Youth.Com, 4th Edition, February 2023

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

JOY OF MOTHERHOOD SELF LOVE

POPE FRANCIS LENTEN MESSAGE

4th Edition

A publication ofTheYouth Ministry and Social Communications Departments of the Salesians of Don Bosco ANN (AFRICA NIGERIA-NIGER) PROVINCE

Frontline

SalesianYouth Ministry Department

Ann Province.

Social Communications Department

Ann Province

Rev Fr James Ailen Oriafo Sdb

Rev Br Samuel Olusegun Job Sdb

Anthony Ogunsusi (Editor)

DESIGNED BY Ajibajesu Paul Oluwafemi

Efficient Creations +2347019011271

CONTRIBUTORS

Cl. David Odogo sdb

Natasha Osaghai Adekemi Ogunsusi

FROMTHEYOUTH COUNCILOR

FEAST OF DON BOSCO PAGE 2

PAGE 4

SELF LOVE

PAGE 7

POPE FRANCIS LENTEN MESSAGE

PAGE 10 TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

PAGE 13

EVERY MINUTE

PAGE 15

JOY OF MOTHERHOOD

Taiwo Cosmos Shodunke

PICTURES

ANN Social Communication

Austin Lucky Oustynlucky Media

Ajibajesu Paul Oluwafemi

Freepik Stock images

Youth.Com is a publication ofTheYouth Ministry and Social Communications Departments of the Salesians of Don Bosco ANN (AFRICA NIGERIA-NIGER) PROVINCE

For observations, recommendations, and if you want your article to be part of the coming edition, mail us at youth.ministry@donboscoann.org contact us through +2349099959337

Fr. James Oriafo Ailen

P.Y. &. V. Councillor

My dear young people, I bring you all the greetings and blessings of our provincial. I am indeed happy to present to you another edition of our Youth.Com E-Magazine with a lot of rich articles for your spiritual and human growth. This edition is unique because it brings to you an extract from the Pope's message for Lent and equally a write-up of the celebration of our dear founder and father St John Bosco. As you know the essence of this magazine is to enrich you and to update you of some important aspects of our lives as young people. As someone once said that: “The youth are not the leaders of the future but the leaders of today”. Hence, we can become true leaders of today when we are given the right formation and possibility

to grow.

The reflections on this magazine are coming from some of you my dear young people because we believe that you are able to speak the language that is understood by you our dear young people today.

In this edition, we bring to you the following articles: the importance of Lent for us Christians and Catholic, which is a moment of repentance and forgiveness as stated by the Pope; the splendid celebration of St John Bosco's feast in our community in Ibadan; the importance of

self love in our world today; the joy of motherhood in our society today; what is means to take responsibility as young people and the appropriate use of every minute as well These are the beautiful articles this edition brings to your door step today. Finally, let us be reminded of the need to make good use of this period of Lent to fast away from Sin and be generous to those in need of our help in the society we live in and to be able to be more closer and friendly with God through our prayers.

Happy reading!!!!!!!!

DON BOSCO DON BOSCO

It was a glorious moment of celebration at

Don Bosco Youth Centre Ogungbade as the Centre commemorate the feast day of Saint John Bosco The day was graced by the presence of many young people from different places of apostolate. As Don Bosco rightly said “I want no long-faced saints, let us serve the Lord with holy cheerfulness”. To make this day a remarkable and joyful one, a session of Don Bosco quiz was organized where all the participants from the various places of apostolate participated, at the end of the quiz,

the first position went to St. Ignatius Loyola, second position St. Mary's Egbeda while St. Dominic's Catholic Church, Ogungbade came third. Other presentations which made the day colorful include; Cultural dance, spoken words on Don Bosco, song presentations, among others. At the close of the day, words of encouragement were given by the Rector of the community Rev Fr Anthony Oche Sdb and medals were presented to the winners of the 2023 Don Bosco quiz.

Taiwo Cosmos Shodunke

Self-love is an important part of a happy life. When we love ourselves, it becomes easy to go through life. There's no judgment, fear, or low selfesteem, and instead, there's immense gratitude and compassion towards our own selves, as it is a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that supports our physical, psychological and spiritual growth.

For many people, self love is another way to self care where we listen our bodies, or when we take breaks from tight schedules, phones

and computers to connect to oneself or do something creative. The best thing is that self-love helps us have healthier relationships with the people in our lives. It guide us against self criticism and inferiority complex. When you don't love yourself, you may neglect your own needs and feelings, and even make decisions that aren't in your own best interest. Self love is a true win-win situation.

Self love is the foundation that allows us to be assertive, set boundaries and

create healthy relationships with others, pursue our interests and goals and still feel proud of who we are.

To achieve self love, you need to stop comparing yourself with others. Do not worry about their opinion of you once you are convinced that you are on the right and holy path.

Pay no attention to destructive critics, rather , daily affirm your happiness about yourself.

Affirmations help us use the power of positive words in reshaping our mindset. Think about how you feel when someone says encouraging words to you. It truly raises your self-esteem, doesn't it?

With self-love affirmations, you can do the same for yourself.. You can start your day with

the following affirmations to crush on yourself:

I am successful.

I am confident.

I am beautiful

I am powerful.

I am strong.

I am getting better and stronger every day.

I am a vessel of wellness

I am unstoppable

I am destined for greatness

I wake up motivated

I am an unstoppable force of nature.

I am a light to my generation

I am a force to reckon with

Pay no attention to destructive critics, rather , daily afrm your happiness about yourself.

tHE ONLY FEE WAS PRAYER.

FAST PRAY SERVE

LENT

The Lenten journey of penance and the journey of the Synod alike have as their goal a transfiguration, both personal and ecclesial. A transformation that, in both cases, has its model in the Transfiguration of Jesus and is achieved by the grace of his paschal mystery. So that this transfiguration may become a reality in us this year, I would like to propose two “paths” to follow in order to ascend the mountain together with Jesus and, with him, to attain the goal.

The first path has to do with the command that God the Father addresses to the disciples on Mount Tabor as they contemplate Jesus transfigured. The voice from the cloud says: “Listen to him” (Mt 17:5). The first proposal, then, is very clear: we need to listen to Jesus. Lent is

a time of grace to the extent that we listen to him as he speaks to us. And how does he

speak to us? First, in the word of God, which the Church offers us in the liturgy. May that word not fall on deaf ears; if we cannot always attend Mass, let us study its daily biblical readings, even with the help of the internet. In addition to the Scriptures, the Lord speaks to us through our brothers and sisters, especially in the faces and the stories of those who are in need. Let me say something else, which is quite important for the synodal process: listening to Christ often takes place in listening to our brothers and sisters in the Church. Such mutual listening in some phases is the primary goal, but it remains always indispensable in the method and style of a synodal Church. On hearing the Father's voice, the disciples “fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, 'Rise, and do not be afraid.' And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone” (Mt 17:6-8). Here is the second proposal for this Lent: do not take refuge in a religiosity made up of extraordinary events and dramatic experiences, out of fear of facing reality and its daily struggles, its

hardships and contradictions. The light that Jesus shows the disciples is an anticipation of Easter glory, and that must be the goal of our own journey, as we follow “him alone”. Lent leads to Easter: the “retreat” is not an end in itself, but a means of preparing us to experience the Lord's passion and cross with faith, hope and love, and thus to arrive at the resurrection. Also, on the synodal journey, when God gives us the grace of certain powerful experiences of communion, we should not imagine that we have arrived – for there too, the Lord repeats to us: “Rise, and do

not be afraid”. Let us go down, then, to the plain, and may the grace we have experienced strengthen us to be “artisans of synodality” in the ordinary life of our communities. Dear brothers and sisters, may the Holy Spirit inspire and sustain us this Lent in our ascent with Jesus, so that we may experience his divine splendour and thus, confirmed in faith, persevere in our journey together with him, glory of his people and light of the nations.

The light that Jesus shows the disciples is an anticipation of Easter glory, and that must be the goal of our own journey, as we follow “him alone”.

TAKING RES PON SIB ILITY

By Natasha Osaghai

Taking Responsibility

There is a global phenomenon that people are oblivious to which is rampant in the daily life of young people “The act of blaming others”.

Taking responsibility for ones action nowadays seems like an extreme sport. Now take a second to think about this, when last did you take responsibility for your actions without handing out blames or making excuses?

Taking responsibility for your actions means you recognize the areas of your life that you can control and make positive changes to. Majority of the time when we make mistakes, we find it very difficult to own up to it and take actionable steps into resolving it. Our first reaction is to deflect the blame to others or make excuses. This doesn't help oneself in anyway because it doesn't give room for any growth.

Taking responsibility empowers you to influence your life i.e. you are not reacting to

situation but you choose to respond to them.

It is true that taking responsibility is not easy, it can be really really frustrating but it also can be empowering and it most definitely has positive impacts in ones life.

This can help in different ways: Improving your relationship with others. It improves your mental health. Enhance your ability to learn. Giving you a sense of control in your life

e.t.c

It is common to avoid responsibility for short-term relief but the long term consequences can be significant.

Taking responsibility for your actions means you recognize the areas of your life that you can control and make positive changes to.

Abuja- Kubwa Community

As mentioned earlier, taking responsibility is not easy but it is a worthy action. Nobody likes that person who pushes blames to others or makes excuses, I am sure you know this ?

Mistakes are human and most certainly unavoidable and there would be forces beyond our control, but how we react to this or respond to them is very important.

You can start taking steps today with these few pointers.

· Stop blaming others.

· Stop making excuses.

· Act, not react.

Start today and bit by bit you would get to being a more responsible person. Trust me, you would love yourself more.

RESPONSIBILITY

BLAME SHAME

EVERY MINUTE

Every minute someone leaves this world behind.*

Age has nothing to do with it.

We are all in "the line" without knowing it.

We never know how many people are before us.

We cannot move to the back of the line.

We cannot step out of the line.

We cannot avoid the line.

So while we wait in line: Please make moments count.

Make priories (God's Kingdom First).

Make your me known. Make your gis known.

Make a nobody feel like somebody.

Make your voice heard in posive ways.

Make the small things big.

Make someone smile. Make a change for good.

Make people feel your love.

Make up.

Make peace.

Make sure you tell your people they are loved.

Make sure you have no regrets. Make sure you are ready…

Every minute someone leaves this world.

Every minute someone leaves this world.

The joy of Motherhood

The joy of Motherhood

I never knew what it entails to be called a mother until that fateful midnight when water broke out and drenched my multi-colored ankara wrapper.

The time has come!!!!

The pain could not be explained and I couldn't stop crying.

Tears of joy (I would be carrying my baby soon) accompanied with so much pain.

After few hours in the labor room, I heard the beautiful, innocent and

unbleached noise of my baby.

Wowwwww!!!! What a relief of pain with sound that comes from the tenderness of my Baby.

Now I see why my mother want and pray so much for me(it worth it)

Now I can boldly say to myself I am a Mother

Indeed the Joy of Motherhood knows no bound God Bless all Mothers and grant those who do not have a Joy of Motherhood

“

What a relief of pain with sound that comes from the tenderness of my Baby.”