Friday, July 22, 2011

Archbishop: Church Must Learn Language of Youth

Says Liberty and Science Are Two Dominant Values

To evangelize young people, the Church must understand their culture, in which liberty and science are dominant values, say the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization.

Archbishop Rino Fisichella said this Wednesday during the summer course "Young People and the Catholic Church: Points for a Youth Ministry for Today," which is under way this week at King Juan Carlos University in Madrid.

The archbishop's talk was titled "Young People and God, Young People and Jesus Christ, Young People and Eternal Life."

One cannot speak to young people of Christ, said the evangelization dicastery president, "without speaking of liberty, as the youth of today has placed it in his culture, but liberty must always be in relation to truth, as it is truth that produces liberty."

At the same time, he added, "one cannot speak of God to young people without knowing the culture of today's young people, which is scientific. Today's culture, its content, is full of axioms of science."

The Italian prelate clarified that the Church is "in favor of science, but the latter must be in favor of humanity and never against humanity."

"The time will come when science itself will ask for help from theology to know the realms of reality more amply, and to be able to give an answer to pain, to betrayal, to death," in short, "to the great questions, the questions of meaning," said archbishop Fisichella.

Archbishop Fisichella pointed out that "the interaction of science, personal life and ethics is necessary," and that one cannot live without the other.

By way of example, the archbishop gave the case of the director of the Genome project, Francis S. Collins, who has gone further into the language of God, because "true science puts you at the doors of the transcendent."

Archbishop Fisichella concluded assuring that one "can be Catholic and scientific at the same time. To experience scientific knowledge does not imply atheism. The scientific has its limits; it cannot affirm the non-existence of God."

Courtesy: zenit

Monday, July 11, 2011

KCYM Diocese of Palghat Celebrates Youth Day


Kerala Catholic Youth Movement, Diocese of Palghat celebrated Youth day at Holy Spirit Church, Perimbadari, Mannarkkad. KCYM Mannarkkad forane hosted the event that was organized on July 10th.

The program that began with flag hoisting was followed by the Holy Mass for the Youth, which was offered by Fr. Tom G. Vadakkekara, KCYM Diocesan Director and Fr. Tony Kozhippadan, KCYM Mannarkkad Forane Director.

After the Holy Mass, Mrs. Anitt Joseh, Munsif Magistrate of Mannarkkad, inaugurated the Youth Day celebrations. Johnson Pallineerakkal, KCYM Perimbadari Unit President delivered the welcome address for the meeting which was presided by Prince Kalambukattil, KCYM Diocesan President. In the meeting in which Fr. Abraham Palathinkal, Mannarkkad Forane Vicar, delivered the benedictory address, KPS Payyenadam, a well known social activist delivered a talk on Youth and Drug abuse, which is the main focus of activity of KCYM for the year.

During the meeting, the youth assembled took oath to eradicate drugs and alcohol from their locality and life. The official handing over of the film Satheerthyar, a short film produced by Student Film Society of Kerala for display in schools, were handed over to Anto Thermadam, Diocesan General Secretary by Diocesan Director Fr. Tom.

Fr. Tony Kozhippadan, Sr. Catherine, Diocesan Youth Aimator and Alphonsa Joy, State Syndicate Member, delivered the felicitations. Variety entertainment programs followed the public meeting.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Youth Day Wishes

"Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the Faith" (Col 2:7) Today Catholic Church in Kerala is observing as Youth Day. A day to pray exclusively and remember the youth and youth ministry. On this occasion, wishing you all a youthful and vibrant youth day. With our firm faith, let us be planted and built up in Jesus.