Voice Of The Young

As someone who is expected to attend church every Sunday, I feel I am fit to talk about positives as well as negatives of the church and the priests, who, more often than not, bring the community together and make it feel like a family.

As part of the youth, I have mixed feelings towards church and its members, most of which come from personal or firsthand experience.

Being part of the church and the Catholic community has brought me closer to Christ, but also away from real world issues and problems. The minimal emphasis placed on so many issues that are taking place right now and only focusing on charity or just the in-group members—that feels like a lost cause. Sometimes, the experience of Christianity also feels stifling, fear-based and risk-averse.

Relaxing? Judgmental?

As for the experience that most people, especially the elder people, get from the church, the church may seem as a place to relax and unwind after a week of work and stress. More so, people may not even come to church because it is not as engaging as the youth would want it to be. Not only is the experience bland and dull, and someone would rather sleep at home and rest, but the church and its members, including the priests, sisters and the parish members, come across as judgmental. I have personally experienced people in the church being judgmental and focusing on what I am wearing than what is being said during the sermon. I was told not to wear ripped jeans. If so, why exactly would I want to come to a place where people are judgmental and have opinions on my body and what I wear, more than focusing on God. I am sure Jesus wouldn’t judge me for wearing ripped jeans and crop tops.

Apart from this, I am not saying that today’s youth want it easy and want the church to be hip for it to attract the youth. what the youth wants is for the church to inspire us to act. I, like many, appreciate challenging teaching in my church, even when it makes me feel uncomfortable and invites me to make changes based on scriptural principles.

Angela Peter

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

I often see youngsters standing in the Church premises during the Mass rather than entering the Church. I feel this is mainly because the parishioners, especially the youth, find the homily too long and tiring, or not well prepared or not inspiring enough. Another reason could be that priests in general do not interact with the young people. Because of this,  the youth finds it difficult to open up and take any further initiative. Today’s youth is also reluctant in taking an initiative because they hardly see an effort being made from the other end.

Sometimes, the priests also do not understand the critical situations and fail to respond with compassion. I remember once an incident where a young man came to the Presbytery to arrange for the funeral of his father. It was around 12:30 in the afternoon and the parish priest was having his lunch. On seeing the man at that time of the day, he got very angry and chased him away. I was wondering: Couldn’t the priest listen to the man and ask him to wait, rather than shout at him and send him away? I feel we lost a young man to the Church because of such a behavior.

Andrea Peter

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

My name is Jonali. I was born on a cold February morning in Shillong a month and a half ahead of time. Sadly, my twin brother did not survive. However, I made it through the winter in the warm and loving arms of my parents. Growing up, I was a very quiet and shy girl who liked to observe my surroundings. I loved books and found refuge in them. My sister has been an avid reader and I guess I got into the habit of reading just by being with her. My mom is a stay at home mom by choice and we would lovingly tease and call her ‘The Kitchen Lecturer’ – someone who screams from the kitchen. My dad is the best dad ever (and I am dead serious). He is persistent, creative and such a positive influence in my life. We grew up poor, but we also grew up happy. My mom and dad always inspired me to do more, achieve more and taught me to never give up.

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

Jonali Patgiri

Reflecting on her experience of life, Sr Biviyana shares what experience has taught her—a more realistic awareness of the beauty and limitations of religious life, her mother’s example, the relative immaturity of young religious, the politics of division, the need of freedom and initiative, God’s nearness and guidance.–Editor

When I joined religious life, I thought that religious are like God and they do not struggle with problems, and must be holy at all times. Gradually, I realized this was not true; my experience taught me otherwise. I am still a religious, as I feel called to follow what my inmost heart feels called to do.

I get attracted by the way some religious live their life serving in the mission, especially the way they interact with people. But deep down, when I reflect, the attraction is mysterious, as I feel God attracts each one of us differently.  I am deeply attracted by the love I experienced from God though my daily living and interacting with people. As I experience my life as a religious, I feel blessed and humbled. I have also felt that I am blest a hundred-fold as the Lord promises. When I give myself totally, I have felt even more blest. I feel this blessing is also poured on my family.

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

Sr Biviyana Lepcha IBVM

The year 2016 marks my first close meeting with the Religious Sisters. It was when I decided to take up tailoring and embroidery. Following the advice of my paternal aunt, I joined a vocational training centre run by the Sisters.

After my “Tenth Standard” exams, I was in a dilemma. I did not know what to do next. My father was no more. After his death, my mother found it difficult to provide for us single-handedly. My elder brother had to complete his college studies. To solve half the problem, I wanted to begin to earn some money. I opted for vocational training, since I also have an inclination towards tailoring and embroidery. This way, I was introduced to the Sisters and the trainees in the centre.

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

Julia Kharmujai

Percival Holt, President of the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM), speaks to MAGNET about his experience of the Synod of Youth held in Rome last year, as well as the preparatory work done before that. Percival holds a Master’s in Biotechnology. He was interviewed by Sr Celine Vas BS, our associate editor.

MAGNET: You attended Pre-Synod Meeting at Rome in March 2018. How was your experience?

Percival Holt: It was my first encounter with so many bishops, priests and youth representatives. The best thing about this synod is we had three hundred youth representatives from all over the world.
At the outset Pope asked the bishops and young people to shed our prejudices about each other. He thanked the youth for answering the questionnaire (sent to 150, 000 youth all over the world). He thanked us for our honest feedback.

To read the entire article, click Subscribe

Cherylanne, a young member of the Focolare movement, shows us through real life examples how deep mutual love based on Jesus’ life and teachings, can bring unity among people.

My thoughts go to Chiara Lubich, the founder of the Focolare Movement, a woman, a mystic, a spiritual and social reformer who has attracted women and men of all cultures and ages to follow her charism of unity, and I tried to draw out all that could throw light on these three words through our own experiences and I hope that in turn they could be a light to you and to your journey.
Unity is at the heart of Jesus’ message and his life and is also the deep yearning of every human being.

Love in the Midst of Hatred
It was right in the middle of the hate, violence and division of Second World War that Chiara and her first companions discovered their calling to unity and universal brotherhood. Being able to carry only a small book of the Gospel with them every time they had to run to the air raid shelters when the sirens went off, Chiara and her friends started to read the Gospel and live it in their daily lives, putting into practice all aspects of love that the Gospel spoke of. They soon rediscovered the invitation to constant, reciprocal love to meriting the presence of Jesus among them and this experience made their personal lives and their lives as a group take on a qualitative leap ahead. Chiara had no idea of forming any movement, but eventually a new spirituality came to life,

To read the entire article Subscribe

Cherylanne Menezes

In the International Conference on climate change, called COP24, that met in Katawice, Poland, last month, one unusual speaker stood out—a fifteen-year-old high school student from Sweden. Her bold and direct challenge got the world’s attention. Her name is Greta Thunburg. She was already known as a student activist who protested in front of the Swedish Parliament demanding that Sweden honour the promises made on climate change. Then she started skipping school on Fridays, to move government to take responsible action on climate. At first she was alone. Later, many thousands in different countries joined her.

A group of them went to the Conference Site holding a banner that said, “12 years left.” This refers to the conclusion by experts that the world needs to cut emissions by 50 percent before 2030.—Editor.

At the Climate Change Conference last month, she told the audience made up of seasoned politicians and experts:

My name is Greta Thunberg. I am 15 years old. I am from Sweden.

I speak on behalf of Climate Justice Now.

Many people say that Sweden is just a small country and it doesn’t matter what we do.

But I’ve learned you are never too small to make a difference.

And if a few children can get headlines all over the world just by not going to school, then imagine what we could all do together if we really wanted to. But to do that, we have to speak clearly, no matter how uncomfortable that may be.

You only speak of green eternal economic growth because you are too scared of being unpopular. You only talk about moving forward with the same bad ideas that got us into this mess, even when the only sensible thing to do is pull the emergency brake.

You are not mature enough to tell it like is. Even that burden you leave to us children. But I don’t care about being popular. I care about climate justice and the living planet.

Our civilization is being sacrificed for the opportunity of a very small number of people to continue making enormous amounts of money.

Our biosphere is being sacrificed so that rich people in countries like mine can live in luxury. It is the sufferings of the many which pay for the luxuries of the few.

The year 2078, I will celebrate my 75th birthday. If I have children maybe they will spend that day with me. Maybe they will ask me about you. Maybe they will ask why you didn’t do anything while there still was time to act.

You say you love your children above all else, and yet you are stealing their future in front of their very eyes.

Until you start focusing on what needs to be done rather than what is politically possible, there is no hope. We cannot solve a crisis without treating it as a crisis.

We need to keep the fossil fuels in the ground, and we need to focus on equity. And if solutions within the system are so impossible to find, maybe we should change the system itself.

We have not come here to beg world leaders to care. You have ignored us in the past and you will ignore us again.

We have run out of excuses and we are running out of time.

We have come here to let you know that change is coming, whether you like it or not. The real power belongs to the people.

Thank you.

As Shannon Osaka wrote, “For all those following the climate crisis, Thunberg is both an inspiration and a warning: Sometimes we need a 15-year-old to tell us the truth. And the truth isn’t always pretty.”

To subscribe to the magazine, click  Subscribe

Here are some more replies from SSLC students to our questions:
How do you relate to God? What do you do when you pray?

God blesses and provides

“I pray that this year I will work hard and that God must bless me with retentive memory so that I will come out in flying colours, and make my parents proud. I do not forget to pray to God to provide my parents and grandparents with good health. …I pray a lot to God to fulfil my wish but I have not received any of them. I hope my prayers are heard by God..” (Rochelle Lucia Rijo)

Prayer is: Let it be…       

Relationship with God is precious. I just pray that whatever happens in life with me or with others let it be for a good purpose.

(Sherone D’Souza)

Sharing my fears and problems      

I share all my problems and fears with God which I am not able to overcome. When I pray in the morning I first say my shlokas and then pray for my friends, relatives and for myself. (Tanisha)

 I ask forgiveness from God

I ask God forgiveness for all the sins I’ve committed and to forgive my family. I ask him to protect, guide and have mercy on us. I ask him to protect us all from every harm and danger and protect us from the punishment of hell. I ask him to unite us all in heaven. I like to have a conversation or spend some time with God. I get peace of mind and confidence whenever I begin a day by praying to God. God always protects me from all evil things.

(Afreen Rihana)

 I pray to overcome difficulties

I pray to God to help me with my studies and help all my friends. I pray to help me in my future so that I can overcome all difficulties.

(Enrica Morais)

When I pray, I think about all the difficulties my family faced and ask God to make me as well as my family members stronger to face those hardships. Then I pray to God to give me a retentive memory so that I can study harder. At last I pray for all the people who are suffering from any injury.God never takes credit or shows himself after doing a deed. He helps all the people without any discrimination or partiality.

(Artha Chowta)

I pray for the good health of my family, friends and everyone who are suffering. I pray for the good results of our school.                                                                              

(Dhanya Shetty)                     

I ask God to help me with my studies and to give me a retentive memory.

(Keagan Menezes)

Pray for my friends, family and myself

I pray to God that He may bless me with good retentive memory as I am in the X Standard and to give me strength to face all the difficulties in my future. I pray for all the friends who have been my best support in my life that they be blessed with good health. I also pray for my class teachers who helped me in my studies, who encouraged me in every activity.

(Nivedhi G Shetty)

There is a reason

Well God is great, we all can say that but according to me God is a kind of spiritual energy which was neither created nor can be destroyed. Some of us may think whether God really exists. We wonder whether he helps us. It is actually faith. Whatever He does to all of us is for a reason.

(Sherone D’Souza)

I am a person with faith in God. What I like about God is that, he has given me a beautiful family and life. Most of the time He has given me what I have asked for. He is very loving.

(Akshatha Hegde)

God keeps me safe and protects from all dangers. He gives us good memory power to study. He makes our wishes come true. I pray to god much and I believe in Him a lot. I thank God for giving me such wonderful parents.

(Nivedhi G Shetty)

Why poverty?

Whenever there is quarrel in my house or sickness in my house, I always pray but God does not do anything. If there was God there would be no poverty anywhere for this reason I do not like God.

(Ambika S B)

(Thanks to Sr Philomen, Principal, St Theresa School, Bendur, Mangalore for collecting the responses of students to this page.) Editor

A second-year medical student from North-East India narrates her journey of faith—her lovely memories, her struggles, her moments of darkness, her newfound sense of God’s closeness.

“In his time, he makes all things beautiful in his time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

If someone were to ask me five years ago if I was ready to put my faith to the test, I would have never said yes. But little did I know that my faith would be tested the minute I stepped out of my home town.

It was rather easy when I was a child (not that I’m any older now), it was just easier then because I grew up serving the Lord every day under his roof. For ten years I studied in Loreto Convent. Oh, how I long to go back and walk those corridors! My church, the Grotto Chapel where I attended Mass every Sunday was just next door. I devoted my last year there by visiting my school chapel every morning and in the evening, I would serve mass as an altar girl in the Chapel.

My mother and father have always been faithful people of the Lord and in them my foundation of Christ was made strong, followed by my catechism classes. Of course, I expected that, through the years, it would always be the same.

When I left Shillong for the first time, I was filled with mix emotions. I was excited and happy, sad and sentimental at the same time. As I arrived in my new school in Dehradun, I was told that it was not possible to go to church every Sunday as it was a residential school that had specific timings to everything. It was weird at first, but slowly I got used to it, so much so that I almost lost my way to the Lord. Those two years that I spent in boarding school were one of the most challenging, difficult and painful moments I have ever faced, yet it was magical, beautiful and one of the most amazing, memorable times I’ve ever had.

It was difficult because within a year I lost hope in myself. In a classroom filled with brilliant brains, I slowly started doubting my own capabilities. It became worse when I felt like God had abandoned me completely and that I wasn’t as good as the other students.

Before I chose to attend this school, I had a goal—to be a paediatrician, to help the children who suffer from various illnesses and problems. My only happiness, I thought, would be to see their beautiful smiling faces once they felt better. To feel that I’ve done something in my life to make a change in someone else’s. That would give more purpose to my life and I felt that it was my calling.

But within those two years, I lost all hope. I would pray, but I felt as though God never heard them. And slowly my faith started to diminish. I’m not blaming the school, I’m blaming myself for not trusting in God’s plan. I lost faith. Once I came out of school, I came back home and, to my parent’s disappointment, they saw how much my absence had affected my participation in church activities. It was not until I almost felt like I was going to die when my faith became the strongest.

A month before my medical exam, I had a terrifying experience.

I went to give my friend a surprise. I entered her house even though I saw her very gigantic dog and greeted him. Back then I still trusted my instincts on dogs. As I walked past him, I rang the doorbell and, to my shock, her Tibetan mastiff (which was bigger than myself) got up and, without a bark, started biting me as though I were his dinner. His jaw tried to reach for my neck. He bit my bare foot, pulling me to the end of the compound. I felt as though he was ready to eat me alive. And what was I, compared to his weight and strength? Suddenly, in that moment of darkness, I heard the doorknob turn and the door opened behind me. I felt as though my body was telling me to fight this beast, so I kicked him with whatever energy I had left in me and, although he got my foot and pulled me to the edge again, I managed to kick him to the end the second time and crawl backwards inside the house.

All I could think of was, “Where is the person that opened the door for me?” and “Why didn’t he come help me?” The second I crawled into the house I turned back to see him, the hunting animal that wanted to chew my every bone. He looked at me from the door and growled. He looked at me, but he didn’t enter. No one will ever understand how I felt in that moment. I crawled my way to the dining room, just waiting for someone to find me.

When I asked my friend later that day who opened the door for me, she told me that no one did. I was confused at first, but it was then that I knew that He was looking out for me. I knew for a fact that I heard somebody open the door behind me and I believed He sent someone to help me that day. How I prayed that night, with pain and blood, I cried thanking Him for saving me from a horrible mess.

Some people may see this as a minor incident, for me it is not. For me it was a wakeup call. I was on crutches and medication for several months. My exam didn’t go as planned.

So, the next year, when I was better, I joined a coaching centre back in Rajasthan. There I met my second nemesis, Stress. I knew I wanted to get into a medical college, I knew it was my calling and that I needed to do this for my family as well. The stress got to me at a point where I almost gave up on myself again. But, luckily this time, my faith grew stronger. I was able to pass my exam. Little did I know what would happen next. For my applications, my mum and I travelled the entire India, from Bhopal to Indore to Bangalore, back and forth, then Jaipur and other extremely rural areas searching for a college for me.

By the end of that journey, my faith had weakened. I often questioned how it is that the students who got lower marks than me are getting the colleges that I want. It seemed so unfair that the rich could easily buy their way into everything.

I, however, am blessed with such amazing parents. They never once gave up on me—even when I did. Their faith kept me going. We finally concluded that God had a different plan for me. Seeing that it was my dream to be a doctor, my parents being the best that they are, made sure of it.

And here I am today, a second year student at Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China.

Once I reached China, I realized so many things. I realized how I was meant to be here, I realized how the colleges I had tried to enter would have been unsuitable for me and my family. Everything fell into place the day they decided to send me here. I can actually see the beauty in God’s plan. I’m so happy here and I’m also doing quite well in my studies too. It all just falls into place. And though, in my moments of weakness, I doubted His work, I soon realized how beautifully He had planned everything for me.

I’m not saying it’s a bed of roses, I still have my bad days and times where my faith is anything but strong. But one thing is certain: I know He will always bring me back; He will never abandon me even when I feel everything is going out of control. I know that He is here with me as he is there with you right now reading this. Trust in the Lord, I say to you, and walk by faith even when you cannot see.

Karen Michelle Diengdoh