their spiritual life, then their academic excellence and social life. We need to promote them to civil services; we need to promote them to higher education. Let us not lose faith in our ability; our ability depends on our Faith in the Lord. Let us make Lord Jesus as our mentor and guide by reading his word, by obeying his command, by loving his Church, by loving his people, by defeating negative thinking and ideologies within and among youth groups.
I sincerely thank Mr. Saiby Matthew, who helped us as the editor of Apna Yuva Spandan. May God bless his efforts in the service of the Youth. I welcome Mr. Savio Daniel, ICYM Vice President as its editor and Mr. Praveen as its designer. I appeal every region to support this magazine as your own
“Caste your nets in to the deep waters you will get a catch” Luke 5:4
