The Youth Commission of the Chengalpattu Diocese, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, organized a Youth Jubilee Celebration on the theme “Christ’s Kingdom, Hope, and Youth Participation” on August 17.
The event was conducted under the guidance of Commission Secretary Rev. Fr. Lawrence and presided over by Bishop Neethinathan of Chengalpattu.
The celebration opened with a solemn procession of the Jubilee Cross, carried to the venue by the Bishop, priests, and special guests. This was followed by the hoisting of the flag of the Tamil Nadu Catholic Youth Movement (TCYM) by the Bishop.
In her inaugural address, Ms. Catherine Saranya, an Indian bureaucrat originally from Chengalpattu Diocese, emphasized the role of youth in shaping society: “Like Jesus, who reached His goal with clarity of purpose within three years, youth must set clear goals for themselves and work with dedication to achieve them.”
TCYM Director Fr. Edison highlighted the life of Blessed Floribert Bwama Chui, a young Congolese martyr beatified on June 15, as a model of integrity and faith. He also recalled Pope Francis’ exhortation in Christus Vivit, urging dioceses to form trained youth teams capable of uniting and guiding their peers in active participation in parish life.
In the keynote session, Mr. Peter Alphonse, former Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Minorities Commission, encouraged youth to define clear life goals, work consistently, and pursue careers aligned with the needs of the times.
An interactive dialogue followed with Fr. David Stanley Kumar, Financial Administrator of Salem Diocese, and Fr. Sebastian George, Property Administrator of Chengalpattu Diocese. Discussions revolved around themes such as: “The Bible becomes ineffective if it does not reach the streets”; “The Jubilee reminds us of equality, everything must be available for all, without caste, creed, or religious barriers”; and “We are called to safeguard not only humanity but also creation, protecting soil, nature, and biodiversity.”
The afternoon featured cultural performances by youth from various dioceses, followed by a Solemn Mass celebrated by the Bishop. In his homily, Bishop Neethinathan underlined: “It is the youth who can bring transformation in both society and the Church. Just as young Jesus confronted the injustices of His time, today’s youth must recognize the injustices around them and act accordingly.”
As a sign of inclusivity, the Prayer of the Faithful was read in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and English. After Mass, ten youth were chosen by lot and designated as “Pilgrims of Faith”; they will visit significant pilgrimage sites in Tamil Nadu by year’s end.
The celebration also featured the launch of the song “Friend En Trend” by VJ Vijay, a noted singer, lyricist, and actor from Chengalpattu Diocese, known for voicing the concerns of ordinary people through popular television programs.
To conclude, Jubilee saplings were distributed as tokens of gratitude to all parishes of Chengalpattu Diocese for their contributions. The program closed with words of thanks by Mr. Stephen, Youth Commission Coordinator, and Ms. Priska, TCYM President.
-with inputs from Abishek Raja
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