An international meeting of 75 Syro-Malabar youth leaders from outside of India took place in Rome from the 17th to 22nd of June. In that youth leaders’ meet called “Arise 2022” the selected youth leaders from the Syro-Malabar dioceses of Chicago in America, Mississauga in Canada, Melbourne in Australia, Great Britain in Europe, and other national teams of european countries under the Apostolic Visitation including Switzerland were present.
“Arise 2022” – in Rome was indeed a monumental event for the Syro-Malabar youth leaders living outside India. It was the first of its kind and the bishops of all these dioceses and the apostolic Visitator were present there. Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church Cardinal George Alencherry and the Prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches in Rome Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, addressed the delegates.
The event aimed to discuss the challenges that various Syro-Malabar communities abroad face. An exchange of ideas on how to live a happy Christian life and contribute to evangelization while living in western countries was underlined and the future aspirations for the Syro-Malabar Church outside India were reviewed.
The summit included discussions, talks, fellowship, prayer, and pilgrimage.
The culmination of it was the audience granted to them by the Holy Father Pope Francis himself. The Holy Father addressed them and received each participant personally. The Pope motivated the young leaders to follow the footsteps of the blessed Virgin Mary, citing the theme of the next World Youth Day in Lisbon: “Mary arose and went with haste”. His Holiness also pointed out the importance of good relationship with the elders, and the seeking of their wisdom which is crucial in the process of living and transmitting the faith.
Moreover, the importance of following one’s own unique heritage of faith was emphasized by the Holy Father:
“If you, young people, want to make your own lives a canticle of praise and joy, a gift for all humanity, you must be well grounded in the faith tradition and prayer of the past generations.”
A passion for evangelization and love for the church was stirred up in all the participants through God’s grace.
“ Grand Awake 2022” was another youth meet in Dublin, Ireland from the 6th to the 10th of this July for the youth of Europe. Along with the Apostolic Visitator Bishop Stephen Chirappanath some 50 Syro-Malabar youth leaders and Spiritual Directors from the different countries under Apostolic Visitation took part in this meeting. Six delegates from Switzerland along with Fr. Sebastian Thayyil were also there.
These animators who met in Rome and Dublin were inspired to reach out to the youth in their own countries with the help of the priests in charge of their pastoral care with appropriate programmes that help to build up very happy and successful lives.
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REPORT – Nora Vaniapurackal.
