Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) – To bring Jesus Christ to young people with young talk and young ways is the aim of Jesus Youth International a Catholic charismatic movement started in Kerala, India. The movement is growing rapidly in popularity and numbers. At present Jesus Youth International JYI is waging a campaign to tell young people about the next World Youth Day, the 20th , in Cologne Germany 2005 and encourage them to participate Already 1000 young people are preparing to travel to Europe for the event and JYI hopes to involve many more.
“Young people today have in their hearts a sincere longing to be near Jesus and this is why our aim is to promote human and spiritual growth of young people and to render them agents of evangelisation so they may carry Jesus Christ to their peers” Manoj Sunny, JYI co-ordinator tells Fides Service. The movement started in India in the 1970s but it has already spread to Singapore, Arab Emirates, Canada, United States, Germany.
Rather than a community JYI is network of small units spread all over the world whose members come together now and then. The most recent meeting was held in Rome last September. During that meeting the JYI formulated a request to be sent to the Pontifical Council of the Laity for recognition from the Holy See. The movement is Christ-centred, and gives special attention to young people in schools, parishes universities including those who do not know Christ. JYI life-style is based on five pillars: personal prayer, listening to the Word of God, following Christ, reception of the Sacraments, commitment to evangelisation the movement’s stone of foundation. PA (Fides Service 7/10/2003 EM lines 38 Words: 367)
