JY International Trainings 2013
Camillian Pastoral Care Centre, Bangkok, Thailand.
5-18 August 2013
14-24 August 2013
4-31 August 2013
20-31 August 2013
Jesus Youth International Leaders’ Training (JYILT)
Jesus Youth International Exposure Programme (JYIEP)
Jesus Youth International Fulltime Volunteers’ Training (JYIFT)
Jesus Youth International Animators’ Training (JYIAT)
Youth Ministers Training
September 19 - 22 2013, Brisbane
JY Family Retreats
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
September 27 - 29, 2013 Melbourne, October 4 - 6, 2013 Perth.
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Youth Retreat, Brisbane September 26 - 29, 2013.
Teens Retreat Perth. October 1 - 3, 2013.
December 5th to 7th, 2013 The Australian Catholic Youth Festival is a national gathering of Catholic young people from year 9 to young adults 25 years of age established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. The Festival is aiming to gather over 3000 young people from around Australia. The Festival will be held in Melbourne at the Australian Catholic University (ACU). For more info, please visit; http://www.youthfestival.catholic.org.au
S R E T T E S D TREN 2014 A national training program organised by JY Australia for youngsters(Year 12 and first year uni students) aimed to equip them to stand strong for Jesus especially whilst on campus. Dates: Feb 10th - 16th, 2014 Vic 3152 Centre, 465 Lysterfield Rd, Lysterfield Venue: ‘GOYURA’ Salesian Retreat
Newsletter June 2013.indd 1
dAyBreAk
aus tral i a@je s us yo ut h. o rg
The Apostles Creed
www.jesusyouth.org
Upcoming events
JESUS YOUTH AUSTRALIA NEWSLETTER
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
4 Cover Story
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
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Amen.
Discipleship, a call for the doers!
Jesus Youth Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians in all Australian communities.
T
This newsletter is an initiative of Jesus Youth Australia (www.jesusyouth.org/australia), produced by Jesus Youth Australia National Team. For any comments or suggestions contact us at jyno@jesusyouth.org.au
www.annusfidei.va
hroughout the gospels, we see Jesus calling people to become His disciples. In order to become the disciple of Jesus, one should respond to His call wholeheartedly. We see this call and response in the life of Matthew. In Matt 9:9 we read “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.”
It was Matthew’s response that made him a disciple of Jesus. ‘Matthew got up and immediately followed Jesus’. The word “immediately” means without hesitation, a spontaneous response to the call.
COVER STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Hours of Grace
11 ACTS
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from the coordinator
news
r aus
an update of Jesus Youth Australia events
Whose image is on you?
Dear young people, do not bury your talents, the gifts that God has given you!
Do not be afraid to dream of great things!
POPE FRANCIS
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Gods’ image is on us - We are created in His image and likeness and we belong to God. We are Gods’ creation, and Jesus bought us for a price. We are his sons and daughters who are called to live a blameless and innocent life in the midst of this generation. Whatever God has given us, is His gift to us and what we give back to God is our gift to God. Sometimes we may forget the importance of giving ourselves to God and we may limit this to little things in our lives - giving tithe, few responsibilities, less time in the ministry, going to church only on Sundays, helping others only when everything goes smoothly in our lives etc. Clinging on to our own ‘comfort zones’ is a major challenge faced by people who are involved in the ministry. The call to ‘walk an extra mile’ is always challenging for me and I have seen it numerous times. I am really inspired by others in the ministry who have taken that call seriously and go against the grain. When we honor our God with our own lives, it brings a lot of blessing to us and others. God wants each one of us not to give only a little of what we have, rather give completely and fully our lives to Him. “Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? . No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. And so, today, with great strength and great conviction, on the basis of long personal experi-
ence of life, I say to you, dear young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life. Amen.” Pope Benedict XVI We can’t ignore our various commitments and fully immerse ourselves in ministry work. We need to balance it in a way which gives witness to the Gospel, it surely makes our life and mission more challenging. If there are no challenges, our lives may become dry and cold. Prioritising and balancing of major roles in our life is crucial to be effective and to continue growing in our personal mission. It is definite that God never wants anyone to be overburdened with various responsibilities. It is up to us to prioritise our lives, without losing the central focus on God. Jesus drew all his passion, energy, power, focus, wisdom and love from ‘being with His Father’. Likewise, we also are called to follow this example. It is more about following our Father’s will and His heart. As Jesus said, “The Father and I are one” (John 10:30) Jesus Youth is blessed to have the “Hours of Grace Eucharistic Adoration initiative” across 18 Parishes in Australia and it shows what is more important in our lives. We have witnessed tremendous support from various parishes across the 9 Cities and I pray and hope that this movement continues to be called as “People of Prayer”. At the end of the day, each one of us is “just one beggar telling another where he found food”. Running the race with you all,
Navin Thomas Coordinator, Jesus Youth Australia
Marian Pilgrimage, Canberra
CANBERRA
Hours of Grace with Bishop Eugene, Darwin
SYDNEY
ADELAIDE
PILGRIMAGE TO PENROSE
TEENS RETREAT:
FAMILY FUN DAY
On 10th June, around 22 members, made a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy of Jasna Gora, Penrose, a Pauline monastery and famous Marian pilgrim centre. It was a wonderful outreach experience that along with Fr. Bony Abraham's session on having the right attitude whilst dealing with life issues, sprinkled spiritual growth and booted fellowship among the members.
A stay-in retreat was held from 22nd - 25th April, at Edmund Rice Retreat Centre, Mulgoa and was attended by 58 teens. Fr. Bony Abraham MGL, Fr. Suresh Kumar MSFS (Youth director- Parramatta diocese), Fr. Michael Payyappilly were the prominent resources who helped the youngsters to live their faith and challenged them to live with conviction. The Trendsetters- Ashwin James, Sachin Richards, Bivin Peter and Christina Thomas also volunteered to help out at the retreat.
JY Adelaide organised a one day picnic on 27th January 2013, at Blackfriars Priory School, 17 Prospect Road, Prospect, for all the members including Family, Youth and Teens. Fr Alex Vickers celebrated Holy Mass for the gathering. Games and fun activities were the highlights of the day. Separate sessions for children and families were organised after lunch. Dr Priya Allencheri’s inspiring sessions at the end provided spiritual nourishment.
Read the sharing about the journey on page 3
Snapshots from Jesus Youth Australia’s mission trip to Papua New Guinea
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
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“Tell us what you think, is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? asked the Pharisees. Jesus answered; “Show me the coin used for the tax”. And they brought him a coin with Emperor Caesar’s image and title. Jesus asked them again. “Whose image do you see on this Coin?” “This is Caesar’s”, they answered. Jesus then said, “Give to Caesar what belongs to him and give to God what belongs to God.” I wonder why they did not ask another question to follow up. “Then, what belongs to God? And Jesus would have asked another question, “Whose image is on you? Give God, what belongs to God.”
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an update of Jesus Youth Australia events
Family Camp, Melbourne
SHINE YOUTH CAMP:
A weekend camp at New Norcia, from 9th to 11th March, was attended by 24 University students. The Camp was aimed at preparing the youth to face challenges of campus life, to overcome peer pressure and witnessing Christ in everyday life. The resources for this fun filled camp were Fr. Bony MGL and Sidharth Jose.
The 2-month Life in The Spirit Seminar (LSS), concluded with the Shine Youth Camp from 25- 27th Jan 2013. A total of 21 youth from different ethnic backgrounds attended this camp. Fr. Bony MGL and Dony Peter, through their sessions, challenged the youth to be true witnesses in everyday lives, and to keep the Spirit of SHINE burning.
RECOMMITMENT DAY
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
MELBOURNE
IGNITE 2013
JY Perth celebrated their Recommitment day on the day of Pentecost, 19th May at St Jerome Catholic Church, Spearwood with Animator Fr. Johnson Malayil CRS. The Holy Mass was followed by a time of Spirit filled fellowship. All service team members and key leaders of JY Perth attended this event.
DARWIN HOURS OF GRACE 2013, DARWIN On Saturday the 11th of May, Hours of Grace adoration started at St.Paul’s Catholic Church, Nightclif, Darwin with the 6.00 pm Holy Mass .The Holy mass was celebrated by His grace Bishop Eugene Hurely. Every night from 7pm - 9pm, there was a guided adoration lead by different ministries and people across the diocese on each day’s theme. It helped the entire community to have a great spiritual journey. HOG concluded on 19th May with a Holy Mass celebrated by Fr.Roy.
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Almost 12 months ago, I had the opportunity to join with many JY members from around the world at the International Animators Training, happening at the same time when the Fulltimers Training was being held. We had many opportunities to come together for prayer, reflection and sharing meals. Indeed, a rich time.
I Follow, Brisbane
PERTH
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pastor’s corner
RECOMMITMENT DAY: JY Melbourne’s Recommitment Day was celebrated on 19th May 2013 at St. Francis de Sales Church, Oak Park. The celebration started with Adoration led by the music team, followed by Holy Mass, Pentecost Liturgy, Anointing and Recommitment prayer. Fr.Shabin, Fr.Prakash and Fr.Tomy lead the ceremony. Almost 125 Jesus Youth families, youth and teens came together as one family. Recommitment Day celebrations concluded with dinner at St. Francis Parish Hall.
BRISBANE
FAMILY CAMP 2013: Nearly 21 families from different small Groups in Melbourne, came together for the Family Camp from 9th to 10th Feb 2013 at Coastal Forest lodge, Angle Sea. The camp started off with Bush walking praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet, followed by Ladies Volleyball, Cricket match for Kids, Chilling out at the beach, BBQ night and the Movie Encounter . It was a time of fun, fellowship and personal sharing.
CONNECT 2013 TEENS RETREAT: A stay-in retreat for 32 teens was held from the 7th April to 10th April at Salesian Retreat Centre, Lysterfield. It was an opportunity for the teens to experience faith and fellowship, a time to encounter Christ and explore deep within themselves. The resource persons were Fr. Bony MGL, Fr. Aurelio, Navin Bruce, Rajesh Thalapallil, Fr. Vence and Fr. Peter Kavampuram.
i FOLLOW i Follow was a vibrant and dynamic teen’s retreat for students in year 10 to 12 held at Marian Valley retreat centre, Canungra, Brisbane from 11 April to 14 April. The camp was a time of fun, fellowship and faith with plenty of games and activities.
RECOMMITMENT DAY: JY Brisbane came together to celebrate Recommitment Day on Saturday 18 May 2013 at Legion of Mary, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. It was an occasion to deepen one’s faith and renew their commitment to the Lord, Church and the movement. The highlights of the day included games by the trendsetters Tony Jojo and Christina Thomas, Praise and Worship, a reflection on the Holy Spirit and a testimony of Jasmine Santhosh followed by the Holy Mass, and the recommitment day prayer in Adoration.
As we celebrated the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, (Corpus Christi), I thought back to this time in Thailand, so much of what we did was centred around the Eucharist. The meals we shared were reflection of the Eucharistic Meal. Our time in the presence of the Lord in Adoration flowed from the Mass. Our celebration each day of the Eucharist gave us a focus and strength that only comes from the Lord. Many communities around the world do not have the opportunity to celebrate Mass each week, and in some cases even once a month or less. In this part of the world we can almost take it for granted that Mass will always be there. Sometimes it is only when we are deprived of something that we come to understand its real value.
May every meal, every gathering of community every time of prayer deepen our love and longing for the great gift that the Lord left us - His Body and Blood to feed, strengthen and sustain us as we journey together towards His kingdom.
Fr Alex Vickers OP, Jesus Youth Adelaide
Mission Papua New Guinea It was after a long time of prayer and preparations that Shibu and I started our journey to PNG. Our destination was Tari, in the diocese of Mendi where Fr Thomas Nedunganal was guiding us from the beginning. At Port Moresby, we were welcomed at the Capuchin house with great love and hospitality. Our onward flight to Tari was delayed by a day. By God’s grace we could take this delay and surprises with a spirit of personal sanctification. At Tari, we visited different parishes, mission stations and convents, an experience which was a real eye opener about Church in a mission place. We could see many priests and religious sisters who were dedicated to build up the people, Church and the community. They drive many hours through dangerous terrains, treacherous roads, even walk through dense forests to celebrate Holy Mass, and to provide catechises to the faithful in mission stations. The need for education, spiritual nourishment, social development and healthy lifestyle is immense in PNG. Fr. Thomas challenged us from the beginning to “come and see PNG”. Yes! Those few days were a real shocker for us to live in a community where many stone age practices coexisted with cyber age technologies. We got a chance to meet Bishop Donald, the Bishop of Mendi diocese, prior to the priestly ordination of deacon Elizah. The Bishop was pleased to see us and welcomed the Jesus Youth movement into his diocese and we had discussions on possible initiatives at the diocese of Mendi.
Elizah on 4th Jan at the parish of Pooranie was the highlight of our journey. The ordination mass was beautiful with traditional dances, colourful dresses, singing and natural offerings. The lunch served for guests was really delicious with MuMu (barbecue pork) pineapple, Kau Kau (sweet potato) and Coke. Then we visited Kunai (local houses). This was truly a touching experience for us as we saw the primitive living conditions over there. Close to the Kunai, we could see the tomb (MatMat) where they bury their dear ones. After the visits, we had a very special time of adoration before the Lord.
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
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The next day we started our return journey from Tari after a long wait for the flight. Once again we got the chance to stay at the Franciscan seminary in Bomana, prior to our departure from Port Moresby. Fr. Thomas and Fr. Celestine greatly support our desire to reach out to the diocese of Mendi for a longer mission. Our mission to PNG was a beautiful time where we saw the guidance of our Lord at every moment and we can say that this is a small beginning of a great mission! Rajesh Thalappillil
The priestly ordination of Deacon
Ignite 2013, Perth
Connect 2013, Melbourne See more pictures of the Mission trip on page 15
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Matthew responded wholeheartedly, without any hesitation to the call of Jesus and taught us a very important lesson about discipleship. Discipleship is not optional. We are all called to follow Jesus.
Discipleship is “Evangelising oneself in the power of the Holy Spirit.” We need to open our lives to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, so that every area of our lives mirror Christ.
Jesus doesn’t finish by just meeting us in our lives. We hear Jesus ask Simon to put out (the boat) a little from the land.” Any fisherman will tell you that fish is caught in the deep rather than in the shallow water.
The Epistle of James states “be doers of the word, and not merely hearers...” James 1:22-25. Here lies the difference between living as a devotee and becoming a true disciple of Jesus.
To learn true discipleship, let’s consider the events from Lk 5:1-11: “Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat.”
If we want to become His disciples, two things are very important: Allow Jesus to step into your boat (LIFE) and allow Him to move you from shallow to the deep waters.
A devotee is one who hears the word of God but goes away and does nothing, someone who is merely concerned about the externals and not a deep inner change. They go for retreats, pilgrimages and adorations, but there is little or no change at all in them. Their life style continue to remain the same.
Jesus wanted to teach Simon a lesson and so he steps into Simon’s boat. Jesus meets Simon where he is at. He steps into the life of Simon Peter. The only way Jesus will teach us His mysteries and the secrets of His Kingdom is by stepping into our lives the way He stepped into the life of Simon. Jesus will not teach us from outside of our lives. He wants to come in.
Alternatively, a disciple is one who hears the Word and applies it to his life. It is one who FOLLOWS THE LIFE STYLE OF JESUS! In Matthew 10:25 Jesus says “it is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master.” A disciple is one who imitates the Master (Eph 5:1). The call of Jesus in the Gospels is to become a disciple and not just a pious devotee.
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The call of Jesus in the Gospels is to become a disciple and not just a pious devotee.
For this to happen we need ongoing formation, including systematic teachings and training. Together, these will bring about a NEW LIFE STYLE!! Fr. Tom Forrest says “An ignorant preacher is more dangerous than sin!” It is formation that will take us from the shallow waters to the deep waters and make us disciples.
Dr Scott Hann, while speaking at the Franciscan University of Steubenville’s 2010 Defending the Faith Conference put this point in a different way “Optimism and Hope are different. Optimism is a personality trait and a kind of disposition which certain people seem to possess or have in their nature. It looks around to find good circumstances and keeps looking for more. Whereas Hope actually thrives in bad circumstances. Hope matures only when it faces trials. Hope is something which the Holy Spirit pours out into our heart.” St Therese known as the “Little Flower” says. “God gives me whatever I want, because I want whatever He gives”. She had a lot of struggles and through those struggles she learned to say these words. That is faith, shaped by hope and perfected in love. That is what we need in these times! We are living in times where there are a high possibilities to lose our hope in everything. However, this is not the greatest evil that has happened in human history. The darkest day in human history was the day when Jesus was crucified and we learnt to call that day – Good Friday. On Good Friday, God did not just make something good happen but He transformed the greatest evil into the greatest good for all of mankind. God secured the salvation of the whole human race on this dark day and resurrected His son for each one of us, conquering evil, so that we can place our trust and hope in Him forever. Not in governments, or politicians, or economists or even in our priests or Popes. I mean, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI will be the first people to tell us “Don’t trust us, but trust Christ. God is the builder, owner and the architect of Church. Recently, Pope Francis asked those gathered for the Pentecost Vigil Mass at the Vatican to chant Christ’s name instead of his own, highlighting his role as Christ’s vicar on earth. “From now on no more ‘Francis’, only ‘Jesus’, alright?”.
Holding on to Prayer – Through Eucharistic Adoration Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Blessed John Paul II used to spend 2-3 hours in the Eucharistic Presence and made known to the whole world that this was their source of energy for doing so much for God and his people. The Jesus Youth Movement views this as a smart investment in prayer, purification and worship that will yield exciting returns of grace in the years to come. Jesus Youth has always realised the ministry of intercession as its powerhouse to propel the diverse ministries of the movement.
The Monstrance at St Agatha’s Parish Cranbourne
The special monstrance used for Hours of Grace this year in St Agatha’s parish, Cranbourne was gifted to the Diocese of Sale by Bishop Emeritus Jeremiah Coffey, to deepen the devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and pray for vocations. This monstrance was specially crafted in Melbourne at Bp. Emeritus Coffey’s direction. The monstrance is in the shape of a fish representing the Church with Jesus at the heart of the Church. There is also a Cross in the centre reminding of the sacrifice of Jesus and His living presence in the Blessed Sacrament reminding of the resurrection. The Bishop’s coat of arms is crafted at the base and his motto “IN JOYFUL HOPE” is also engraved on the monstrance.
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
COVER STORY CONTINUED
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stralia
across 9 cities in Au n covering different parishes tio ora Ad c isti har Euc ck -clo Round-the 13 Feb to 19 May 2013
transformation in the lives of thousands of youth. Moreover, any Jesus Youth would gladly recount at least one inspiring experience about the power of the Eucharist in his/her life.
“In the humble signs of bread and wine, changed into His body and blood, Christ walks beside us as our strength and our food for the journey, and he enables us to become, for everyone, witnesses of hope.” Pope John Paul II (cf. 62 Ecclesia de Eucharista)
Drawing closer to the Church
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
Holding on to His Grace
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“We adore you O Lord Jesus Christ” chants leading the congregation to a time of silent worship and adoration, vibrant ministries, movements and groups in the parish taking time slots for adoring the Eucharistic Lord; people young and old being immersed in the presence of the almighty Lord in the Eucharist through prayers, music, praise and worship; Presence of His Grace Bishop Eugene Hurely (Darwin) and Bishop Christopher Prowse (Melbourne) during the Adoration in local parishes; an intercession box overflowing with prayer requests and a book filled with beautiful and touching experiences of people’s encounter with the Lord during the Eucharistic adoration -just few glimpses of the prayer drive that lit up Jesus Youth movement in Australia during the Lenten season till Pentecost, named Hours of Grace 2013.
“Be it day or night, the Lord brought a lot of the parishioners and people from all cultures into his presence. We began and the Holy Spirit took it beyond our imaginations and expectations. We thank God almighty for this opportunity.” Rhea, JY Darwin.
Preparations As preparation for the HOG, Jesus Youth leaders across Australia spent time meeting parish priests, secretaries, office staff and other key people associated with various movements within the parish to discuss the importance and implementation of 7 days of perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. Posters, flyers, time sheets, emails and letters were sent out to almost all dioceses in Australia inviting people to HOG 2013.
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Praying for the Catholic Church and all its needs was a prime focus of this initiative. The Hours of Grace initiative was hosted as a practical response to the Year of Grace and the Year of Faith in the Catholic Church. To add to this prayer campaign, a great blessing was to pray for the Papal Conclave and the election for the New Pope with Catholics around the globe.
Jesus said “you follow me not for who I am, but because I give you something to eat.” Discipleship is the commitment to follow a person. Both the call and response are important to make us His disciples.
Embracing Eucharistic Spirituality The entire Jesus Youth movement was, in a sense, readying itself to embrace this Eucharistic spirituality on a personal as
well as a communal level. This became manifest in two ways - through a deepening of the Eucharistic experience among those in the movement, and through a rekindling of the Eucharistic ‘amazement’ among youth and families all over Australia. To focus on the power of the Eucharist was also the right response for the Jesus Youth Movement amidst a world of calamities, terror, war and violence, enabling young people to be “witnesses of hope” for everyone. Whenever Jesus Youth came together - for retreats, encounter programmes, reach out programmes, trainings or talent ministries- the Eucharist always took the centre stage. The adoration of the Blessed Sacrament invariably became the high point of every programme – a source of healing and
(i) To Be With Jesus - Mk 3:14
He calls us to reveal the Father. Jesus wants us to know and pray to the Father. A disciple should have a Trinitarian Relationship. The Father, Son and Spirit should be equally important within the life of a disciple.
2.
He calls us to bear fruits. Gal 5:22,23 states “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”. Jesus calls us to be His disciples so that we can bear fruits. A tree is known by its fruits!!
(ii) To Share the Good News!
Pope John Paul II in Ecclesia in Asia section 23 says “Mission is contemplative action and an active contemplation. Therefore, a missionary who has no deep experience of God in prayer and contemplation will have little spiritual influence or missionary success”. Mother Teresa says “Evangelisation is to have Jesus in our hearts and then take HIM to the hearts of others!!”. Only a true disciple can do this.
3.
Finally, he calls us to share in His Cross. “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake” Phil 1:29. A disciple is called to share in the sufferings of Christ, to carry his cross daily. It is important for a disciple to learn to endure suffering, to truly follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Ecclesia in Asia section 49 says “However important programmes of formation and strategies for evangelization may be, in the end it is martyrdom which reveals to the world the very essence of the Christian message. The word itself, ‘martyr’ means witness, and those who have shed their blood for Christ have borne the ultimate witness to the true value of the Gospel.
The Catholic Church in various parts of the world has been living in the shadow of the clerical sexual abuse crisis and such situations may give rise to nominal Catholics having many questions. While it might be difficult to find answers to some of these questions, focusing on the Lord in the Eucharist is a way to open up one’s heart to His grace and deepen one’s conviction. It is through this profound experience of the Eucharist that the Lord can give us real hope. These crisis and situations confront us with our own weaknesses, but it presents us with the offer of God’s grace as long as we don’t give up our trust in Him”.
website review www.3mc.me The “3MC - 3 Minute Catechism” is a Catholic catechism like no other presented by kathmedia for the “Year of Faith”. 3MC consists of 72 hand drawn and animated episodes each 3-4 minutes long. Coming to you on 2 DVDs this series follows and explains the Creed, covering all four parts of the Catechism. Easier and more difficult subjects are treated in separate episodes making 3MC a great introduction to the faith for ages 12 to 120.
Colin Calmiano
what you say A Disciple is one who has JOY
During the adoration, I found a great spiritual drive that strengthens, cleanses and keeps me closer to him to praise, worship and adore him continually.” “(Justy Merin Thomas, Canberra)
1.
What does Jesus call us to do?
Holding on to Hope in troubled times
Chapels and churches were decorated and prepared to welcome people to have a personal encounter and adore Jesus in the Eucharist.
But for what purpose does he call?
J - Jesus first O - Others next Y - Yourself last For a disciple, Jesus should always come first. Nothing else should take that place. Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the kingdom of God.” Christianity is others-centred. We should be prepared to reach out to others, and finally, to ourselves.
Colin is a full-time Catholic missionary. He is the founder & Director of SPREAD YOUR WINGS – A ministry that focuses on Christian Leadership and In-depth discipleship. Colin is also the Senior Coordinator of the People of Praise Covenant Community in Bangalore
“ It brings me a lot of pleasure when I read the spiritual journeys, personal encounters and the Jesus Youth movement’s perseverance to live a life as a disciple in the ‘Daybreak’ newsletter. It transmits a sense of joy and hope to my heart to see that our movement is being led by the Spirit in becoming a witness for Christ.”
He is married to Priya and they have two children Michael and Marika. They reside in Bangalore, India
Roby Ray Joshua, Melbourne Send your comments and feedbacks about the newsletter to jyaunewsletter@gmail.com
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
3 1 0 2 e c a r G f o s Hour
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In this edition we are featuring Bobby and Tincy from Perth and their two kids Benjamin and Isabella, and their inspiring sharing of what motivates them to carry on the work for the Kingdom of God in the midst of sickness and suffering.
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
For Him, against all odds!
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How did you experience Jesus personally and how has it changed the lifestyle of your family? Bobby: My personal encounter with Jesus started in my teenage years through some of the initial retreats, but I realized it only when I joined in Jesus Youth ministry. I experience Jesus’ presence in many ways - through the Eucharist, Word of God and JY night vigils or our gatherings. Tincy: My parents & school life was the initial platform for me to encounter Jesus. I had an opportunity to be an active member of K.C.S.L & Mission League which helped me to experience Jesus through the retreats, prayer gatherings etc. My spiritual father also helped me to deepen my catholic faith and get my personal prayer stronger, even though I studied in a protestant nursing institution, where it was difficult to practice my catholic faith. Our family life is no different from our spiritual life as it’s being ‘Jesus centered’. This life style has
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totally changed our attitude towards any external factors in life. Joining with other families with similar thoughts also helps us to continue in Christian faith and it’s also an inspiration for our kids. What were the certain things in JY which nourished your growth as a person and as a family? Firstly, the six pillars of Jesus Youth always nourish us to grow in Christian life - personally and also in family life. Secondly, life styles of our JY members and their sacrifice and commitment to the Kingdom of God. Thirdly, our trainings and the formation programs drives us to keep the Jesus Youth spirituality. How did you manage to overcome the various struggles faced in life in the last few years? What made you both strong to stand with Jesus? We are always motivated by these two Bible Verses – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”.
Matthew 6:33. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. Jeremiah 29:11. And it’s always been true in our life. Even though we struggled in many ways - both in health and wealth. Bobby: In 2010, Tincy got diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, (widespread pain all over the body 24/7) and Sacroilitis and as a result had to quit her job because any exertion aggravates the problem. She is still going through the same situation. I always thank God for her courage and acceptance of the situations. Tincy: Around the same time Bobby lost his job too. For an entire year, both of us were unemployed. We even put our property in the market for sale but God didn’t allow that to happen. Indeed that was a great year of struggle, a way to examine our faith. However we have received countless blessings in our life, we experienced His mercy everyday. Each moment, we could feel His healing hands in our lives. Exactly a year later, he got a better job. The struggles did
play a key role in our faith journey and in turn helped us to truly witness for our Lord. Whatever be the difficulties in our life, we won’t turn back from God and His Ministry. What drives your family to spend a lot of effort and share many resources for the building up of JY ministry in Perth/Australia? We believe that, whatever we have, is a gift from God, and it should be shared to others in order to be a channel of God’s Love .i.e. evangelisation through our little deeds. If you take one step for the Kingdom of God, He will take the other nine steps towards you. We experienced this so many times in our lives and in the building up of JY in Perth. When we look at Jesus Youth globally, sometimes we wonder how Holy Spirit guides our ministry in so many different ways. Yes, we are really enjoying the works of God, each time we involve with any of our programs, initiatives or sharing. They bring true joy and happiness in our lives.
of the JY apostles
Wednesday Miracles
“Don’t worry, something will happen next Wednesday and God will open a door for you, we are all praying for you and usually we witness miracles on Wednesdays” – This is a standard response given to a new attendee by the leaders of the Nurses Prayer meeting in Melbourne. To date, these nurses have found that most job interviews, visa approvals and job offers occur on a Wednesday! The original group of nurses (most travelling to Australia to attend a 3-month ‘bridging course’ to qualify them as registered nurses) began meeting together for prayer, intercession and support in December 2011. Under the guidance of one person (Vijoy Francis), the Wednesday prayer meeting in Heidelberg, Melbourne has been able to support hundreds of nurses, journeying to Australia every year. It was all because one individual saw the great need for prayer and support and felt a call to mission and ministry in this area. A testament to the strength of this ministry is the fact that though the participants are constantly changing every 3 months, the prayer meeting continues to be a strong pillar in the faith life of these nurses.
Trendsetters creating the Buzz Jasmine did it! She inspired her Dad to come along with her to gather 18 youngsters for the Teens Retreat in Brisbane. Most of them came after witnessing the change
that happened in Jasmine’s life through the Year 12 & University students Trendsetters Training. A Sydney Trendsetter became the reason for joyful tears from Fr Bony during the Sydney Teens Retreat. Fr Bony was incredibly touched by the way Sachin supported and encouraged the youngsters to participate in a well prepared confession. Many of the testimonies shared by Trendsetters during this year’s Teens Retreats were challenging and life changing for the teens. They have inspired great hope that it is possible to develop challenging disciples in these modern times. The noticeable changes that occurred in the lives of many of the Trendsetter participants worked to create a buzz among the families of youngsters and also the wider JY circles. The challenge now is “Can Trendsetters (TS14) in 2014 create a bigger Buzz?
Captain Deepak and Dreams for University Campuses “I’ll be there for 10 days”, commented Deepak during one of the National Youth Team meetings. This simple statement sparked a wave of excitement and anticipation in the entire team. Deepak was talking about the annual Trendsetters initiative. Deepak, being the JY Perth Coordinator, was one of the group leaders of TS13. A few months after returning to Perth, he initiated a local University students gathering, involving nearly 25 Uni
students and Fr Bony. With Captain Deepak in action, hopes are high that our first JY University Prayer Group may kick start in Perth soon. One can only wonder what works the Holy Spirit will do next?
Whatsapp Group 9000 decades of Rosary in just 9 months! One Decade of Rosary for each prayer request assured. Hundreds of prayer requests are attended to and prayed for by housewives and young women, while doing their daily duties at home using a group created in the Whatsapp messanger application. This is a wonderful platform of sharing the experiences of answered prayers, which strengthen all in their faith journey. Prayers for new jobs, healings, exams, needs of programs in the ministry, needs of families are just some of the prayers interceded for by these inspirational women - no needs go unasked in prayer! Inspired by the ever increasing intercessory needs of the community, a few JY housewives in Melbourne started praying in October 2012, which has become now become a wide spread move of the Spirit and nearly 30 women are involved in this prayer initiative from a number of different cities. Suja and Sabitha from Melbourne encouraged and motivated other JY Women to pray with Mother Mary for the needs of others.
Our God is greater, Our God is stronger When he takes the stage, guitar in hand, you can feel the crowd come alive for Jesus. He motivates others and this is one of his favourite songs. Jethin Thottan is presently leading the youth ministry in Adelaide. His energy and enthusiasm for
God is inspiring. He recently visited Darwin to help out JY Darwin in their week long, Hours of Grace Adoration and JY Darwin were glad to have him to energise the group. Jethin has a great desire to form a JY Music Band in Australia in the coming years and believes his God is strong enough to make it happen. What great things God must have in store for us!
Mission Possible Nothing is impossible – this
seems to be his baseline! The wonderful initiative of the Hours of Grace Eucharistic Adoration across 9 Cities and 18 parishes was coordinated in 2013 by Shibu Varkey. This amazingly humble guy from Brisbane, always finds time in the midst of caring for his 4 children and fulfilling other ministry responsibilities to go above and beyond for the Lord. There is no challenge too big for Shibu! When requested to travel to Papua New Guinea for Mission which seemed an impossible task for many, Shibu responded with confidence and turned this dream to go on mission into a reality!. His zeal for Christ and His kingdom is amazing! What an inspiration to us all!!
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
JY FAMILIES COLUMN
11 16/07/13 2:37 AM
jy kids zone
Explore
“For the first time in my life I have a sense of direction, that was the biggest gift I received from attending Trendsetters 2013” Christeena, Melbourne
Trendsetters is a 11 day national training program organised by JY Australia for youngsters (Year 12 and first year uni students) aimed to equip them to stand strong for Jesus especially whilst on campus.
10 Newsletter June 2013.indd 7
source: the kid’s bulletin
Whether someone really believes in the God of love is shown, not in his solemn affirmations, but rather in charitable deeds.
To be trendsetters and to leave their marks! For many of the 15 participants from 4 Australian cities who attended Trendsetters 2013, it involved a complete turnaround. Moving from their existing lifestyles, they set off on a journey to discover their true selves in God. TS13 broke through all the preconceived notions that surrounded this program. It was a uniquely
packaged experience of awesome fun, fellowship, encounter with the Lord and Baptism in the Holy Spirit. It led to an explosion of the spirit of evangelisation, for the message of Christ was too overwhelming to be held in their hearts, that they literally ran out to the streets to preach the Gospel!.
Leading them through this journey were Fr Bony Abraham MGL and Dony Peter, Banglore, India. The stage is now set for TS14 and we are looking forward to the next wave of God’s young soldiers! Sidharth Jose
LIKE FR DAMIEN WHAT ARE THE LITTLE ACTS OF KINDNESS WE CAN DO TODAY TO CARE FOR OTHERS?
Find the secret code: Do you know what is the secret code that Jesus commanded His children to be? If you want to find out color the blocks with a little dot mark and hold this page upside down.
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
What is Faith?
Faith is the path created by God leading to the truth that is God himself. Because Jesus is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6), this faith cannot be merely an attitude or “confidence” about something or other. On the one hand, the faith has definite contents, which the Church professes in the Creed (= profession of faith), and it is her duty to safeguard them.
Anyone who wants to accept the gift of faith, in other words, anyone who wants to believe, acknowledges this faith, which has been preserved constantly through the ages and in many different cultures. On the other hand, part of faith is a trusting relationship to God with heart and mind, with all one’s emotional strength. For faith becomes effective only through charity, practical love (see Gal 5:6).
Story of Saint Damien of Molokai
307
Faith is the power by which we assent to God, acknowledge his truth, and commit ourselves personally to him. [1814– 1816, 1842]
7 16/07/13 2:37 AM
ing. The testimonies of Rhea from Darwin and Bobby from Perth showed how to witness the Lord in troubled life situations. Moreover, it was a great time of fellowship.
Abin Thomas, Canberra It was an enriching experience to be surrounded by passionately committed leaders who are convinced of their missionary call and leading the movement in various places across Australia. I feel blessed to have been a part of this JY leaders gathering.
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
Anoob Joseph, Melbourne I was confused initially whether to drive to Melbourne for the leaders gathering. It was a great time to restructure and grow in my relationship with the Lord. The conversations we had from diiferent leaders from different parts of Oceania gave a greater understanding about my own call. The various classes by Bishop Christopher Prowse, Manoj Sunny, Raiju Varghese and Dr. Priya were not only informative, but also motivat-
It was a great time with our dear lord and the Jy family. It really renewed and refreshed my spirit.
Rhea Eugene, Darwin The JY leaders gathering was a great platform to come together and share the love of God and to realize the amazing ways in which He guides us beyond borders - great sharing and amazing testimonies did indeed inspire everyone for sure.
The gathering was one of my most awaited events in 2013, I was so thrilled to meet and be with the key Jesus Youth leaders of Australia as we entered into a new and focused formation era of Jesus Youth. I met few of them after so many years and also met new JY’s of whom I had only heard about. The best part was to hear from Bishop Christopher Prowse that he loves us and supports us which personally was a heart touching moment of God’s great love. It motivated me to continue the good works that Christ has already begun through our movement.
As a leader of mature age, I always thought that I never needed any more training. However, my perspective was proven wrong the moment I stepped into the camp. I could obtain the first hand information on the JY formation modules and their roll out. The session by Bishop Christopher Prowse was thought provoking especially when he said (contrary to the popular belief) that teaching your mother tongue to our children is very important and to evangelise them in an Australian context!
Gigie K George, Brisbane
Nimmy Alex, Brisbane
Boban Vadakkayil, Canberra
W
ith a view of planning for the implementation of at the formation modules dlea th, You us Jes of els all lev ia and ers of Jesus Youth Austral er at New Zealand came togeth p, MelCam tion rea Rec Mt Evelyn
h of April bourne from 25th to 28t of the two s der lea 80 2013. Nearly iberations countries conducted del istry buildon various aspects of min help of the h wit ing and formation (Bishop wse Pro r phe isto Chr hop Bis Jesus of ron Pat and e ces of Sale Dio
movie review Crescendo
(www.cpcmovie.com)
Pattie Mallette, the mother of Justin Bieber, Jaison Jones of Movie to Movement™, who partnered with the producers of Bella, (Eduardo Verastegui, Jason Jones and Leo Sev-
erino) an award-winning film that touched lives around the world inspiring women to choose life for their unborn, released its brand new short film, Crescendo. A movie with a similar and powerful message, Crescendo aims to raise over $1 million for pregnancy centers.
gnor Greg Youth in Australia), Monsi lbourne Me of al ner Ge ar Bennet (Vic isMin T (NE Diocese), Mark Doyle , Fr. Bony zhi eku Are s ma Tho Fr. tries), and Raiju Abraham, Manoj Sunny Varghese.
Based on a true story, Crescendo is set in the 18th century Holy Roman Empire where a series of events turn an ordinary day into an extraordinary experience for a woman whose life will never be the same.
hering of It was a momentous gat explored and red sha o leaders wh ilities of sib pos the challenges and and an ocent vem mo th You us Jes al as they casion of spiritual renew sharing. sat in prayer, worship and senior the r hea to ring ssu rea It was
Written and directed by Alonso Alvarez, the film stars Ali Landry, Montserrat Espalde, Patrick Nuo, Jennifer Cadena and was shot entirely on the Universal Studios back lot and has already seen success having won more than 11 international awards.
ut Jesus church leaders’ views abo de to ma n bee e hav ns Youth. Pla rts in hea re mo ny reach out to ma mation to for art imp and ia tral Aus coming every Jesus Youth in the years.
! s u n a h t r e h g i h s i t a h t e r To a futu
25th to 28th of April 2013
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
Some of the leaders share their thoughts on the gathering
Mt Evelyn Recreation Camp, Melbourne
8 Newsletter June 2013.indd 8
Jesus Youth Australia & New Zealand National Leaders Gathering
9 16/07/13 2:37 AM
ing. The testimonies of Rhea from Darwin and Bobby from Perth showed how to witness the Lord in troubled life situations. Moreover, it was a great time of fellowship.
Abin Thomas, Canberra It was an enriching experience to be surrounded by passionately committed leaders who are convinced of their missionary call and leading the movement in various places across Australia. I feel blessed to have been a part of this JY leaders gathering.
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
Anoob Joseph, Melbourne I was confused initially whether to drive to Melbourne for the leaders gathering. It was a great time to restructure and grow in my relationship with the Lord. The conversations we had from diiferent leaders from different parts of Oceania gave a greater understanding about my own call. The various classes by Bishop Christopher Prowse, Manoj Sunny, Raiju Varghese and Dr. Priya were not only informative, but also motivat-
It was a great time with our dear lord and the Jy family. It really renewed and refreshed my spirit.
Rhea Eugene, Darwin The JY leaders gathering was a great platform to come together and share the love of God and to realize the amazing ways in which He guides us beyond borders - great sharing and amazing testimonies did indeed inspire everyone for sure.
The gathering was one of my most awaited events in 2013, I was so thrilled to meet and be with the key Jesus Youth leaders of Australia as we entered into a new and focused formation era of Jesus Youth. I met few of them after so many years and also met new JY’s of whom I had only heard about. The best part was to hear from Bishop Christopher Prowse that he loves us and supports us which personally was a heart touching moment of God’s great love. It motivated me to continue the good works that Christ has already begun through our movement.
As a leader of mature age, I always thought that I never needed any more training. However, my perspective was proven wrong the moment I stepped into the camp. I could obtain the first hand information on the JY formation modules and their roll out. The session by Bishop Christopher Prowse was thought provoking especially when he said (contrary to the popular belief) that teaching your mother tongue to our children is very important and to evangelise them in an Australian context!
Gigie K George, Brisbane
Nimmy Alex, Brisbane
Boban Vadakkayil, Canberra
W
ith a view of planning for the implementation of at the formation modules dlea th, You us Jes of els all lev ia and ers of Jesus Youth Austral er at New Zealand came togeth p, MelCam tion rea Rec Mt Evelyn
h of April bourne from 25th to 28t of the two s der lea 80 2013. Nearly iberations countries conducted del istry buildon various aspects of min help of the h wit ing and formation (Bishop wse Pro r phe isto Chr hop Bis Jesus of ron Pat and e ces of Sale Dio
movie review Crescendo
(www.cpcmovie.com)
Pattie Mallette, the mother of Justin Bieber, Jaison Jones of Movie to Movement™, who partnered with the producers of Bella, (Eduardo Verastegui, Jason Jones and Leo Sev-
erino) an award-winning film that touched lives around the world inspiring women to choose life for their unborn, released its brand new short film, Crescendo. A movie with a similar and powerful message, Crescendo aims to raise over $1 million for pregnancy centers.
gnor Greg Youth in Australia), Monsi lbourne Me of al ner Ge ar Bennet (Vic isMin T (NE Diocese), Mark Doyle , Fr. Bony zhi eku Are s ma Tho Fr. tries), and Raiju Abraham, Manoj Sunny Varghese.
Based on a true story, Crescendo is set in the 18th century Holy Roman Empire where a series of events turn an ordinary day into an extraordinary experience for a woman whose life will never be the same.
hering of It was a momentous gat explored and red sha o leaders wh ilities of sib pos the challenges and and an ocent vem mo th You us Jes al as they casion of spiritual renew sharing. sat in prayer, worship and senior the r hea to ring ssu rea It was
Written and directed by Alonso Alvarez, the film stars Ali Landry, Montserrat Espalde, Patrick Nuo, Jennifer Cadena and was shot entirely on the Universal Studios back lot and has already seen success having won more than 11 international awards.
ut Jesus church leaders’ views abo de to ma n bee e hav ns Youth. Pla rts in hea re mo ny reach out to ma mation to for art imp and ia tral Aus coming every Jesus Youth in the years.
! s u n a h t r e h g i h s i t a h t e r To a futu
25th to 28th of April 2013
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
Some of the leaders share their thoughts on the gathering
Mt Evelyn Recreation Camp, Melbourne
8 Newsletter June 2013.indd 8
Jesus Youth Australia & New Zealand National Leaders Gathering
9 16/07/13 2:37 AM
jy kids zone
Explore
“For the first time in my life I have a sense of direction, that was the biggest gift I received from attending Trendsetters 2013” Christeena, Melbourne
Trendsetters is a 11 day national training program organised by JY Australia for youngsters (Year 12 and first year uni students) aimed to equip them to stand strong for Jesus especially whilst on campus.
10 Newsletter June 2013.indd 7
source: the kid’s bulletin
Whether someone really believes in the God of love is shown, not in his solemn affirmations, but rather in charitable deeds.
To be trendsetters and to leave their marks! For many of the 15 participants from 4 Australian cities who attended Trendsetters 2013, it involved a complete turnaround. Moving from their existing lifestyles, they set off on a journey to discover their true selves in God. TS13 broke through all the preconceived notions that surrounded this program. It was a uniquely
packaged experience of awesome fun, fellowship, encounter with the Lord and Baptism in the Holy Spirit. It led to an explosion of the spirit of evangelisation, for the message of Christ was too overwhelming to be held in their hearts, that they literally ran out to the streets to preach the Gospel!.
Leading them through this journey were Fr Bony Abraham MGL and Dony Peter, Banglore, India. The stage is now set for TS14 and we are looking forward to the next wave of God’s young soldiers! Sidharth Jose
LIKE FR DAMIEN WHAT ARE THE LITTLE ACTS OF KINDNESS WE CAN DO TODAY TO CARE FOR OTHERS?
Find the secret code: Do you know what is the secret code that Jesus commanded His children to be? If you want to find out color the blocks with a little dot mark and hold this page upside down.
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
What is Faith?
Faith is the path created by God leading to the truth that is God himself. Because Jesus is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6), this faith cannot be merely an attitude or “confidence” about something or other. On the one hand, the faith has definite contents, which the Church professes in the Creed (= profession of faith), and it is her duty to safeguard them.
Anyone who wants to accept the gift of faith, in other words, anyone who wants to believe, acknowledges this faith, which has been preserved constantly through the ages and in many different cultures. On the other hand, part of faith is a trusting relationship to God with heart and mind, with all one’s emotional strength. For faith becomes effective only through charity, practical love (see Gal 5:6).
Story of Saint Damien of Molokai
307
Faith is the power by which we assent to God, acknowledge his truth, and commit ourselves personally to him. [1814– 1816, 1842]
7 16/07/13 2:37 AM
In this edition we are featuring Bobby and Tincy from Perth and their two kids Benjamin and Isabella, and their inspiring sharing of what motivates them to carry on the work for the Kingdom of God in the midst of sickness and suffering.
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
For Him, against all odds!
6
How did you experience Jesus personally and how has it changed the lifestyle of your family? Bobby: My personal encounter with Jesus started in my teenage years through some of the initial retreats, but I realized it only when I joined in Jesus Youth ministry. I experience Jesus’ presence in many ways - through the Eucharist, Word of God and JY night vigils or our gatherings. Tincy: My parents & school life was the initial platform for me to encounter Jesus. I had an opportunity to be an active member of K.C.S.L & Mission League which helped me to experience Jesus through the retreats, prayer gatherings etc. My spiritual father also helped me to deepen my catholic faith and get my personal prayer stronger, even though I studied in a protestant nursing institution, where it was difficult to practice my catholic faith. Our family life is no different from our spiritual life as it’s being ‘Jesus centered’. This life style has
Newsletter June 2013.indd 6
totally changed our attitude towards any external factors in life. Joining with other families with similar thoughts also helps us to continue in Christian faith and it’s also an inspiration for our kids. What were the certain things in JY which nourished your growth as a person and as a family? Firstly, the six pillars of Jesus Youth always nourish us to grow in Christian life - personally and also in family life. Secondly, life styles of our JY members and their sacrifice and commitment to the Kingdom of God. Thirdly, our trainings and the formation programs drives us to keep the Jesus Youth spirituality. How did you manage to overcome the various struggles faced in life in the last few years? What made you both strong to stand with Jesus? We are always motivated by these two Bible Verses – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”.
Matthew 6:33. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. Jeremiah 29:11. And it’s always been true in our life. Even though we struggled in many ways - both in health and wealth. Bobby: In 2010, Tincy got diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, (widespread pain all over the body 24/7) and Sacroilitis and as a result had to quit her job because any exertion aggravates the problem. She is still going through the same situation. I always thank God for her courage and acceptance of the situations. Tincy: Around the same time Bobby lost his job too. For an entire year, both of us were unemployed. We even put our property in the market for sale but God didn’t allow that to happen. Indeed that was a great year of struggle, a way to examine our faith. However we have received countless blessings in our life, we experienced His mercy everyday. Each moment, we could feel His healing hands in our lives. Exactly a year later, he got a better job. The struggles did
play a key role in our faith journey and in turn helped us to truly witness for our Lord. Whatever be the difficulties in our life, we won’t turn back from God and His Ministry. What drives your family to spend a lot of effort and share many resources for the building up of JY ministry in Perth/Australia? We believe that, whatever we have, is a gift from God, and it should be shared to others in order to be a channel of God’s Love .i.e. evangelisation through our little deeds. If you take one step for the Kingdom of God, He will take the other nine steps towards you. We experienced this so many times in our lives and in the building up of JY in Perth. When we look at Jesus Youth globally, sometimes we wonder how Holy Spirit guides our ministry in so many different ways. Yes, we are really enjoying the works of God, each time we involve with any of our programs, initiatives or sharing. They bring true joy and happiness in our lives.
of the JY apostles
Wednesday Miracles
“Don’t worry, something will happen next Wednesday and God will open a door for you, we are all praying for you and usually we witness miracles on Wednesdays” – This is a standard response given to a new attendee by the leaders of the Nurses Prayer meeting in Melbourne. To date, these nurses have found that most job interviews, visa approvals and job offers occur on a Wednesday! The original group of nurses (most travelling to Australia to attend a 3-month ‘bridging course’ to qualify them as registered nurses) began meeting together for prayer, intercession and support in December 2011. Under the guidance of one person (Vijoy Francis), the Wednesday prayer meeting in Heidelberg, Melbourne has been able to support hundreds of nurses, journeying to Australia every year. It was all because one individual saw the great need for prayer and support and felt a call to mission and ministry in this area. A testament to the strength of this ministry is the fact that though the participants are constantly changing every 3 months, the prayer meeting continues to be a strong pillar in the faith life of these nurses.
Trendsetters creating the Buzz Jasmine did it! She inspired her Dad to come along with her to gather 18 youngsters for the Teens Retreat in Brisbane. Most of them came after witnessing the change
that happened in Jasmine’s life through the Year 12 & University students Trendsetters Training. A Sydney Trendsetter became the reason for joyful tears from Fr Bony during the Sydney Teens Retreat. Fr Bony was incredibly touched by the way Sachin supported and encouraged the youngsters to participate in a well prepared confession. Many of the testimonies shared by Trendsetters during this year’s Teens Retreats were challenging and life changing for the teens. They have inspired great hope that it is possible to develop challenging disciples in these modern times. The noticeable changes that occurred in the lives of many of the Trendsetter participants worked to create a buzz among the families of youngsters and also the wider JY circles. The challenge now is “Can Trendsetters (TS14) in 2014 create a bigger Buzz?
Captain Deepak and Dreams for University Campuses “I’ll be there for 10 days”, commented Deepak during one of the National Youth Team meetings. This simple statement sparked a wave of excitement and anticipation in the entire team. Deepak was talking about the annual Trendsetters initiative. Deepak, being the JY Perth Coordinator, was one of the group leaders of TS13. A few months after returning to Perth, he initiated a local University students gathering, involving nearly 25 Uni
students and Fr Bony. With Captain Deepak in action, hopes are high that our first JY University Prayer Group may kick start in Perth soon. One can only wonder what works the Holy Spirit will do next?
Whatsapp Group 9000 decades of Rosary in just 9 months! One Decade of Rosary for each prayer request assured. Hundreds of prayer requests are attended to and prayed for by housewives and young women, while doing their daily duties at home using a group created in the Whatsapp messanger application. This is a wonderful platform of sharing the experiences of answered prayers, which strengthen all in their faith journey. Prayers for new jobs, healings, exams, needs of programs in the ministry, needs of families are just some of the prayers interceded for by these inspirational women - no needs go unasked in prayer! Inspired by the ever increasing intercessory needs of the community, a few JY housewives in Melbourne started praying in October 2012, which has become now become a wide spread move of the Spirit and nearly 30 women are involved in this prayer initiative from a number of different cities. Suja and Sabitha from Melbourne encouraged and motivated other JY Women to pray with Mother Mary for the needs of others.
Our God is greater, Our God is stronger When he takes the stage, guitar in hand, you can feel the crowd come alive for Jesus. He motivates others and this is one of his favourite songs. Jethin Thottan is presently leading the youth ministry in Adelaide. His energy and enthusiasm for
God is inspiring. He recently visited Darwin to help out JY Darwin in their week long, Hours of Grace Adoration and JY Darwin were glad to have him to energise the group. Jethin has a great desire to form a JY Music Band in Australia in the coming years and believes his God is strong enough to make it happen. What great things God must have in store for us!
Mission Possible Nothing is impossible – this
seems to be his baseline! The wonderful initiative of the Hours of Grace Eucharistic Adoration across 9 Cities and 18 parishes was coordinated in 2013 by Shibu Varkey. This amazingly humble guy from Brisbane, always finds time in the midst of caring for his 4 children and fulfilling other ministry responsibilities to go above and beyond for the Lord. There is no challenge too big for Shibu! When requested to travel to Papua New Guinea for Mission which seemed an impossible task for many, Shibu responded with confidence and turned this dream to go on mission into a reality!. His zeal for Christ and His kingdom is amazing! What an inspiration to us all!!
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
JY FAMILIES COLUMN
11 16/07/13 2:37 AM
stralia
across 9 cities in Au n covering different parishes tio ora Ad c isti har Euc ck -clo Round-the 13 Feb to 19 May 2013
transformation in the lives of thousands of youth. Moreover, any Jesus Youth would gladly recount at least one inspiring experience about the power of the Eucharist in his/her life.
“In the humble signs of bread and wine, changed into His body and blood, Christ walks beside us as our strength and our food for the journey, and he enables us to become, for everyone, witnesses of hope.” Pope John Paul II (cf. 62 Ecclesia de Eucharista)
Drawing closer to the Church
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
Holding on to His Grace
12
“We adore you O Lord Jesus Christ” chants leading the congregation to a time of silent worship and adoration, vibrant ministries, movements and groups in the parish taking time slots for adoring the Eucharistic Lord; people young and old being immersed in the presence of the almighty Lord in the Eucharist through prayers, music, praise and worship; Presence of His Grace Bishop Eugene Hurely (Darwin) and Bishop Christopher Prowse (Melbourne) during the Adoration in local parishes; an intercession box overflowing with prayer requests and a book filled with beautiful and touching experiences of people’s encounter with the Lord during the Eucharistic adoration -just few glimpses of the prayer drive that lit up Jesus Youth movement in Australia during the Lenten season till Pentecost, named Hours of Grace 2013.
“Be it day or night, the Lord brought a lot of the parishioners and people from all cultures into his presence. We began and the Holy Spirit took it beyond our imaginations and expectations. We thank God almighty for this opportunity.” Rhea, JY Darwin.
Preparations As preparation for the HOG, Jesus Youth leaders across Australia spent time meeting parish priests, secretaries, office staff and other key people associated with various movements within the parish to discuss the importance and implementation of 7 days of perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. Posters, flyers, time sheets, emails and letters were sent out to almost all dioceses in Australia inviting people to HOG 2013.
Newsletter June 2013.indd 5
Praying for the Catholic Church and all its needs was a prime focus of this initiative. The Hours of Grace initiative was hosted as a practical response to the Year of Grace and the Year of Faith in the Catholic Church. To add to this prayer campaign, a great blessing was to pray for the Papal Conclave and the election for the New Pope with Catholics around the globe.
Jesus said “you follow me not for who I am, but because I give you something to eat.” Discipleship is the commitment to follow a person. Both the call and response are important to make us His disciples.
Embracing Eucharistic Spirituality The entire Jesus Youth movement was, in a sense, readying itself to embrace this Eucharistic spirituality on a personal as
well as a communal level. This became manifest in two ways - through a deepening of the Eucharistic experience among those in the movement, and through a rekindling of the Eucharistic ‘amazement’ among youth and families all over Australia. To focus on the power of the Eucharist was also the right response for the Jesus Youth Movement amidst a world of calamities, terror, war and violence, enabling young people to be “witnesses of hope” for everyone. Whenever Jesus Youth came together - for retreats, encounter programmes, reach out programmes, trainings or talent ministries- the Eucharist always took the centre stage. The adoration of the Blessed Sacrament invariably became the high point of every programme – a source of healing and
(i) To Be With Jesus - Mk 3:14
He calls us to reveal the Father. Jesus wants us to know and pray to the Father. A disciple should have a Trinitarian Relationship. The Father, Son and Spirit should be equally important within the life of a disciple.
2.
He calls us to bear fruits. Gal 5:22,23 states “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”. Jesus calls us to be His disciples so that we can bear fruits. A tree is known by its fruits!!
(ii) To Share the Good News!
Pope John Paul II in Ecclesia in Asia section 23 says “Mission is contemplative action and an active contemplation. Therefore, a missionary who has no deep experience of God in prayer and contemplation will have little spiritual influence or missionary success”. Mother Teresa says “Evangelisation is to have Jesus in our hearts and then take HIM to the hearts of others!!”. Only a true disciple can do this.
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Finally, he calls us to share in His Cross. “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake” Phil 1:29. A disciple is called to share in the sufferings of Christ, to carry his cross daily. It is important for a disciple to learn to endure suffering, to truly follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Ecclesia in Asia section 49 says “However important programmes of formation and strategies for evangelization may be, in the end it is martyrdom which reveals to the world the very essence of the Christian message. The word itself, ‘martyr’ means witness, and those who have shed their blood for Christ have borne the ultimate witness to the true value of the Gospel.
The Catholic Church in various parts of the world has been living in the shadow of the clerical sexual abuse crisis and such situations may give rise to nominal Catholics having many questions. While it might be difficult to find answers to some of these questions, focusing on the Lord in the Eucharist is a way to open up one’s heart to His grace and deepen one’s conviction. It is through this profound experience of the Eucharist that the Lord can give us real hope. These crisis and situations confront us with our own weaknesses, but it presents us with the offer of God’s grace as long as we don’t give up our trust in Him”.
website review www.3mc.me The “3MC - 3 Minute Catechism” is a Catholic catechism like no other presented by kathmedia for the “Year of Faith”. 3MC consists of 72 hand drawn and animated episodes each 3-4 minutes long. Coming to you on 2 DVDs this series follows and explains the Creed, covering all four parts of the Catechism. Easier and more difficult subjects are treated in separate episodes making 3MC a great introduction to the faith for ages 12 to 120.
Colin Calmiano
what you say A Disciple is one who has JOY
During the adoration, I found a great spiritual drive that strengthens, cleanses and keeps me closer to him to praise, worship and adore him continually.” “(Justy Merin Thomas, Canberra)
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What does Jesus call us to do?
Holding on to Hope in troubled times
Chapels and churches were decorated and prepared to welcome people to have a personal encounter and adore Jesus in the Eucharist.
But for what purpose does he call?
J - Jesus first O - Others next Y - Yourself last For a disciple, Jesus should always come first. Nothing else should take that place. Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the kingdom of God.” Christianity is others-centred. We should be prepared to reach out to others, and finally, to ourselves.
Colin is a full-time Catholic missionary. He is the founder & Director of SPREAD YOUR WINGS – A ministry that focuses on Christian Leadership and In-depth discipleship. Colin is also the Senior Coordinator of the People of Praise Covenant Community in Bangalore
“ It brings me a lot of pleasure when I read the spiritual journeys, personal encounters and the Jesus Youth movement’s perseverance to live a life as a disciple in the ‘Daybreak’ newsletter. It transmits a sense of joy and hope to my heart to see that our movement is being led by the Spirit in becoming a witness for Christ.”
He is married to Priya and they have two children Michael and Marika. They reside in Bangalore, India
Roby Ray Joshua, Melbourne Send your comments and feedbacks about the newsletter to jyaunewsletter@gmail.com
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
3 1 0 2 e c a r G f o s Hour
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Matthew responded wholeheartedly, without any hesitation to the call of Jesus and taught us a very important lesson about discipleship. Discipleship is not optional. We are all called to follow Jesus.
Discipleship is “Evangelising oneself in the power of the Holy Spirit.” We need to open our lives to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, so that every area of our lives mirror Christ.
Jesus doesn’t finish by just meeting us in our lives. We hear Jesus ask Simon to put out (the boat) a little from the land.” Any fisherman will tell you that fish is caught in the deep rather than in the shallow water.
The Epistle of James states “be doers of the word, and not merely hearers...” James 1:22-25. Here lies the difference between living as a devotee and becoming a true disciple of Jesus.
To learn true discipleship, let’s consider the events from Lk 5:1-11: “Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat.”
If we want to become His disciples, two things are very important: Allow Jesus to step into your boat (LIFE) and allow Him to move you from shallow to the deep waters.
A devotee is one who hears the word of God but goes away and does nothing, someone who is merely concerned about the externals and not a deep inner change. They go for retreats, pilgrimages and adorations, but there is little or no change at all in them. Their life style continue to remain the same.
Jesus wanted to teach Simon a lesson and so he steps into Simon’s boat. Jesus meets Simon where he is at. He steps into the life of Simon Peter. The only way Jesus will teach us His mysteries and the secrets of His Kingdom is by stepping into our lives the way He stepped into the life of Simon. Jesus will not teach us from outside of our lives. He wants to come in.
Alternatively, a disciple is one who hears the Word and applies it to his life. It is one who FOLLOWS THE LIFE STYLE OF JESUS! In Matthew 10:25 Jesus says “it is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master.” A disciple is one who imitates the Master (Eph 5:1). The call of Jesus in the Gospels is to become a disciple and not just a pious devotee.
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The call of Jesus in the Gospels is to become a disciple and not just a pious devotee.
For this to happen we need ongoing formation, including systematic teachings and training. Together, these will bring about a NEW LIFE STYLE!! Fr. Tom Forrest says “An ignorant preacher is more dangerous than sin!” It is formation that will take us from the shallow waters to the deep waters and make us disciples.
Dr Scott Hann, while speaking at the Franciscan University of Steubenville’s 2010 Defending the Faith Conference put this point in a different way “Optimism and Hope are different. Optimism is a personality trait and a kind of disposition which certain people seem to possess or have in their nature. It looks around to find good circumstances and keeps looking for more. Whereas Hope actually thrives in bad circumstances. Hope matures only when it faces trials. Hope is something which the Holy Spirit pours out into our heart.” St Therese known as the “Little Flower” says. “God gives me whatever I want, because I want whatever He gives”. She had a lot of struggles and through those struggles she learned to say these words. That is faith, shaped by hope and perfected in love. That is what we need in these times! We are living in times where there are a high possibilities to lose our hope in everything. However, this is not the greatest evil that has happened in human history. The darkest day in human history was the day when Jesus was crucified and we learnt to call that day – Good Friday. On Good Friday, God did not just make something good happen but He transformed the greatest evil into the greatest good for all of mankind. God secured the salvation of the whole human race on this dark day and resurrected His son for each one of us, conquering evil, so that we can place our trust and hope in Him forever. Not in governments, or politicians, or economists or even in our priests or Popes. I mean, Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI will be the first people to tell us “Don’t trust us, but trust Christ. God is the builder, owner and the architect of Church. Recently, Pope Francis asked those gathered for the Pentecost Vigil Mass at the Vatican to chant Christ’s name instead of his own, highlighting his role as Christ’s vicar on earth. “From now on no more ‘Francis’, only ‘Jesus’, alright?”.
Holding on to Prayer – Through Eucharistic Adoration Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Blessed John Paul II used to spend 2-3 hours in the Eucharistic Presence and made known to the whole world that this was their source of energy for doing so much for God and his people. The Jesus Youth Movement views this as a smart investment in prayer, purification and worship that will yield exciting returns of grace in the years to come. Jesus Youth has always realised the ministry of intercession as its powerhouse to propel the diverse ministries of the movement.
The Monstrance at St Agatha’s Parish Cranbourne
The special monstrance used for Hours of Grace this year in St Agatha’s parish, Cranbourne was gifted to the Diocese of Sale by Bishop Emeritus Jeremiah Coffey, to deepen the devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and pray for vocations. This monstrance was specially crafted in Melbourne at Bp. Emeritus Coffey’s direction. The monstrance is in the shape of a fish representing the Church with Jesus at the heart of the Church. There is also a Cross in the centre reminding of the sacrifice of Jesus and His living presence in the Blessed Sacrament reminding of the resurrection. The Bishop’s coat of arms is crafted at the base and his motto “IN JOYFUL HOPE” is also engraved on the monstrance.
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
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r aus
an update of Jesus Youth Australia events
Family Camp, Melbourne
SHINE YOUTH CAMP:
A weekend camp at New Norcia, from 9th to 11th March, was attended by 24 University students. The Camp was aimed at preparing the youth to face challenges of campus life, to overcome peer pressure and witnessing Christ in everyday life. The resources for this fun filled camp were Fr. Bony MGL and Sidharth Jose.
The 2-month Life in The Spirit Seminar (LSS), concluded with the Shine Youth Camp from 25- 27th Jan 2013. A total of 21 youth from different ethnic backgrounds attended this camp. Fr. Bony MGL and Dony Peter, through their sessions, challenged the youth to be true witnesses in everyday lives, and to keep the Spirit of SHINE burning.
RECOMMITMENT DAY
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
MELBOURNE
IGNITE 2013
JY Perth celebrated their Recommitment day on the day of Pentecost, 19th May at St Jerome Catholic Church, Spearwood with Animator Fr. Johnson Malayil CRS. The Holy Mass was followed by a time of Spirit filled fellowship. All service team members and key leaders of JY Perth attended this event.
DARWIN HOURS OF GRACE 2013, DARWIN On Saturday the 11th of May, Hours of Grace adoration started at St.Paul’s Catholic Church, Nightclif, Darwin with the 6.00 pm Holy Mass .The Holy mass was celebrated by His grace Bishop Eugene Hurely. Every night from 7pm - 9pm, there was a guided adoration lead by different ministries and people across the diocese on each day’s theme. It helped the entire community to have a great spiritual journey. HOG concluded on 19th May with a Holy Mass celebrated by Fr.Roy.
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Almost 12 months ago, I had the opportunity to join with many JY members from around the world at the International Animators Training, happening at the same time when the Fulltimers Training was being held. We had many opportunities to come together for prayer, reflection and sharing meals. Indeed, a rich time.
I Follow, Brisbane
PERTH
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pastor’s corner
RECOMMITMENT DAY: JY Melbourne’s Recommitment Day was celebrated on 19th May 2013 at St. Francis de Sales Church, Oak Park. The celebration started with Adoration led by the music team, followed by Holy Mass, Pentecost Liturgy, Anointing and Recommitment prayer. Fr.Shabin, Fr.Prakash and Fr.Tomy lead the ceremony. Almost 125 Jesus Youth families, youth and teens came together as one family. Recommitment Day celebrations concluded with dinner at St. Francis Parish Hall.
BRISBANE
FAMILY CAMP 2013: Nearly 21 families from different small Groups in Melbourne, came together for the Family Camp from 9th to 10th Feb 2013 at Coastal Forest lodge, Angle Sea. The camp started off with Bush walking praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet, followed by Ladies Volleyball, Cricket match for Kids, Chilling out at the beach, BBQ night and the Movie Encounter . It was a time of fun, fellowship and personal sharing.
CONNECT 2013 TEENS RETREAT: A stay-in retreat for 32 teens was held from the 7th April to 10th April at Salesian Retreat Centre, Lysterfield. It was an opportunity for the teens to experience faith and fellowship, a time to encounter Christ and explore deep within themselves. The resource persons were Fr. Bony MGL, Fr. Aurelio, Navin Bruce, Rajesh Thalapallil, Fr. Vence and Fr. Peter Kavampuram.
i FOLLOW i Follow was a vibrant and dynamic teen’s retreat for students in year 10 to 12 held at Marian Valley retreat centre, Canungra, Brisbane from 11 April to 14 April. The camp was a time of fun, fellowship and faith with plenty of games and activities.
RECOMMITMENT DAY: JY Brisbane came together to celebrate Recommitment Day on Saturday 18 May 2013 at Legion of Mary, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. It was an occasion to deepen one’s faith and renew their commitment to the Lord, Church and the movement. The highlights of the day included games by the trendsetters Tony Jojo and Christina Thomas, Praise and Worship, a reflection on the Holy Spirit and a testimony of Jasmine Santhosh followed by the Holy Mass, and the recommitment day prayer in Adoration.
As we celebrated the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, (Corpus Christi), I thought back to this time in Thailand, so much of what we did was centred around the Eucharist. The meals we shared were reflection of the Eucharistic Meal. Our time in the presence of the Lord in Adoration flowed from the Mass. Our celebration each day of the Eucharist gave us a focus and strength that only comes from the Lord. Many communities around the world do not have the opportunity to celebrate Mass each week, and in some cases even once a month or less. In this part of the world we can almost take it for granted that Mass will always be there. Sometimes it is only when we are deprived of something that we come to understand its real value.
May every meal, every gathering of community every time of prayer deepen our love and longing for the great gift that the Lord left us - His Body and Blood to feed, strengthen and sustain us as we journey together towards His kingdom.
Fr Alex Vickers OP, Jesus Youth Adelaide
Mission Papua New Guinea It was after a long time of prayer and preparations that Shibu and I started our journey to PNG. Our destination was Tari, in the diocese of Mendi where Fr Thomas Nedunganal was guiding us from the beginning. At Port Moresby, we were welcomed at the Capuchin house with great love and hospitality. Our onward flight to Tari was delayed by a day. By God’s grace we could take this delay and surprises with a spirit of personal sanctification. At Tari, we visited different parishes, mission stations and convents, an experience which was a real eye opener about Church in a mission place. We could see many priests and religious sisters who were dedicated to build up the people, Church and the community. They drive many hours through dangerous terrains, treacherous roads, even walk through dense forests to celebrate Holy Mass, and to provide catechises to the faithful in mission stations. The need for education, spiritual nourishment, social development and healthy lifestyle is immense in PNG. Fr. Thomas challenged us from the beginning to “come and see PNG”. Yes! Those few days were a real shocker for us to live in a community where many stone age practices coexisted with cyber age technologies. We got a chance to meet Bishop Donald, the Bishop of Mendi diocese, prior to the priestly ordination of deacon Elizah. The Bishop was pleased to see us and welcomed the Jesus Youth movement into his diocese and we had discussions on possible initiatives at the diocese of Mendi.
Elizah on 4th Jan at the parish of Pooranie was the highlight of our journey. The ordination mass was beautiful with traditional dances, colourful dresses, singing and natural offerings. The lunch served for guests was really delicious with MuMu (barbecue pork) pineapple, Kau Kau (sweet potato) and Coke. Then we visited Kunai (local houses). This was truly a touching experience for us as we saw the primitive living conditions over there. Close to the Kunai, we could see the tomb (MatMat) where they bury their dear ones. After the visits, we had a very special time of adoration before the Lord.
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
news
The next day we started our return journey from Tari after a long wait for the flight. Once again we got the chance to stay at the Franciscan seminary in Bomana, prior to our departure from Port Moresby. Fr. Thomas and Fr. Celestine greatly support our desire to reach out to the diocese of Mendi for a longer mission. Our mission to PNG was a beautiful time where we saw the guidance of our Lord at every moment and we can say that this is a small beginning of a great mission! Rajesh Thalappillil
The priestly ordination of Deacon
Ignite 2013, Perth
Connect 2013, Melbourne See more pictures of the Mission trip on page 15
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from the coordinator
news
r aus
an update of Jesus Youth Australia events
Whose image is on you?
Dear young people, do not bury your talents, the gifts that God has given you!
Do not be afraid to dream of great things!
POPE FRANCIS
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Gods’ image is on us - We are created in His image and likeness and we belong to God. We are Gods’ creation, and Jesus bought us for a price. We are his sons and daughters who are called to live a blameless and innocent life in the midst of this generation. Whatever God has given us, is His gift to us and what we give back to God is our gift to God. Sometimes we may forget the importance of giving ourselves to God and we may limit this to little things in our lives - giving tithe, few responsibilities, less time in the ministry, going to church only on Sundays, helping others only when everything goes smoothly in our lives etc. Clinging on to our own ‘comfort zones’ is a major challenge faced by people who are involved in the ministry. The call to ‘walk an extra mile’ is always challenging for me and I have seen it numerous times. I am really inspired by others in the ministry who have taken that call seriously and go against the grain. When we honor our God with our own lives, it brings a lot of blessing to us and others. God wants each one of us not to give only a little of what we have, rather give completely and fully our lives to Him. “Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? . No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. And so, today, with great strength and great conviction, on the basis of long personal experi-
ence of life, I say to you, dear young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life. Amen.” Pope Benedict XVI We can’t ignore our various commitments and fully immerse ourselves in ministry work. We need to balance it in a way which gives witness to the Gospel, it surely makes our life and mission more challenging. If there are no challenges, our lives may become dry and cold. Prioritising and balancing of major roles in our life is crucial to be effective and to continue growing in our personal mission. It is definite that God never wants anyone to be overburdened with various responsibilities. It is up to us to prioritise our lives, without losing the central focus on God. Jesus drew all his passion, energy, power, focus, wisdom and love from ‘being with His Father’. Likewise, we also are called to follow this example. It is more about following our Father’s will and His heart. As Jesus said, “The Father and I are one” (John 10:30) Jesus Youth is blessed to have the “Hours of Grace Eucharistic Adoration initiative” across 18 Parishes in Australia and it shows what is more important in our lives. We have witnessed tremendous support from various parishes across the 9 Cities and I pray and hope that this movement continues to be called as “People of Prayer”. At the end of the day, each one of us is “just one beggar telling another where he found food”. Running the race with you all,
Navin Thomas Coordinator, Jesus Youth Australia
Marian Pilgrimage, Canberra
CANBERRA
Hours of Grace with Bishop Eugene, Darwin
SYDNEY
ADELAIDE
PILGRIMAGE TO PENROSE
TEENS RETREAT:
FAMILY FUN DAY
On 10th June, around 22 members, made a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy of Jasna Gora, Penrose, a Pauline monastery and famous Marian pilgrim centre. It was a wonderful outreach experience that along with Fr. Bony Abraham's session on having the right attitude whilst dealing with life issues, sprinkled spiritual growth and booted fellowship among the members.
A stay-in retreat was held from 22nd - 25th April, at Edmund Rice Retreat Centre, Mulgoa and was attended by 58 teens. Fr. Bony Abraham MGL, Fr. Suresh Kumar MSFS (Youth director- Parramatta diocese), Fr. Michael Payyappilly were the prominent resources who helped the youngsters to live their faith and challenged them to live with conviction. The Trendsetters- Ashwin James, Sachin Richards, Bivin Peter and Christina Thomas also volunteered to help out at the retreat.
JY Adelaide organised a one day picnic on 27th January 2013, at Blackfriars Priory School, 17 Prospect Road, Prospect, for all the members including Family, Youth and Teens. Fr Alex Vickers celebrated Holy Mass for the gathering. Games and fun activities were the highlights of the day. Separate sessions for children and families were organised after lunch. Dr Priya Allencheri’s inspiring sessions at the end provided spiritual nourishment.
Read the sharing about the journey on page 3
Snapshots from Jesus Youth Australia’s mission trip to Papua New Guinea
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
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“Tell us what you think, is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? asked the Pharisees. Jesus answered; “Show me the coin used for the tax”. And they brought him a coin with Emperor Caesar’s image and title. Jesus asked them again. “Whose image do you see on this Coin?” “This is Caesar’s”, they answered. Jesus then said, “Give to Caesar what belongs to him and give to God what belongs to God.” I wonder why they did not ask another question to follow up. “Then, what belongs to God? And Jesus would have asked another question, “Whose image is on you? Give God, what belongs to God.”
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JY International Trainings 2013
Camillian Pastoral Care Centre, Bangkok, Thailand.
5-18 August 2013
14-24 August 2013
4-31 August 2013
20-31 August 2013
Jesus Youth International Leaders’ Training (JYILT)
Jesus Youth International Exposure Programme (JYIEP)
Jesus Youth International Fulltime Volunteers’ Training (JYIFT)
Jesus Youth International Animators’ Training (JYIAT)
Youth Ministers Training
September 19 - 22 2013, Brisbane
JY Family Retreats
Jesus Youth Australia Newsletter July 2013
September 27 - 29, 2013 Melbourne, October 4 - 6, 2013 Perth.
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Youth Retreat, Brisbane September 26 - 29, 2013.
Teens Retreat Perth. October 1 - 3, 2013.
December 5th to 7th, 2013 The Australian Catholic Youth Festival is a national gathering of Catholic young people from year 9 to young adults 25 years of age established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. The Festival is aiming to gather over 3000 young people from around Australia. The Festival will be held in Melbourne at the Australian Catholic University (ACU). For more info, please visit; http://www.youthfestival.catholic.org.au
S R E T T E S D TREN 2014 A national training program organised by JY Australia for youngsters(Year 12 and first year uni students) aimed to equip them to stand strong for Jesus especially whilst on campus. Dates: Feb 10th - 16th, 2014 Vic 3152 Centre, 465 Lysterfield Rd, Lysterfield Venue: ‘GOYURA’ Salesian Retreat
Newsletter June 2013.indd 1
dAyBreAk
aus tral i a@je s us yo ut h. o rg
The Apostles Creed
www.jesusyouth.org
Upcoming events
JESUS YOUTH AUSTRALIA NEWSLETTER
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
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I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.
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Amen.
Discipleship, a call for the doers!
Jesus Youth Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians in all Australian communities.
T
This newsletter is an initiative of Jesus Youth Australia (www.jesusyouth.org/australia), produced by Jesus Youth Australia National Team. For any comments or suggestions contact us at jyno@jesusyouth.org.au
www.annusfidei.va
hroughout the gospels, we see Jesus calling people to become His disciples. In order to become the disciple of Jesus, one should respond to His call wholeheartedly. We see this call and response in the life of Matthew. In Matt 9:9 we read “As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.”
It was Matthew’s response that made him a disciple of Jesus. ‘Matthew got up and immediately followed Jesus’. The word “immediately” means without hesitation, a spontaneous response to the call.
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Hours of Grace
11 ACTS
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