A MISSIONARY
MOVEMENT
August - November 2004
“Dear young people, the
Chur ch ne eds genuine
witnesses for the new
evangelization: men and
women whose lives have
been transformed by
meeting with Jesus,
men and women
who ar e capable of
communicating this experience
to others. The Church needs saints. All
are called to holiness, and holy people
alone can renew humanit y.”
Pope John Paul II, Message for W YD 2005.
Pilgrimage of Faith ’05
A Jesus Youth Journey of Faith in
the Wake of World Youth Day 2005
The first ever ex tensive Jesus Youth
Pilgrimage of its kind, ‘Pilgrimage of
Faith 2005’ of fers you 3 dif ferent
options to choose from.
Option 1 - Germany
• Youth Arise International Festival
(Aug.11-14)
• Jesus Youth International Gathering
(Aug.15-16)
• World Youth Day Celebrations
(Aug.16-21)
Option 2 - Germany, Italy
• Option 1+Pilgrimage to Rome
The t wo alternate dates you can
choose for your Rome pilgrimage are
either (Aug. 7 - 11) or ( Aug. 21- 25)
Option 3 - Germany, Italy, France
• Option 1 & 2+ Pilgrimage to France
Germany ( Aug. 11-21) France ( Aug.
21- 25) Rome ( Aug. 25 -29)
Inside Stuff
KCologne Beckons
K Heart Talk
K Jesus Youth Lifestyle
KBeing Jesus Youth
K Mission Possible
K Santvana
K Global Newswatch
AT THE SERVICE
OF THE CHURCH
WWW.JESUSYOUTH.ORG
Cologne
A Dream Becomes Reality
“What a fantastic spectacle is
presented on this stage by your
Beckons...
gathering her e today! Who
claimed that today’s youth has
lost their sense of values? Is it
really true that they cannot be
counted on?”
These were the profound
sentiments expressed by Pope
John Paul II, to a throng of
300,000 youngsters gathered in
Rome at his invitation to an
International Jubilee of Youth in
1984. On Easter day that year,
His Holiness presented and
entrusted the young people with
the future World Youth Day cross,
thus reinforcing the great hope
The historic landmark of Cologne cit y, the Cathedral of the Magi
that the Church has in the youth.
In December, 1984 the Pope announced the institution Centrestage Cologne
of World Youth Day. And in 1986, on Palm Sunday, the Cologne, a city with a rich Catholic tradition and historic
first official World Youth Day was celebrated in Rome. landmarks like the famed Cathedral of the Magi
Today, nineteen World Youth Day celebrations later, provides a majestic setting for World Youth Day 2005.
the event has come to be known as one of the largest The cit y will become a meeting point for around
gatherings of young people on the planet. 1,00,000 youth from across 120 countries around the
world. And together with the Holy Father, these young
contd. on page 3 K
“Germany is preparing herself to receive the “It’s my oppor tunit y to return something
world. Dioceses, parishes and youth groups precious to this countr y where I was born and
where I spent my early childhood. I sincerely
are busy with preparations. Let us hope and
hope for a strong revival of the Holy Spirit in
pray that this Celebration of Faith of young people
from all over the world, may breathe new life and Germany-that this fire that is spreading so fast, may
also consume this land and bring the joy and
vitalit y in the German Church. A warm welcome to
happiness that comes from being renewed in the
Germany!”
Spirit.”
Fr. Ajy Mooleparambil CMI- Former Fulltimer, JY Int’l George Ettiyil, Member of RexBand and the JY Int’l team,
team member, presently, Parish Priest of Ludgerus Parish
working as Station Manager of an International Airline in
Schermbeck, Germany. Also the General Convenor of the
Chennai. He is the General Co-ordinator of the Jesus Youth
Jesus Youth International Gathering in Cologne, 2005.
International Gathering.
1

My recent visit to the US has gifted me with some
hear t warming experiences. What I witnessed
throughout was a powerful move of the Spirit bringing
up a new generation of strong leaders from among the youth who were
born and raised there. A striking aspect was the presence of the senior
leaders and animators throughout the training programme. They had
all taken a week off from their jobs to be with the young participants.
Undeniably, it was their being with the new team, much more than the
sessions themselves, that made the real difference.
Later, as Mr. Ron Green, an esteemed speaker, recounted his experiences
of the programme, he spoke of an overpowering presence of the Holy
Spirit during his sessions for Jesus Youth. A presence with such ‘intensity
and magnitude’, that it was quite unlike any of his earlier sessions for
various groups across America. For him, this was an unmistakable sign
of the crucial role that Jesus Youth has in building the Kingdom of God in
today’s world.
On another occasion, I was confronted with a profound and intense question
(one I’d expected to hear perhaps 10 years from now) from a young
woman there who asked me, “Would it be possible for me to commit my
Fr. Sebastian A rikat has moved fr om
Canada to the United Kingdom. At the
request of the Jesus Youth of UK, the
Diocese of Birmingham has invited him to
take up an appointment in the diocese. He
will also be the Spiritual Director for the UK
Jesus Youth even as he continues to ser ve
as the Pastor of the Jesus Youth
International Team.
Daring in initiative and spontaneity
f o r a l i f e t i m e Reflections on the defining characteristics of Jesus Youth
As daring as Peter on the water. That is how I would describe Jesus
Youth. Af ter all the years spent with them, I would choose spontaneit y
and initiative as the two defining characteristics synonymous with the
Movement.
True, at times they falter; at times in their enthusiasm they make mistakes.
However, deep down, they know that the Lord will surely lead them on.
By becoming like little children, these youngsters have experienced the
liberating joy of the Kingdom. In their childlike spontaneity they undertake
daring initiatives, without stifling the promptings of the Holy Spirit by
rationalizing too much. This quality has resulted in the unimaginable
global network of Jesus Youth and the amazing influence they enjoy.
New initiatives, new dreams, new perspectives - these distinguishing traits
of Jesus Youth also bring alive to us the unceasing work of the Spirit.
Whether it be in the Church, colleges, schools, or at the work place,
these individuals are true leaven. With their disarming spontaneity and
the contagious joy they radiate, they make a difference wherever they
are. They reach out to people in great freedom and share the testimony
of their encounter with Jesus, thereby leading others joyfully to the Lord
and drawing them into their fellowship groups.
2
life fully and become a nun for Jesus Youth?” This has strengthened my
conviction that the Holy Spirit is moving in us much faster than we imagine!
Moving on to Germany, preparations for the World Youth Day and the
Jesus Youth International Gathering are in full swing now. We had four
meetings with the World Youth Day officials this year and we have been
granted a venue for our Jesus Youth International Conference and
catechesis sessions, very close to the main venue of W YD. Many homes
in Germany are getting ready to welcome our pilgrims travelling as
families with their kids. God has arranged for angels to help us make
our pilgrimages in Rome and France. Fr. Ajy and George are doing an
excellent job linking things together and I am certain that the days to
follow will be filled with blessings for all who are going to come. So
don’t miss it. Start praying and preparing for this, the largest event in
the Catholic Church.
Back in India, Jesus Youth is working towards establishing a centre for
perpetual Eucharistic adoration in every State. Let this inspire Jesus Youth
the world over, for the Eucharist has always been at the centre of the life
and mission of Jesus Youth. And as we move into the Year of the Eucharist,
may the Divine Sacrament “mark our days and fill us with faithful hope”!
Manoj Sunny
Co-ordinator, Jesus Youth International Team
Fr. Jose Thaiparambil CMI who had
been ser ving as the Pastor of the
Jesus Youth in Kerala has taken up
an assignment as a parish priest of
Holy Cr oss Chur ch in Tor onto,
Canada. His presence will be a great
blessing to the Jesus Youth in
Canada.
In an increasingly alienated and madly competitive world, these Spirit-
filled youngsters make people feel at home and bring them together as
one in God’s family. Wherever Jesus Youth are present, there inevitably
grows a disciples’ community drawing many to their own experience of
a new found joy and inner freedom.
May their breed increase ! May Jesus Youth subdue (win the world
over to God’s plan) and multiply (fill the Earth).
“For the promise is for you, for your children and for all who are far
away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him” (Acts 2:39).
Prof. C. C. Alicekutty
A pioneer of Jesus Youth, a youth animator, an
enterprising single woman and a zealous
champion of young leadership, Prof. Alicekut t y
has ser ved on the National Ser vice Team and
the Kerala Ser vice Team. A retired professor of
English, she has also authored a book on the
Beatitudes.
 being jesus
On God’s side, swimming againstyouth
the tide
In a telephonic inter view for this issue,
Dr. Abraham Mathew (Dr. Manoj) and
his wife Lovely spoke to Manoj Sunny
about their life as missionaries, their
convictions and the purpose that
drives them. Dr. Abraham, M.D. works
as an Associate Professor of
Gastroenterology, division of Internal
Medicine, in the Milton S. Hershey
Medical Center of Pennsylvania State
University, USA. Lovely is an Engineer
with a Master’s degree in Engineering
Science. Dr. Manoj as he is known in
Jesus Youth circles, is a member of
the Jesus Youth International team and
the Youth Ministry Co-ordinator of the
Syro-Malabar diocese of Chicago. He
is also a renowned speaker who has
preached over 300 retreats. Dr. Manoj
and Lovely are blessed with five
children: Anjali, Johnny, Amala,
Amaris and Alphonsa aged 1 to 11
years. Some excerpts:-
Q: Could you say something about
your first encounter with Jesus and
“Having at tended the Paris W YD in
1997, I was convinced of what this
kind of exposure could be for young
people. Thus, for the Toronto W YD,
we mobilized 100 youth from the
USA to par ticipate. They all returned
rejuvenated by the beaut y, vibrancy
and richness of our Catholic
Church”
Dr. Sindhu Natarajan- JY Chicago.
contd. from page 1 K
men and women will echo the
words of the Magi, “We have come
to worship him.”
A Jesus Youth Landmark
The X X World Youth Day
celebrations hold a special
significance for the Jesus Youth
Movement, more so in the contex t
of a unique international gathering
that will bring together nearly 1000
Jesus Youth from over 10
countries worldwide. In fact, over
five youth meetings have been
organised in Germany as a
how you came to be a part of Jesus
Youth?
Dr. Manoj: When I joined the
Kottayam Medical College in 1987 I
became par t of a Protestant
fellowship. I had a lot of questions and
gradually moved away from the
Catholic Church. A couple of years
later, a friend of mine in medical
school returned with a new found love
for the Church af ter attending the
National Catholic Charismatic
Convention in 1989. She introduced
me to some priests and active leaders
in the CCR. I also got in touch with
some of the Jesus Youth there who
invited me to a retreat. They gave me
the conviction that I needed to do
something, so we star ted the first
prayer group in our medical college
which is still vibrantly active. My leap
into ministr y is linked with a vision I
had about the wedding feast of Jesus
and His bride, the Church. Amidst the
crowd of guests in the vision, I
searched for myself in vain. Suddenly,
I realize that I am one of the empt y
jars placed just outside the wedding
hall. Even as someone fills me with
water, I spot a woman and a man
(whom I recognize as Mary and Jesus)
walking towards me. Jesus blesses
me and the water turns into wine. It
strikes me that my being outside the
hall relates to my position at that time
in the Catholic Church - literally on
the doorstep. Then Jesus tells me
that I’m “placed there with a
purpose”. I then enter the wedding
hall, carried in by the people. After this
experience, I began to meet with other
students and leaders in the ministr y
and very soon became active in Jesus
Youth.
Q: You were part of one of the first
Jesus Youth missionary trips to
North India. Tell us about it.
Jesus Youth Team with Fr. Joseph Funk, Head of
Witness and Catechesis, at the W YD Of fice in
Cologne.
preparation for this mega event.
The vibrant Indian community in
Germany is playing a significant
role in supporting this gathering.
Youth Arise International, an
exuberant 3 - day festival featuring
youth ministers from over 50 youth
movements across 40 countries
will also be a rare treat for Jesus
Youth. A comprehensive package,
‘Pilgrimage of Faith 2005’
encompassing all these events as
well as visits to pilgrim centres like
Dr. Manoj:I had gone on t wo mission
outreaches to Tamil Nadu and Orissa
earlier. Later some of my Jesus Youth
friends introduced me to Fr. Dheeraj
Sabu IMS, who had dreams for the
mission and was looking for a team
to take on a trip to North India. Like
Jesus and his disciples, Fr. Dheeraj
and t welve of us set out to Uttar
Pradesh. It was a great experience
and we felt the Lord was truly alive.
Incidentally, t wo of us (Santhosh and
the Late Wilson Poulose) later joined
the Sant vana Communit y and
another team member Mathew, a
doctor is now preparing for
priesthood. I think the North Indian
mission actually took of f from there.
Q: How did God lead you to
marriage? Could both of you share
your dreams and convictions
regarding family life?
Dr. Manoj: It’s right to say that God
led me to marriage, because I hadn’t
planned for it. When I met Lovely, the
first thing I told her was my conviction
that I should live a life according to
the Scriptures; that my life was one
with a purpose to which I was
committed. The second thing was the
issue of abortion and contraception,
for I totally disapproved of both. I was
glad to see that she suppor ted my
stand 100%. The third was my dream
of having a large family and she
opened up to the idea though it must
have been dif ficult for her. We enjoy
our 5 children and cannot imagine a
situation where any one of them is
not there.
Lovely: I was not par ticular about
marrying an engineer or doctor. It was
more important for me to know what
the man I would marry wanted in life
“My love and admiration for the Holy
Father and the Catholic Church has
grown stonger af ter at tending the
W YD celebrations in Toronto. It has
challenged me to live my Catholic
faith to the full.”
K.G. Mathews - Jesus Youth Middle
East Co-ordinator, UAE
Rome, Assisi, Lourdes and Taize
has already been designed with
the Jesus Youth pilgrim in mind.
Do you hear His call?
In his message for World Youth
Day 2005, the Pope exhorts young
people to offer a gift to the Lord
like the Magi did. “ My dear young
people, you too of fer to the Lord
the gold of your lives, namely, your
freedom to follow Him out of love,
responding faithfully to His call; let
the incense of your fer vent prayer
rise up to him, in praise of His
than what or who he was. I wanted a
person whose first priority was Jesus.
Secondly, since we were going back
to a place (USA) where at that time
there was no active fellowship, I
wanted someone who would be
strong enough to keep fanning the
flame within me. Thirdly, I wanted
someone with leadership potential. I
saw all of this in Manoj. I also shared
his attitude towards life. Being pro-
life is not just about being anti-
abor tion. It is about being open to
life and to God’s will for your life.
Q : Manoj, in a materialistic world,
yours is quite an unconventional
family. And you, Lovely, a qualified
engineer, quit your job to stay at
home with the children. Why did
both of you choose to be different?
Dr. Manoj: Many times I have felt,
“Children are a gif t from the Lord;
they are a real blessing”, as Psalm
127 says. “The sons a man has
when he is young are like arrows in a
soldier’s hand”. I think that one of
the things people take away from the
equation about children is what they
bring to you. We think about what we
need to give them and tend to leave
out what they bring to us. Many are
worried that they may not be able to
provide for their children. I’d give them
all I have rather than all they could
get. In fact we are indebted to our
children for what they give us. Sure,
as parents our resources are limited.
We have learnt to depend on the
resources of our heavenly Father, for
they are infinite. Moreover, when we
think of sharing Jesus with the next
generation, we know it cannot
happen without young people deeply
rooted in Christ. And where can such
young men and women grow in
holiness other than in committed
Christian families? And just as our
kids are a blessing to us, we’d like
them to be a blessing to their
generation.
contd. on page 4 K
“As the Holy Father spoke on the
final night vigil of the 2000 W YD in
Rome, to the throng of Catholic
Youth gathered for the W YD in
Rome, I was over whelmed with
emotion! It was a small taste of the
vitalit y and richness of the Catholic
Church”
Adv. Raiju Varghese - Jesus Youth
National Co-ordinator, India
glor y; of fer Him your myrrh, that is
your af fection of total gratitude...”
Is God calling you to be part of
this awesome gathering? Is God
prompting you to help someone
else attend? If so, start doing your
homework right away. Pray
everyday about it. Start saving.
Look for generous souls who can
sponsor you. And get in touch with
the Jesus Youth International
office for the options available.
3
 Mission Possible
The inspiring story of Jesus Youth Full Time Volunteers
A Joyful Contradiction
In today’s increasingly self-centred
world, setting apar t a year to be
formed for a lifetime commitment to
discipleship may seem, to say the
least, absurd. Especially when the
setting apart happens at the most
youthful point in life. Yet more and
Anointing Prayer for the 37 par ticipants in
Cochin, led by Mar Thomas Chakiath, Auxilliar y
Bishop of Ernakulam, Episcopal Advisor of the
Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Kerala.
more young people from different
par ts of India are making this
‘absurd’ move joy fully. And
discovering, ironically, that it is
perhaps the best step they have
ever taken in their lives.
The Project at a Glance
Way back in 1992, 27 young
students in Kerala committed
themselves to be trained as
disciples. Some of India’s best
youth trainers and Jesus Youth
animators led them through a 40-
day training programme for a one
year ser vice and lifetime
commitment. Placed in various
campuses, they shared their faith
with fellow students and built
“I fe el really glad that
God allowed me to
initiate this dream project
that has borne much fruit
and continues to present
countless possibilities for
the years ahead”.
Joseph Embrayil,former
Campus Ministry Co-ordinator and initiator of
the Fulltimers’ Project. He is the CEO of a
consulting company in Singapore.
contd. from page 3 K
Lovely: Quitting my career was one
of the hardest choices I made. We
both prayed over this and decided that
I would quit working and stay at home
with the children. I realized that being
with the children while they are young
and vulnerable is impor tant. I would
never get back this time with them,
whereas I could take up a career any
time later on if I wanted to and if it was
God’s will. Though it was a struggle
and I had to slowly grow into this
conviction, I know now that I’m
completely at peace, doing what I
need to do, being where God wants
me to be – with my children.
Q: All of your children suffer from
Atopic Eczema (an inflamed skin
condition, causing itching and at
4
discipleship groups. Today, this
initiative has grown to encompass
the whole of India.
Full Time Volunteers at Work
Bernard, a young law yer from
Nagpur, travels across the North
East of India, picking up tribal
languages, sharing his experience
of God and organising programmes
for youth. For Jerin, a young
graduate from Kollam, her work as
a nursery teacher in a remote village
in Assam is an opportunity to reach
out to the seven neighbouring
villages. Whether it be in cities,
remote villages, slums, campuses
or tribal settlements, this one year
placement becomes a crucial
period for these volunteers to renew
their commitment to be disciples for
a lifetime.
“It is a great opportu-
nity for the youth for
self discover y and
grow th by of fering
themselves to the
Lord in ser vice to
others, especially in the missions.”
Fr. George Mudukkampuram SVD,
Former Jesus Youth National Pastor
and Full Time Volunteers’ Animator.
Unique Highlights
• Over 700 participants to date.
• Training sessions in Malayalam,
English and Hindi. • Placements in
almost all states in India. • 63
seminarians have undergone Full Time
Volunteer training. • Nearly 20 Full
Time Volunteers have recognized a
call to religious life. • One of the
volunte ers joined the Taize
communit y in France af ter his
period of commitment. • A majority
of the Full Time Volunteers of earlier
batches are now successful
professionals who continue to live
as disciples in various countries
across the globe. • Perhaps the first
successful ef for t of its kind to
times skin rupture). What is your
attitude towards this struggle and
others that your family goes
through?
Dr. Manoj: It is tough. Ever y night,
Lovely gets up at least 4 times in the
night to attend to one child or the other
when they wake up due to the itching
sensation. This has been our routine
for more than ten years. At times when
the pain becomes unbearable for the
children and they ask, “Why does the
Lord allow this in my life?” it gets to my
heart and then I lean on Jesus and feel
rested. To their question, “Why me?”
we answer, “Because you can”. We
know that God is aware and this is His
plan for our lives. In fact if you look in
my heart you will not find a big prayer
for healing. We believe and take joy in
“Just being there for
them, listening to
their problems and
struggles in life, and
watching how God
guides and builds
them up over the
years, has truly enriched my life. I am
challenged by these youngsters”.
Baby Chacko (Babychayan), a fervent
single missionary and an animator of
Jesus Youth Full Time Volunteers since
the beginning of the project.
prepare young Catholic
missionaries in India.
Volunteers’ Training(2004-2005)
An Overview
This year’s Full Time Volunteers’
Training was a landmark event as
three batches of volunteers were
trained in thre e separate
programmes across three cities.
The trainings were conducted in
Hindi and English. The training in
Hindi was a collaborative ef fort of
Jesus Youth, the Sant vana
Communit y and the Salesians. A
remarkable feature of the 2004-2005
training is its nationwide participant
base - a fact that points to the
committed efforts of previous Full
Time Volunteers in different parts of
India.
Straight from the Heart
For Roshna from Calicut, the training
was an “opportunity to adapt and
adjust with people of dif ferent
cultures and backgrounds”. For
Jibin John from Nagpur, it was a
time to identif y his talents and “learn
to use them for God’s glor y”, while
Abhilesh Thomas from Maharashtra
was inspired by the “unwavering
commitment of the training team”.
For Biju Joseph, Reji Kottukappilly
and Abhilash Thomas, the
Sending for th the 20 Hindi Full Time Volunteers,
Delhi.
that this is an opportunit y for us to
carry the cross of Jesus. The children
are also very positive about it.
Lovely: More than praying for
healing, we teach our children to offer
up their illness and pray for other
children who suffer more than them.
We are always there to lift them up,
to empower them with affirmation and
love to face the situation, to help them
appreciate what they have and
accept themselves as they are,
glorif ying God with their lives.
Q: Lovely, how do you manage
such a big family, with a husband
who is fully active in the ministry
and his profession?
Lovely:I am at peace for I know I’m
not alone. The Lord is with me. That
doesn’t mean that I don’t get
co-ordinators of this training project,
“It was a unique opportunity to be part
of a project that is after God’s own
heart. And an experience that makes
our very presence worthwhile”.
Highlights of 200 4-2005
Training
• 87 participants trained as Full Time
Volunteers. • Trainings held in the
cities of Cochin, Bangalore and Delhi.
lay
Commissioning Ceremony of the 30
par ticipants, Bangalore.
• Trainings conducted in English and
Hindi. • Participants from Rajastan,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Assam
and Kerala. • Volunteers placed in
locations across the North, South and
North-East of India for their one year
ministry.
“Initially as a
volunteer, then as a
priest, and now as a
member of the
fulltimers’ formation
team, I continue to be
motivated by the
sincerit y and commitment of these
youngsters.” - Fr. Cherian Nereveetil
5th Batch Full Timer, presently Pastor
of JYNT and Volunteers’ Animator.
Two new bo oks that present the
inspiring experiences of Full Time
Volunteers have been released this
year. ‘Athmavinte Sneha Sparsham’ in
Malayalam and ‘Focused only on Lord’
in English.
Copies are available at: Emmaus,
H.M.T. Colony P. O., Kochi- 683 503.
Tel: 91- 484-2555980
frustrated, for at times, I do. But over
and above that I know Manoj is doing
his best to live the life of his calling
professionally, spiritually and in ever y
way. And even when he is away, he is
always there for the children and me.
That is an inspiration for me to put in
my best, taking care of the children and
being the home-maker. This is possible
because of the grace we receive
through the Sacrament of Matrimony.
Q: Is there anything you’d like to
share with our fellow Jesus Youth?
Dr. Manoj & Lovely:First, we must find
out what drives our lives. Then, as Jesus
Youth, we need to focus on Jesus as
the only purpose and driving force of life.
 Santvana- home away from home
Sant vana, a unique missionar y communit y that includes singles, religious and couples was initiated by Fr. Dheeraj Sabu IMS , a pioneering
visionar y with an ardent desire to build mutually suppor tive missionar y commmunities. With a focus on reaching out to the unevangelized, the
communit y is “called to be incarnated in the culture of the people and to build the Kingdom of God through prayer and proclamation of the Word.”
One of the few communities of its kind to profess married couples as lay missionaries, it opened up new dimensions in evangelization for some
zealous families with a fer vent Jesus Youth background.
Santhosh Chittilappily, one of the earliest Alex y Pallan and Shiny Alex y, a lay
members and present ser vant leader of missionar y couple in Sant vana
the Sant vana Communit y, along with his Communit y were both Jesus Youth zonal
wife Sali, was actively involved in Jesus co-ordinators and members of the K YCT.
Alex y, a businessman, and Shiny a
Youth ministries. He was formerly a K YCT
practising advocate, took a significant
member and Jesus Youth Zonal Co-
step when they opted to surrender their
ordinator of Thrissur. Today, as professed
lives as lay missionaries.
lay missionaries of the Catholic Church,
Santhosh, Sali and their little ones share “In the name of the Father...for the
an inspiring stor y of commitment. honour and glor y of God and
moved by an ardent desire to
Both of us cherished a desire to be quench the infinite thirst of Jesus on
full time missionaries even before we the cross for the love of souls, we,
were married. So on af ter our Alex y and Shiny vow for 5 years,
marriage, with the blessings of our conjugal chastit y, pover t y,
parents, elders and friends, we set
obedience and whole hear ted and
off as fulltime missionaries to Nor th
The t wo families, Santhosh-Sali and Alex y-Shiny with Fr. Dheeraj Sabu IMS. free ser vice to the evangelizing
India. When we first arrived, we were
On 1st Februar y, 2004 both these families along with six other members of mission of the Church according to
not concerened about the deeper
Santvana took a life long commmitment. the statutes of the Sant vana
aspects of life in a missionar y
Communit y of Disciples”.
community. For us, the community
was just a platform for evangelization. Gradually, the dimension of When we took this vow on the 1st of February, 2004 along with ten other
Christian discipleship in a communit y began to take root in our hearts. lay missionaries, it was the end of a long search and the beginning of a
Today Santvana Community is a closely-knit, mutually supportive family new journey for us. It was during the Jesus Youth ‘97 conference in
of singles, religious and married couples. Kerala, when ever y zone in Kerala was given the responsibilit y to pray
Living in a communit y, with other members from diverse cultural for a par ticular state of India, that the thought of mission began to
backgrounds, has been a great challenge for us to grow in discipleship. disturb our minds.
It enables us to live more transparent lives with greater accountability The promptings became stronger day by day and our meeting with
for our actions. Inspite of differences and diversities, we share our joys Santhosh Chittilappily and Rev. Fr. Dheeraj Sabu only strengthened our
and sorrows, sort out our differences and continue living and growing resolve. Not long af ter, we went in for a ‘come and see’ experience in
together with a common goal in mind. Sant vana Communit y, Agra. The one-month stay in Agra, the world
My (Sali’s) charism is preaching and counselling but now that our first famous cit y of ‘The Taj’, changed our lives. We saw people wounded,
child Joash has started school and the other two need my attention, I af flicted and hungr y for God. The Lord’s plan for us was revealed
am bound to stay back, taking care of the children, while Santhosh through the round-the-clock Eucharistic adoration and intercession at
preaches and ministers. At first, it was a very demanding sacrifice but Santvana.
I am learning to say yes to His will, thus contributing to the kingdom on We rushed back to Kerala and in no time Shiny had handed over her
a different level. Though we started with a one year commitment, we lawsuits to one of her colleagues. And we returned to Agra with our
have now completed seven years. Even though it is tough at times, three children - this time to commit ourselves for a year. We have now
God is faithful and continues to provide for us and leads us on. We are completed t wo years in mission and have extended our commitment to
expecting our fourth child in October, 2004.
five more years. We eagerly await the birth of our fourth child.
Sali and Santhosh Chit tilapilly Shiny and Alex y Pallan

He ran the good race

Wilson Poulose, a zelaous lay missionary of Santvana Community completed his earthly sojourn on 14th July, 2004 at 10:30 am after a
sudden and brief illness. Wilson was the acting Jesus Youth Co-ordinator of Kothamangalam zone and a member of the Jesus Youth
National Team. Before taking ill, he was co-ordinating the Jesus Youth Hindi Full Time Volunteer’s Training. A strong intercessor and a zealous
missionary, he is survived by his wife Jancy whom he married on 29th April, 2004. We miss him physically, but spiritually he is still with us, doing
what he loved doing best - interceding for the salvation of souls.
contd. from page 7 K
of these professional students wer e born to be - Sons and
Professionals to the Mission went on visits to mission stations Daughters of the Most High God”
The Jesus Youth Professionals’ in various parts of India, sharing was the theme and essence of the
Ministry of Kerala organised t wo the love of God with those they conference. For many, it became
training programmes this year for met. the first encounter with a Jesus
engine ering and medical youth lifestyle.
students. Af ter the training some Professionals’ Conference
2004 - Bangalore Nirgaman 2004 - Agra
The Professionals’ Conference In collaboration with the Santvana May, 2004 at St. Peter’s College,
2004 took place from the 16th – Communit y and the Agra Agra. About 300 youth from five
18th of April, 2004 at Dharmaram diocesan youth, the JYNT States of Nor th India attended
College, Bangalore with eight y organised a North Indian Jesus the programme. The Emeritus
working professionals from Youth Convention “Nirgaman Archbishop of Agra, Rt. Rev. Cecil
different streams. “Be what you 2004” (Exodus 2004) from 20th- 24th D’Sa inaugurated the convention.
5
 Global
GlobalNewswatch
Newswatch
USA
A one-day encounter programme
was held in Waltham, MA for the
Syro-Malabar youth of the Boston
area on April 17th.
The Bi-Monthly Jesus Youth
gathering of the Nor th East
region took place on May 22nd in
northern New Jersey.
JYA National Formation
Programme – July 11 th- 16 th
On Sunday 11th July, 2004, history
was in the making at the Emmaus
House in Per th Amboy, New
Jersey. Approximately 60 U.S.
born/raised youth leaders from
around the country gathered for
a week-long Formation Training
Programme for the Jesus Youth of
America. This group of individuals,
Proclaiming the union of the body of Christ.
Priests from three dif ferent rites at tired
in their respective vestments.
known as the “firstliners”, had
been preparing themselves with
prayer, fasting and study materials
through their local Discipleship
Training Programmes since
Januar y, 2004.
The week-long event began with
much anticipation and excitement,
and the exceptional resource
team included two key founders
of JY, Dr. Edward Edezhath and
Professor C.C. Alicekutty, and the
JY International Co-ordinator
Manoj Sunny. The inauguration
was ceremoniously conducted by
His Grace, Bishop Lawrence
Mukkuzhy of the Diocese of
Belthangady (India). Likewise,
JYA was visited by His Grace
Bishop Jacob Angadiath of
Chicago Diocese, who is a well-
wisher of Jesus Youth.
Towards the end of the week, 4
new Regional Ser vice Teams
of 4-7 people each were
6
commissioned for the North East/
New England, Midwest, South,
and Mid-Atlantic regions.
“Family Conference 2004”. The
annual conference of Jesus Youth
in Chicago was held at the Bishop
Lane Retreat Centre at Rock
Ford, from 19 th - 22 nd August,
2004 and attended by nearly
175 par ticipants. This year,
the programme was held
simultaneously in three streams –
one in Malayalam for the adults, a
second in English for the youth
and a third for teenagers. All three
streams had unique themes and
dif ferent resource people to
conduct the sessions.
A contest was held to decide the
theme song and logo for the Jesus
Youth Conference to be held at
New Jersey in December, 2004.
Michelle Joseph from South
Jersey and Roby. K Chacko from
Philadelphia won the prizes for the
best lyrics and logo respectively.
UK
JY UK organised t wo retreats for
couples, one in UK and the other
in Germany in June, 2004. The
retreats were led by Fr. Sebastian
Pottanani from India, and enabled
the participants to understand the
importance of the Sacrament of
Matrimony.
Fr. George SVD, one of the
pastors of Jesus Youth visited UK
during the last week of April. A
one-day programme was
organised in Birmingham in
connection with his visit.
Canada
Twent y-five couples and youth
gathered on 31 st July, 2004 to
attend the Jesus Youth Family
Gathering at Holy Cross Catholic
Scho ol in Toronto, Canada.
“Christ- centered Family” was the
theme of the gathering. Dr. Edward
Edezhath from India and Jerr y
George from USA were the
resource persons.
The first Ser vice Team of Jesus
Youth Canada was constituted on
the same day with Dr. Edward and
Jerr y animating the discernment
process. The new team has eight
members, with Fr. Joy Ureth CMI
as the Pastor, and Don Bosco as
the Co-ordinator.
Singapore
Jesus Youth Singapore at the
Service of the Local Church
Jesus Youth in Singapore met with
leaders of 4 local youth groups
and had a wonderful time of
prayer, praise and worship. A
presentation was made by each
youth group. During the course of
the meeting, the need to have a
common thread among the Youth
Ministries to spread the Catholic
Charismatic Spiritualit y, and the
impor tance of sharing of
resources was raised. Youth
groups in Singapore are looking
up to Jesus Youth for programmes
such as Discipleship Training.
Singapore Archdiocesan
Catholic Charismatic Renewal
(SACCRE)
Jesus Youth was represented in
the SACCRE me eting and a
suggestion to include JY in the
constitution along with the other
youth groups has been accepted.
Welcome Programme for
Campus Newcomers
Jesus Youth Campus Ministr y
conducted a welcome
programme on 24th July for the
new comers in various campuses
in Singapore. More than 100
new students attended the
programme. In typical Jesus Youth
st yle, the programme featured
vibrant music, skits and panel
sharing. Fr. Thomas Mannarkath,
the Spiritual Director, celebrated
Holy Mass.
Jesus Youth Teens Group
English speaking youths of Indian
origin came together for praise
and worship. They were attracted
by the vibrant music and inspired
by the JY lifest yle. Parents of
these youth gladly encouraged
them to participate. This is the 2nd
phase of the JY mission to reach
out to the local youth in Singapore.
Kuwait
On 16th April Jesus Youth in Kuwait
began Easter celebrations with
prayer, followed by a message
and group sharing based on the
various experiences of the Lenten
season. It was enriched with
action songs and games.
Another programme was held on
23rd July and featured praise and
worship, an ice breaking session
and a skit based on the subject
youth reaching out to youth.A
workshop was also conducted to
help the participants to evaluate
their personal lives. His
Grace Daniel Acharuparambil,
Archbishop of Verapoly, India
Kuwait JY Leaders with Archbishop Daniel
Acharuparambil, A rchdiocese of Verapoly, India.
spent time with JY leaders in Kuwait
during the course of his visit there.
A monthly chain Rosar y
intercession for 36 hrs has been
initiated and on World Labour Day,
a special one hour adoration
service was conducted for youth.
UAE
During the last three months JY
UAE has be en bustling with
activities which included music
outreaches, one-day seminars,
night vigils and a commitment
team meeting.
“The Touch”, a one day seminar,
was organized by the Jesus Youth
in Sharjah on 13th August, 2004 at
the Parish hall of St Michael’s
Church, Sharjah. 1000 Jesus Youth
attended this programme.
“Virunnu” (Feast), a one day
programme was conducted on
20th August, 2004 at St. Mar y’s
Parish Hall, Dubai by the Dubai
Jesus Youth, on the theme of the
Holy Eucharist. About 1000 Jesus
Youth par ticipated in the
programme.
“The Way”, a one day seminar,
was held on 20th August, 2004 at
St. Joseph’s Church Abu Dhabi.
There were more than 400
participants.
A commitment team gathering
was held on 6th of August with over
120 participants. A study material
was released, to be used for the
follow-up of a Life in the Spirit
Seminar. A team was also formed
for the Jesus Youth UAE National
Gathering in December, 2004.
Oman
Leaders’ Training Programme:
The promptings of the Holy Spirit
sparked off many new initiatives
in Oman over the past few months.
Night vigils, a great source of
spiritual strength, were conducted
at Ruwi -Effata and Ghala. The one
week visit by Dr. Edward Edezhath
gave a new impetus to the JY
activities. He animated leaders at
the one day gatherings in Sohar,
Ruwi and Ghala. A leaders’
training programme was also
conducted on the 12th and 13th of
August which was attended by 75
Jesus Youth members. Different
ministries like Intercession, Music,
Outreach, Librar y and Christeen
were initiated.
India
NEW BEGINNINGS
A new National Team of 17
members was formed for India with
Fr. Cherian Nereveetil as Pastor,
Adv. Raiju Varghese as Co-
ordinator. As the Asst. Co-ordinators,
Shinto Jose, Soji Joseph and Justin
Thay yil will co-ordinate the
activities of the North East, South
India and North India.
A new awakening in North East
Two teams comprising of Fr.
Sebastian Arikat, Fr. Sojan, Sr. Jaya
and many JY leaders conducted 3
DTPs, 6 retreats and some short
programmes in Assam, Nagaland
and Meghalaya from 2nd July to
14th Aug, for around 2000 youth
including school students, college
youth and seminarians.
JOY Conference-2004
The Jesus Youth Teens’ Ministr y
initiated the 4th JOY Conference, a
gathering of 10+1 students held at
the Divine Retreat Centre from 12th
to 16th of April, 2004. The theme of
the programme was ‘To be a
Twinkling Star of Jesus’. Over 650
students, 150 leaders and
volunteers from different parts of
Kerala participated.
Jesus Youth Conference in
Delhi
Delhi Jesus Youth organized a
youth conference from 20th to 23rd
May, 2004 attended by about 200
Malayalee Youth from various
parts of Delhi. Senior Jesus Youth
from Kerala led the conference. On
the second last day of the
conference (22 nd May), an
intercession for India was
conducted, as that day coincided
with the swearing in ceremony of
the new Indian government.
Campus Pool 2004
A three day residential programme
conducted by the campus ministry
of Kerala for campus leaders from
colleges all over Kerala. Over 150
par ticipants to ok par t in this
programme that was held from
25 th to 28 th August, 2004 at
St. Paul’s College, Kalamasserr y.
The theme of the programme was
“You are the Light of the World”.
Par ticipants were given the
freedom to attend classro om
New Beginnings
Baharain and Australia now feature in the ever expanding Jesus
Youth family as zealous JY missionaries have set foot there.
Australia
On July 18th 2004, Jesus Youth Australia had its
first of ficial gathering in Melbourne. On 7th
August, Most Rev. Gregor y Karotemprel,
Bishop of Rajkot diocese, made an informal
visit to Melbourne and his presence was highly motivating, he
encouraged Jesus Youth to continue with their initiative and
enthusiasm in the service of the Church. A nurses’ prayer group
has been initiated in Melbourne. The Couples Ministry and
Campus Ministry will soon be launched.
Baharain
In Baharain, Jesus Youth homes come alive in
turn ever y Thursday with JY’s gathering for
intercession and prayer. Programmes are being
conducted from time to time in a small way.
The encouragement from the local Church authorities is an
added impetus to the grow th of the Movement in Baharain.
sessions of their choice. The
programme was conducted to
equip campus leaders with a clear
vision of Jesus Youth and its
evangelistic lifestyle.
Jesus Youth Retreat
Bettiah, Bihar Fr. Tom Polackal SDB conducting a session at
Kerygma 2004 in Bangalore
The Bettiah Jesus Youth organised
a three-day charismatic retreat for become living lights for those
the people of Bettiah diocese from around them.
30th April to 2nd May, 2004.
Conducted by Br. James of the Nurses’ Meet- Bangalore
Khritanjali team, the programme was Karnataka Jesus Youth Nurses’
Ministry conducted a nurses’ meet
inaugurated by Rt. Rev. Victor Henry
Thakur, Bishop of Bettiah Diocese.
in Bangalore from 30th April to 2nd
May, 2004 at DVK Hall, Christ
Discipleship training in College, Bangalore. The theme of
Delhi, Gujarat, Mumbai, the meet was “Heal the Sick and
Rajasthan, Bangalore and
Kerala
A seven-day programme for
youngsters aged 15 to 18. The
number varied from 40 to 50 in each
region. The sessions covered self- Proclaim His Kingdom”. There
esteem, Christian l e a d e r s h i p , were around 650 participants from
over 60 nursing institutions in
Karnataka.
An intercession drive - Jeeva
Jyothi was launched as a
precursor to the conference.
Candles blessed by His Grace,
Ignatius Pinto, the Archbishop of
Bangalore, were dispatched to
discipleship, inter-personal
various nursing colleges around
relationships, communication,
Karnataka. Every day the Jeeva
sexuality, pro-life, Histor y of the Jyothi candle would be taken to a
Church, evangelization, etc. The
different hostelier’s ro om, where
Bangalore programme was titled a 20-minute intercession prayer
Kerygma 2004. The objective of would be held. Praying with the
all these training programmes was Jeeva Jyothi candle has become
to bring Jesus into the lives of a regular feature in many nursing
teenagers so that they would institutions across Karnataka.
contd. on page 5 K
7
 North American Continental Gathering UK National Convention- Arise 2004
Around 60 senior Jesus The National Convention of Jesus
Youth leaders of U.S. and Youth UK took place at Newmann
Canada came together from College, Birmingham from 27th - 29th
July 16th-18th for the first August, 2004. There were more than
Continental Gathering in 200 participants from various parts of
Perth Amboy, New Jersey. UK. In his inaugural address Rt. Rev.
This gathering, the first of its Mgr. Canon J. Moran of Birmingham
kind in the history of Jesus Youth of North America, was a time for Archdiocese said that Jesus Youth is
sharing, reflection and strategic planning. Decisions were made to bring a blessing to UK and urged them to bring Jesus to the people, especially
about a more collaborated effort towards Jesus Youth initiatives in U.S. the youth. Fritz Mascarenhas, Director of ICPE Mission-India, was the
and Canada. A common platform main speaker.
for both countries to co-ordinate
During a panel session JY from various walks of life shared how Jesus
World Youth Day mobilization
worked in their ever yday lives. Holy Mass was celebrated by
among Jesus Youth was also
Fr. Sebastian Arikat and Fr. George Mudukkampuram. There was a
initiated. Fr. Thomas Tharayil
Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and candles representing the 5 zones in the
(Pastor, America), Sunil Natarajan
UK and Ireland were offered during
(Co-ordinator, Nor th America),
Holy Mass and taken to the
Dr. Edward Edezhath, Prof.
respective zones. A planning
Alicekutty and Manoj Sunny co-ordinated the various sessions.
session was conducted after the
concluding Mass. Jesus Youth
Camping Out to Build the Ark - NJ, USA from various zones of UK gathered
A thre e day camp was in order to form prayer groups in
organised by the Jesus their respective places. Fr. Sebastian Arikat Fritz Mascarenhas

Youth young couples’

ministr y of New Jersey from Servant Leaders in the Making-Singapore
23 rd -25 th July at Ricketts A series of study classes spread over
Glenn National Park, a year for 130 first liners is being
Pennsylvania. 55 adults and organised by JY Singapore to further
46 youngsters participated. their spiritual growth. They have been
“Building the Ark - Building a Catholic family among the challenges of divided into 15 groups and a leader
the modern world” was the theme of the camp. assigned to each. On 8thAugust,
Tents were pitched for each family. Meals were prepared at the site and 2004, a half-day repentance and
shared. Hiking expeditions, games and ex tra curricular activities were infilling prayer session was
under taken during the day. In the conducted for them. The trainings marked a pathbreaking event in the
evening the familes would sit around leadership building efforts of Singapore Jesus Youth.
campfires and share the “ark building
experience”, reflecting on scripture Voice of Jesus Youth in Rome
passages from Genesis, about Noah “This was a special grace God
building the ark. Holy Mass was bestowed on me. It broadened my
celebrated in an outdo or vision for the Kingdom, especially
amphitheatre by Fr. Christi a parish
the evanglization of youth”, says Tity
priest in Philadelphia . Worshipping
Antony, a Postgraduate in
and praising God along with nature
Microbiology, an active Jesus Youth
was a memorable experience.
in Bangalore, who represented
Jesus Youth at the 8th International
Youth Forum in Rome organized by
the Pontifical Council for the Laity
from 30th March to 4th April, 2004.
She presented a paper on Campus
Ministry from the point of view of inter-religious dialogue with particular
reference to the Asian context. 200 delegates representing 90 countries
and 30 Catholic Organisations/ Movements were present.

Your bir th, O Blessed Virgin Mar y,

The Answer - UAE heralded joy to all the world.
Reverberating music, lively choreography, power-packed audio- visual For it was the Father’s will
presentations, inspiring life testimonies. That was “The Answer”- a two that his word should take to himself
hour musical extravaganza by the Covenant Singers Band - a new ini- our human nature in your womb.
tiative of Jesus Youth UAE. Three programmes took place at St. Mary’s Pray for us, that we may be shaped
Church Hall, Dubai and St. Francis of Assisi Church Hall, Jebal Ali - two in the likeness of the divine nature
in English and one in Malayalam. “The Answer” is a milestone for the
Movement in spreading the message of God’s love through music. of your son, our Redeemer.

Printed and Published by Mr. Manoj Sunny on behalf of Jesus Youth International Of fice, 6F Thadikaran Centre, Palarivat tom P.O., Cochin – 682 025, Kerala, INDIA
Ph: +91 484- 3095859, Fa x: +91- 484- 2555354, Email : jyglobal@jesusyouth.org Website : w w w.jesusyouth.org
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