INTRODUCTION
We are grateful to God Almighty for leading us through the season of Lent and Easter, the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ and the in filling of the HOLY SPIRIT (Pentecost), may He aid us to hold firm to our faith and guide us through our contemporary challenges and may our Mother Mary during this may devotion intercede for us, Amen.
We are saddened with the recent happenings around the country, the Killings, Kidnapping, Hardship, Hike in Premium Motor Spirit and other economic goods and services which is affecting us all, while we call on the Government to find a lasting solution to these challenges, we encourage us to remain resolute in our faith, spirituality, prayer and never to resort to violence but grea
t hope in God. It is imperative to remind us that despite what we are going through, God is still Emmanuel, always with us in our daily Journey of Faith. The Christian communities in history always faced challenges and some at a point got disillusioned with God, this should not be our case. We all have different images of God and would like God to fit into those images. We want God to intervene to end the terrible violence everywhere in the nation or to end famine and abolish injustice, suffering, corruption and death altogether. The word of God challenges our human expectations. It helps us to come to a better understanding of who God truly is and how He does intervene in human history. Let us continue to share insight in the word of God and be nourished by Jesus in the sacraments that will gradually bring light into our lives and the world around us. We pray that the Holy Spirit will advocate, enlighten and lead us through. We commiserate with the people of North East, Agatu, Nimbo, Aba, and all the families who lost their loved ones in one way or the other and pray God to grant them eternal rest through Christ our Lord, Amen.
We say “A HAPPY BIRTHDAY’’ to all our April/May celebrants. We pray God to grant them more fruitful years ahead. We congratulate also our former National President, Michael IROHA, who got married on the 2nd April 2016 and pray God to grant him a happy Married life.
The angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary, when he came to announce the conception of Jesus Christ is familiar to most Catholics. It is echoed in one of the most popular Catholic prayers, the Hail Mary (in Latin, Ave Maria): “Hail,(Mary,) favoured one (or ‘full of grace’)! The Lord is with you” (Lk. 1:28).
The words that follow in that prayer also come from the scripture, from Elizabeth’s greeting to our Lady soon afterward: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of you womb” (Lk 1:42). Then the “fruit” of her womb is identified as Jesus. Next, “holy (saint) Mary, Mother of God” refers to her status as the woman who bore the divine son of God (Gal 4:4). Finally the prayer asks for Mary’s intercession:”Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death”.
The Hail prayer is one of the Chief prayers of the Catholic devotion known as the Rosary. This series of repetitive prayers is usually prayed in conjunction with a string of beads that help the person praying to keep track of his or her progress.
Two other prayers are also central to the Rosary. One is the Our Father (or the Lord’s Prayer), which comes to us from Christ as recorded in Scripture (Mt. 6:9-13). The other is the Glory be, an ancient expression of praise to the Most Holy Trinity: “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. These words echo portions of various prayers and statements in scripture. (Mt 28:19, Rom 16:27, Jude 25).
The Rosary includes a recitation of the Apostles’ Creed, one of the earliest professions of faith produced by the Church. Finally, Catholics may add variety of additional personal petitions when praying the Rosary. We encourage all to take seriously the Rosary especially this month with special devotion to Mary.
NATIONAL TEAM MEETING
The National Team meeting/Study session has been rescheduled to hold in Gboko Diocese from 6th – 8th July 2016. Beside the statutory members (Provincial, Diocesan Chaplains and Coordinators) area coordinators can also participate in this session. Registration for Chaplains is Four Thousand Naira (4,000.00) and others three Thousand Naira (3,000),
Note: The send forth of our Out-going National Chaplain and reception of the In-coming Chaplain and the Deputy. Reception of the Immediate Past Pan-African Coordinator, the Contact Person and Representative for the IYCS Theology and Chaplaincy Commission has been adjusted to take place within the convention in Kaduna. To enable us meet up with the logistics involved in this ceremonies we humbly solicit dioceses to prepare to give financial support.
Also we request Arch/Dioceses to please come along with a brief history of their Arch/diocese (not more than one page), the names of the existing sections and the numerical strength of the students in each of them, report of the just concluded National Day Celebration and the Mission Sunday Collection. Also do not forget your YCS materials, typed report e.t.c. In the meantime, furnish us with the list of delegates to the National Team Meeting on or before the 15th of June.
CHAPLAINCY SESSION
The Chaplaincy session has been rescheduled to take place during the National Convention, 2016. All YCS Chaplains are therefore requested to be present at the National Convention.
IYCS PAN AFRICAN DAY
IYCS Pan African Day Celebration comes up on the 23rd of June 2016. YCS Nigeria will be commemorating theirs by caring for the home. This includes: visiting the elderly, helping in any civil or corporal work of mercy. We encourage diocese to plan properly to make this day very remarkable one.
WORLD YOUTH DAY
The World Youth Day which is held every four years comes up this year in Poland from the 25th through 1st August 2016. Orientation for the successful candidates comes up June 14th -16th 2016 at Daughters of Divine Love Retreat and Conference Centre Abuja, Registration is 15,000 only. We are grateful to Chaplains’ and Dioceses who ensured that YCSers will be able to attend the World Youth Day this Year, we pray God to strengthen you all in the Youth apostolate.
PILGRIMAGE OF TRUST
The Taize community embarks on a pilgrimage of Trust in Africa in Cotonou Benin from 31st August – 4th September 2016 with the theme: Together, Seeking paths of hope. The programe is an international meeting of the young adults organized by the Taize community, France. The meeting will help young people in their search for God, encourage them to trust themselves and others and to be attentive to the signs of hope present around them and very pertinently, take up responsibilities to become bearers of peace and trust in the church and in the society. YCS Nigeria will be leading a delegation to Cotonou. Interested candidates should note the following:
It is a spiritual exercise for those within the ages of 18-35 years of age.
It is open to all Catholics within the age limit especially the Young Catholic Students.
The cost for the trip is twenty thousand naira (20,000) only which covers for the Transportation, Orientation in Lagos, T-shirts, Taize Prayer/Song Books and other logistics.
Delegates will send the following to the Coordination office or/before the 6th of July 2016: Baptismal Card, Contingents form, YCS ID Card, Recommendation letter from the YCS Diocesan Chaplain, Declaration of intent, teller as proof of payment.
NOTE: Every Payment must be made to the YCSN Account, Dioceses are encouraged to send at least two delegates (please be gender sensitive) and people of unquestionable character. All those who made it will be communicated on the 13th of July 2016.
PROJECT ONE STUDENT ONE BLOCK
We remind us to respond actively to the project “One Student, One Block” which calls on all members, friends and well wishers of YCS to contribute at least one cement block or more @ the rate of N150 for the building of the YCS National Students Centre in Abuja.
The Posterity Register has been created; ensure you submit the proceeds along with the project form to enable us fill in the register. We appreciate all those working hard in this regard and request all others to mobilize their team and members to follow suit. The team requested all levels to put up proactive measures towards actualizing this e.g. including the N150.00 to our diocesan convention registrations, e.t.c.
We also appeal to all who pledged during the TYCS Convention in Abuja and the National Convention to redeem their pledges to enable us start work on the centre THIS YEAR
NATIONAL CONVENTION
Following the alphabetical provincial hosting order for the YCS National Conventions, Kaduna province will host the 2016 convention. It will take place from the 22nd through the 26th of August 2016 in Kaduna Archdiocese. We urge YCSers and Dioceses to sensitize themselves and members against speculations but to be focused on realities as regards to their safety and faith.
Note:
The Areas of Concentration for the QUIZ COMPETITION is as follows: Catechism for the Celebration of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy written by Msgr. Hypolite Adigwe, YCS Handbook, Catechism of the Catholic Church, the five books of Moses and the Gospel with YCS & General current affairs.
There will be Match Past by Provinces on YCS Uniform; the first goes home with a TROPHY.
Dioceses are to screen their candidates properly and send their names on/before the 6th of August to the Coordination Office.
There will be Bible Quoting Competition. Provinces are to present a candidate each.
We will keep you abreast on further developments and information.
YCS ID CARD
The YCS National Plastic Identity Card has been approved by the National Team. The team after due consultation has pegged the cost of production per Identity Card at N350.00 and request dioceses to work towards it. The first submission will be During the National Team Meeting in Gboko Diocese.
CONCLUSION
Christ suffering, death and resurrection offer us one bright hope that all hope is not lost; we shall one day overcome our problems in our personal and societal life. It challenges us to a more radical conversation and newness of life. We are challenged to newness of life. (1 Cor. 5:6-8). May the healing grace of Jesus Christ, the gentle touching love of the Holy Spirit and the Father make everyone of us whole through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Chigozie K. ONWUKWE Uchenna J. ENEBE
National President National Coordinator
Very Rev. Father. Dr. IKECHUKWU J. ANI Very Rev. MSGR HYPOLITE A. ADIGWE
Incoming National Chaplain Outgoing National Chaplain
No comments:
Post a Comment