More than 2,500 Catholic youth from across India gathered in Bangaluru, in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, from December 28 to 31, 2025, for JAGO 2025, the biannual National Conference of Jesus Youth India. Held at Christ Academy, the four-day event was celebrated during the Jubilee Year of the Catholic Church and carried the theme “Generation of Hope.”
Organized by Jesus Youth India, a Catholic charismatic youth movement, the conference brought together young people for prayer, faith formation, fellowship, and mission. Participants represented diverse cultures, languages, and dioceses, reflecting the vibrancy and unity of the Church’s youth in India.
The national gathering was graced by the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, along with three Cardinals, 22 Bishops, priests, religious sisters, and seminarians, underscoring the Church’s strong accompaniment of young people.
Faith Amid Life’s Struggles
Presiding at the Eucharistic celebration on December 28, the Feast of the Holy Family, Cardinal Philip Neri Ferrão of Goa reflected on the Holy Family as a pilgrim family marked by uncertainty and trust.
“The Holy Family was not untouched by fear or struggle,” the Cardinal said in his homily. “Joseph does not question; he obeys. Mary does not panic; she trusts. Jesus grows in silence, learning obedience and love.”
Drawing from the day’s readings, he encouraged young people to choose “faith over doubt, empathy over judgment, forgiveness over resentment, and unity over division.” Addressing youth anxious about their future, he assured them that God’s presence “does not eliminate difficulties but gives direction, courage, and meaning to our journey.
Youth as the Living Present of the Church
Speaking to participants, Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad reminded young people that they are not merely the future of the Church but its living present.
He called on them to rise above discouragement, anchor their lives in Christ, and become witnesses, missionaries, and builders of peace in a fractured world.
Prayer, Formation, and Fellowship
JAGO 2025 offered a holistic program aimed at deepening faith through daily Eucharistic celebrations, Eucharistic Adoration, inspiring talks, workshops rooted in Catholic teaching, praise and worship, music, cultural programs, and spaces for fellowship and community building. The conference was positioned as a key youth initiative within the Jubilee Year 2025, emphasizing spiritual renewal and missionary discipleship.
Reflecting on the experience, Sunny Gudino, National Coordinator of Jesus Youth India, described the conference as a moment of grace.
“Walking with our youth through JAGO 2025, I saw Christ alive in their joy, their tears, and their courage,” he said. “In their songs, their silence before the Blessed Sacrament, and their readiness for mission, I glimpsed the Church as a living body, young, hopeful, and on fire with the Spirit.”
He added that JAGO 2025 became a personal pilgrimage for him, renewing his trust in the future of the Church.
Prayer, Formation, and Fellowship
JAGO 2025 offered a holistic program aimed at deepening faith through daily Eucharistic celebrations, Eucharistic Adoration, inspiring talks, workshops rooted in Catholic teaching, praise and worship, music, cultural programs, and spaces for fellowship and community building. The conference was positioned as a key youth initiative within the Jubilee Year 2025, emphasizing spiritual renewal and missionary discipleship.
Reflecting on the experience, Sunny Gudino, National Coordinator of Jesus Youth India, described the conference as a moment of grace.
“Walking with our youth through JAGO 2025, I saw Christ alive in their joy, their tears, and their courage,” he said. “In their songs, their silence before the Blessed Sacrament, and their readiness for mission, I glimpsed the Church as a living body, young, hopeful, and on fire with the Spirit.”
He added that JAGO 2025 became a personal pilgrimage for him, renewing his trust in the future of the Church.
Encounters That Transform
Volunteers and leaders also shared how the conference became a space of healing and encounter. Jasveen Toppo from the Diocese of Ambikapur, who served as a volunteer, described the experience as life-giving.
“I witnessed how the Lord is actively working in the lives of young people,” she said. “JAGO 2025 helped me grow closer to God and strengthened my faith.”
Similarly, Pratibha Ekka, Regional Coordinator for Chhattisgarh, recounted emotional moments during her session.
“Many came with deep loneliness and unanswered questions,” she shared. “As they realized that the Lord had never left them, their eyes filled with tears. It was as though they truly made space for God in their hearts.”
Renewed Vision for Youth Ministry
For pastoral leaders, the conference reaffirmed the importance of accompaniment. Fr. Anuranjan Tigga, Youth Director of the Ambikapur Diocese, noted that today’s youth are deeply searching for meaning and acceptance.
“Youth ministry becomes effective when it prioritizes presence, patient listening, and authentic relationships,” he said. “JAGO 2025 affirmed my commitment to walk closely with young people as they grow in faith and maturity.”
Founded as a Catholic charismatic movement, Jesus Youth India continues to accompany young people across the country, helping them deepen their relationship with Christ and equipping them for service and evangelization. JAGO 2025 stood as a powerful testament to a hopeful, prayerful, and missionary generation rising within the Church.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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