Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Benin City (Agenzia Fides) – The Young Catholic Students of Nigeria (YCSN) have issued an explicit invitation calling Nigerian youth to be missionaries, at the end of their National Meeting held in Benin City, at Holy Cross Cathedral, March 3-5. They sent a letter of their Final Statement to Fides. The first meeting for 2010 was attended by coordinators, chaplains, representatives, and members of the executive office of the YCSN. After discussing main questions on the country, the Church, and the student environment, the statement offers 8 points in summary.
As for the state of the nation, the document invites the youth to unite in prayer, to “for clearer light and divine guidance in the affairs of the Nation,” also calling them to be more active “in their role for peace and reconciliation,” rejecting any move that might attempt to entangle them in any activities contrary to the democratic development and progress of the nation. After mentioning the commitment to uphold the dignity of the examination, which “has remained a true measurement of academic achievement in various forms,” the document makes an explicit invitation to the mission with these words: “The Church is essentially missionary and the Pope has repeatedly said that no individual and no Church organization is exempt from this duty. Consequently, to promote the activity of the Church in the celebration of the World Mission Sunday, we have decided to set up a solidarity fund generated internally by the Young Catholic Students in support of the mission. We call on all students to be open and generous to the world-wide missionary apostolate of the Church. Echoing the word of Pope John Paul II, we say that nobody is so poor that he has nothing to give.”
The document then invites all to participate actively in the National Youth Day celebration taking place in April 14th – 17th, 2010 at Abuja. “It is a celebration of our faith and a commitment of our solidarity with the See of Peter” as we anticipate the World Youth Day celebration with the Holy Father next year in Madrid, Spain. Lastly, the youth make an appeal to all parish priests “to collaborate with the students who wish to establish the YCS within the parish structure. It can only be to the great pastoral benefit of the parish as a whole.”
After mentioning the YCS's collaboration in all the lay movements of the Church and the desire to enter in contact with other organizations even outside the Church, such as the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN), Nigeria Inter Religious Council (NIREC), and National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), the text concludes by calling upon the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles and Star of Evangelization, that she may “inspire us to continue to promote the mission of the Church.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 12/03/2010)
