Kolkata: Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM), the National Parochial youth movement of The Conference of Catholic Bishops’ of India (CCBI), held its national council meeting and national elections of the National Executive Committee (NEXCO) for the tenure 2020-2022 to lead the Latin Catholic Youth of India on Sunday, February 9, at Seva Kendra, Kolkata.
The gathering of 62 delegates representing 12 regions across India was chaired by Most. Rev. Dr. Soosai Nazarene, the Chairman of CCBI National Youth Commission along with Rev. Fr. Chetan Machado, the Executive Secretary.
With a quorum of 36 members, eight office bearers were elected together with 16 other Executive Committee members. Jyotsna D’Souza from Vasai has been elected the national president of ICYM for the term 2020-2022, succeeding Percival Holt from Delhi. Antony Judy from Kerala was elected the general secretary, Hittary Rebecca from Imphal as treasurer, Saurav Kullu from Chandigarh as media secretary, Anto Arokiya Niveda from Madhya Pradesh as liturgy secretary, Stella Harry from Kolkata as joint secretary, Jalendra Singh from Odisha as vice president, Kasu from Andhra Pradesh as newsletter editor, along with 16 other executive committee members.
This team of 24 young leaders will lead the Catholic youth movement in the country for the next two years and execute plans and programmes for the betterment of young people.
Jyotsna, the newly elected president said, “’You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things.’ In this land of Kolkata, these words by Saint Mother Teresa inspire me as I take up this responsibility. To the young people, she says ‘Let us continue on our path to reaching each and every youth of the country. We shall hold hands and build a better world’.”
Bishop Nazarene elaborated on the eight objectives of the youth ministry and emphasized on the type of youth ministry required today. He told the young leaders the importance of being agents of change and renewal in the society and boosted them to take up the challenge and march forward.
Fr. Chetan Machado, the national youth director reminded the young leaders their responsibilities and the call to servant leadership keeping in mind the three Ds – Dedication; Determination and Discipline. He also expressed his sentiments of gratitude to the outgoing national team of eight people, all the regional youth directors and the youth leaders who have journeyed along to make this movement rise and shine.
The national election of ICYM was preceded by the national council meeting of the movement for two days. It was chaired by the outgoing president – Percival Holt along with the chairman, director and other office bearers who completed their term on February 9, 2020. Percival expressed gratitude to the movement for all the support in the past two years and motivated the new leaders to take up the movement forward to the next level.
The three-day meeting brought together the regional and national ICYM leaders under one roof to discuss needs of the hour, challenges and thus create a vision and mission for the Catholic youth of India in particular as well as all the youth of the nation in general.
