Rev Dr Stephen Alathara
Benaulim, Mar 21: Thirty dynamic young leaders, carefully selected from 10 regions of India by the CCBI Youth Commission in partnership with the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM), have embarked on a transformative journey to become lay missionaries, dedicated to serving the needy and underprivileged.
Their commitment unfolded over five enriching days at Shanti Sadan, Benaulim, Goa, during the "Communio Volunteership " programme, inaugurated on March 19 in collaboration between Communio and CCBI Youth Commission.
Throughout the programme, participants delved into profound insights on various session topics, including 'We are the Church,' 'Every Christian is a Missionary,' 'Media for Mission Volunteering,' 'Missionary Disciples in the Digital World,' and 'ICYM Leaders as Mission Volunteers.' They were guided on ways to amplify the visibility of local churches through content creation. Resource persons, including Rev Dr Stephen Alathara, Fr Vignan Das, Fr Chetan Machado, Fr Anil D’Sa, Dr Cyril Victor, Anastasia Pinto, and Angela Nayak, facilitated these sessions.
"Empowering the lay faithful to embrace missionary roles is a pivotal objective for Communio. As the church progresses through its Synodal process, we are committed to equipping more members of the laity to actively engage in missionary endeavours across India. The Communio Volunteership programme stands as a testament to this commitment." stated Dr. Stephen Alathara, Director of Communio.
"Our participants will embark on a mission outreach to rural areas, aligning with the Church's mission in India. This hands-on experience will play a pivotal role in shaping our young leaders into dedicated missionaries. While many expressed interest, we meticulously screened and selected 30 young leaders for this programme," explained Fr Chetan Machado, executive secretary of CCBI Youth Commission and National Director of ICYM.
The enthusiasm among the young participants was palpable, with individuals like Abhisek Raja A from Tamil Nadu expressing their long-held aspirations to become lay missionaries, now realized through the Communio Missionary Training Programme.
Ayushi Khadiya, a young leader from Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the programme's role in deepening her faith and fostering connections with like-minded individuals passionate about missionary work.
The Communio Missionary Training Programme will culminate on Saturday, March 23 with His Eminence Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, president of CCBI and the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, presiding over the concluding Holy Mass and presenting certificates to the participants.
"This inaugural batch of the Communio missionary training programme, held in collaboration with ICYM, marks the beginning of a promising journey. We are delighted to witness the enthusiasm among young individuals eager to undergo missionary training. Their interest serves as a source of motivation for us, and we are committed to organizing more training programs in the future," stated Fr Vignan Das, Associate Director, Communio.
As these young leaders embark on their missionary journeys, their unwavering commitment serves as a beacon of hope, embodying the essence of service and compassion championed by the Church.