A MISSIONARY

MOVEMENT
A T THE SERVICE
OF THE CHURCH
WWW.JESUSYOUTH.ORG

www.jesusyouth.org
April - July 2004

Ý The e-face of Jesus Youth

Inside Stuff
The new homepage provides an
X The e-face of JY overview of the Movement - its history
X Heart Talk and milestones, spiritualit y and
charisms, st yle of functioning, and
X JY lifestyle-Radiating Joy
details on its various ministries. It
X Attuned to God’s Heartbeat hosts web pages that are specific to
X JYGPNS each countr y with a Jesus Youth
presence. Information and contact
X An Office with a Difference details on local Jesus Youth are
X The Tree of Life available on their respective pages.
The event finder provides information
X Global Newswatch on local events and activities in each
country. The prayer group browser
furnishes details about
local prayer groups and
World prayer meeting timings.
Youth Day The website is equipped
& with an e-librar y that
Jesus Youth provides youth animation
resource material that is
International downloadable. The links
Gathering page provides hyperlinks
Germany, Cologne
“Check us out on jesusyouth-dot-org!” to Jesus Youth related
sites and various other
Road to Cologne Here’s the lingo that would acquaint
today ’s e-generation with the Jesus Youth sites on Catholic
Are you get ting set to join the Jesus homepage. Jesus Youth was one of the pioneering resources, teachings, etc.
Youth pilgrims preparing for World
Youth Day 2005 in Cologne? Well, Catholic Movements to have a website of its own,
right from the early days of the Internet era. Intercession being the backbone of Jesus Youth,
her e are the t wo phases of the
pilgrimage to get you star ted. the website has an active online intercession
Over the years, as the Movement grew and net work known as Prayernet. Prayer requests
Phase I - World Y outh Day
Youth are received her e daily and inter cessors
11th -14th August expanded internationally, the website to o
under went a major facelif t. Improved features were located in dif ferent par ts of the world raise them
Youth Arise International Festival
Festival
Essen, Germany incorporated to enable easy access to information up in prayer. Prayer requests can be sent to
on the Movement to Jesus Youth spread across the prayernet@jesusyouth.org.
15th-16th August
globe.
Jesus Y outh International Gathering
Youth For mutual support and frequent contact with Jesus
Cologne, Germany
The new website was launched on 12 January, Youth in other parts of the world, a loving online
th

16th-21st August 2004 by one of our veteran e-communit y was formed,

World Y outh Day Celebrations
Youth
Cologne, Germany
Phase II - Pilgrimages
22nd -25th August
Taizé & Lourdes - France
26th-29th August
Rome & Assisi - Italy
For information on how to be par t
of the event, contact us at
jyglobal@jesusyouth.org
Jesus Youth leaders -
Dr. Edwar d Edezhath.
Af ter launching it, Eddy
navigated the various
features of the site. The
launch was simultaneously
displayed on an LCD
projector for all those
present. It was a solemn
function at tended by quite
a few Jesus Youth from
w w w.jesusyouthofamerica.net
India and abroad.
named JOYnet. This virtual
canada.jesusyouth.or
canada.jesusyouth.org g
communit y, perhaps the
india.jesusyouth.or
india.jesusyouth.org g only one of its kind, has an
kuwait.jesusyouth.or
kuwait.jesusyouth.org g ever growing strength of
over one thousand
oman.jesusyouth.or
oman.jesusyouth.org g
members. They share
singapor e.jesusyouth.or
singapore.jesusyouth.or
e.jesusyouth.org g personal God encounter
uae.jesusyouth.or
uae.jesusyouth.org g testimonies and edif ying
experiences, and hold
uk.jesusyouth.or
uk.jesusyouth.org g
discussions on teachings of
the Chruch and other issues.
contd on page 3 X
1

I believe that one of the greatest privileges I
enjoy is get ting to meet new people who have
accepted Jesus and found new life in Him
through this Spirit-led platform - Jesus Youth. Over
the last 3 months I got to travel through 8 countries
and had the oppor tunit y of me eting many
youngsters who consider Jesus Youth to be their own family and testified
to the change that has taken place in their lives. The new beginnings of
this Movement in Germany, Malaysia and Sri Lanka serve to strengthen
our faith and confirmation that the Spirit is at work, using us to reach out
to many.
Here’s an interesting fact I noticed during these trips – most of the Jesus
Youth in these countries are from India, but more than 90% of the
members and leaders experienced God in a personal way only af ter
reaching there, through coming into contact with the local Jesus Youth
net work. This shows how ef fectively we’ve been carrying out our core
mission – evangelisation. I was happy to see that our net work provides a
plat form for fellowship for the Jesus Youth who leave India. But it gave
me greater joy to see how God is using it to bring the Good News to
many others in the countries to which Jesus Youth migrate, thereby
enabling them to be part of the fellowship.
f o r a l i f e t i m e
Jesus YouthJoy
Radiating lifestyle
Intr oducing a series of rreflections
Introducing eflections on the defining characteristics of Jesus Youth.
Jesus Youth, sometimes referred to as the ‘smiling people,’ radiate
joy wherever they are. Quite of ten, this is in striking contrast to youth
caught in the ruthless rat-race of the modern world. And within this
dishear tening milieu, the tremendous joy, mutual respect and
valuable friendships - a veritable celebration of life - is what sets the
Jesus Youth apart. Somehow, a contagious joy shines for th even
amidst their daily crosses and suf ferings.
At times I wonder where this joy, from which flows all the creativit y of
Jesus Youth, comes from. And the answer is invariably the same. It is
the fruit of a deep inner discovery of themselves - the discovery of
their true identit y and the realization that they are God’s children.
Secondly, they find a meaning for their lives. And thirdly, this joy is
the fruit of embarking on new adventures in faith everyday until it
becomes a living realit y for them.
I have heard many people ask, “How do you maintain this joy fulness
in the face of hatred, rejection, malice, misunderstandings and even
an uncer tain future?” Well, the call of Jesus Youth is to respond to
these situations in a positive way. As they see it, these are challenges
that will leave them stronger, bolder and humbler.
When I look back on my own life, I realize that teenage and youth is a
time of great tests and trials, and not a time when one can be very
joy ful. Changes in body, mind and surroundings can be disturbing.
But what brings about this joy fulness in a Jesus Youth?
First of all there is the quiet time with God. A time of prayer and silence
before the Creator, when all confusions and challenges are
surrendered into His hands. It is a per fect launch pad for a joy ful life.
2
Af ter the Jesus Youth Middle East gathering in Oman, I was asked, “What
is your dream for Jesus Youth in Asia 10 years from now?” I shared my
dream with them – a dream about an Asia where commit ted Jesus Youth/
Christians serve in key decision making positions in various par ts of
Asia, thus influencing policies and decisions with a Christian perspective,
and sharing the Good News with those around them through an
evangelistic lifestyle.
If you really want to spread the Good News in the world’s largest
continent, the continent on which Jesus was born, the one that holds more
than half the world’s population, and where less than one percent are
Catholics (excluding the Philippines), we need to pay a price. We need
lifetime missionaries; we need people who can take a commitment to
work fulltime for a few years. But more than that, we need people who
can commit all of their lives; who, with their professional excellence,
missionary zeal and joy ful witness can win many for Christ.
Let these words of our beloved Holy Father, move us to action
“...missionary activity renews the Church, revitalizes faith and Christian
identit y, and of fers fresh enthusiasm and new incentive. Faith is
strengthened when it is given to others!”
(John Paul II; Redemptoris Missio, 2)
May the victory of our Risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ always shine
forth in our lives and lead us on to greater heights!
Manoj Sunny
Co-ordinator, Jesus Youth International Team
Youth.
An impor tant aspect is constant encouragement that comes from
books, fellowship, the Word of God and inspiring lives and from the
understanding that one is not alone even in the midst of struggles.
Yet another source of joy stems from truly genuine friendships rooted
in values, which is of ten a defining feature in the lives of Jesus Youth.
An essential ingredient for a joy ful life is the courage to share. Francis
of Assisi says, “It is in giving that we receive”. If only we are able to
live creative lives by helping others carry their burdens, can we be
truly joy ful.
Today, Jesus Youth as a Movement has discovered the secret of
joy fulness in this storm-tossed world. And the secret is simple. A
moment - by - moment resting in the hear t of God. So, if you are a
Jesus Youth, and if you are creative, make this deep experience of
resting in the Heart of God a habit and you will radiate joy.
Dr
Dr.. Edwar
Edwardd Edezhath
One of the founder members of the Jesus Youth
Movement and an animator of the Jesus Youth
International Team, Dr. Edezhath is known for his
ex tensive understanding of youth trends and
culture. A professor at St. Alber t’s College in
Ernakulam, he lives with his wife Audry and three
children in Cochin, India.
 being jesus youth
Attuned to God’s heartbeat
The RexBand’s lead guitarist and
vocalist Alphons Joseph
Joseph, is today
one of the most sought af ter
upcoming music directors in the
Malayalam film industr y. In an
inter view for this issue, he spoke to
Josun Jose about his journey of faith
as a Jesus Youth, which has been
one of obedience in seeking God’s
will. Some excerpts:
Josun: Y ou have be
You beenen ver y active
in Jesus Y outh for over t welve
Youth
years. Could you tell us something
about your initial r enewal
experience and how you became
a Jesus Y outh?
Youth?
e -face
face of Jesus Youth
Youth
“The large exodus of
Jesus Youth in the mid
90’s brought about the
need to have a
common plat form for
communication.
Thus, in June 1997, we registered
jesusyouth.org. I thank God for
using me to initiate the JY website,
which, apar t from establishing an
Internet presence for the Movement,
is also a meeting place in cyberspace
for JY’s around the world.”
Manoj Jons David
David- Initiator of JY
website. IT professional based in
Cochin.
contd from page 1 X
Being the e-face of the Movement,
the homepage reaches people
from varied walks of life across the
globe. The website receives on an
average one hundred and twenty
thousand hits per month, even
from countries like Ghana, the
Bahamas, Seychelles and
Alphons: Af ter my tenth standard I
at tended my first Charismatic retreat
where I realized that God loves me
personally and has a plan for my life.
There wer e a few Jesus Youth
helping as volunteers at the retreat,
who introduced themselves and
befriended me. Later, they invited me
to a Jesus Youth gathering. Initially I
felt a bit shy, but their constant
follow-up and regular visits to my
home gradually made me fe el
comfor table with the gr oup.
“Campus Me et ‘89" in V imala
College, Trichur was the first Jesus
Youth Confer ence I at tended. I
helped with the mobilization, making
char ts and posters for the
“ The ne ed for a
vir tual communit y
for Jesus Youth was
felt for JY’s around
the world to keep in
touch, share their experiences and
grow in fellowship. Thus JOYnet was
started in 1998. It gives me great joy
to see the way God is using this
plat form for the mutual
encouragement and suppor t of JY’s
all over the world”.
Mathew Joseph - Initiator and co-
ordinator of JOYnet. IT professional
based in Hyderabad.
Tanzania, apart from the regular
countries where Jesus Youth is
active.
So why not stop by to visit our
homepage? And do return of ten
for updates on the Movement.
Come and be a part of JOYnet.
conference. Those were my early
days as a Jesus Youth.
J: What about your involvement in
music, and later in the RexBand?
A: Right from my 10th standard I used
to per form in secular music troupes
that went around giving shows. But
af ter becoming a Jesus Youth, my
priorities changed. Secular
programmes took a backseat. With
my musical talent, I was already par t
of my local Jesus Youth music
ministry. Later, I was invited to be
part of the RexBand. RexBand shows
were quite popular, and the Lord
used this team to lay the foundation
for the great things He had in store
for me. It was a very joy ful time then,
even though I wasn’t making much
money as I had lef t my Western
music band in college, and it gave
me great joy to witness to Jesus
through music.
J: Y ou mentioned turning down
You
secular music pr ogrammes and
leaving your Western band in
college, all for Jesus. How is it that
you have now taken it up again?
Did you fe el it was a waste?
feel
A: Initially I had an inner conflict as
those secular programmes used to
bring in a lot of money and by
turning them down I faced a financial
crunch. But af ter praying over it and
seeking God’s guidance, I made a
decision to choose Jesus above
“Today, the Internet is
a vital link bet ween
people across the
world, especially
among youngsters.
jesusyouth.org is an attempt
to share the message of Jesus with
others through the web. I consider
it an honour to work with the JY
webteam and I feel it is a par t of
God’s special plan to involve me
in His great work. I enjoy being part
of it.”
Giju Geor ge ge- Current web
administrator. IT pr ofessional
based in Chennai.
Be inspired to carry on your walk
with Jesus undeterred by the ups
and downs of life. Send in your
prayer requests to Prayernet. Tell
your friends and acquaintances
about us and get them as
well to check us out on
ww w.jesusyouth.org!
ever y thing else. Many of my old
friends used to chide me saying I
was wasting my life and ruining my
care er. They were making good
money by then.
But when I look back on those 10 or
12 years that I was away from the
secular music world, I can see that
God was forming my character
during that period and strengthening
my inner self. He was doing
something in my life, that otherwise
would never have been possible.
Even though it was tough financially,
not to mention the popularit y and
fame that I was throwing away, I was
still very happy and joy ful, because
I had found Jesus and could witness
to His Love.
Through my involvement in the
RexBand, God br ought me in
contact with many leading musicians
and other respected personalities in
the music field. He gave me an entry
into the Malayalam film industry, as
no other music director has ever
had. My first film’s music release was
done by the great legend A. R.
Rahman. On that awesome
occasion, in the midst of many film
personalities and celebrities, I
testified to what God’s love had done
in my life.
All this would never have happened
had I not responded to that moment
contd on page 6 X
“Designing the new
JY website was
inde ed a gr eat
privilege for me. I could
feel the power of the Holy
Spirit, the source of all creativit y,
inspiring me as I worked. This ef for t
came as a natural response to the
promptings of the Spirit.”
Jacob Jose
Jose- Designer of the new
Jesus Youth website. Freelance
web designer based in Bangalore.
Josun Jose - An
active Jesus Youth
fr om Delhi, this
budding writer has
be en involved in
developing the
content of the
JY Newslet ter as
editor-in-charge
from its pilot issue.
3
 mission bound
Project - JYGPNS
The prophetic words of our Holy
Father, Pope John Paul II, as he
ushered in this new Millenium, that a
great har vest of faith will be reaped
in the land of Asia still rings
powerfully in the hearts of many even
today.
The vast potential of today’s Asian
economy pr esents tr emendous
oppor tunities hither to unheard of for
qualified pr ofessionals. Global
markets are today concentrating on
Asian countries mor e than ever
before.
An Office with a Difference
For Gim Killian, the pop singer from
Germany, it was a new experience. She
had arrived in India to sing the German
version of the World Youth Day theme
song entry by the RexBand. As she
stepped into the Jesus Youth Of fice
and the RexBand studio, she was full
of questions. “Why a chapel in an
of fice? Do you pray everyday in the
of fice? Does a priest live here?”
Fr. Abraham Pallivathukal SJ blessing the Of fice
While trying to explain the of fice and
its purpose to her, it also struck me that
the very concept of the Jesus Youth
of fice was exciting in today’s world. To
explain, I’ll have to take you through a
quick tour of our new Jesus Youth
of fice.
Flanked by of fices of multinational
corporations, the new Jesus Youth
Of fice is on the sixth floor of a premium
corporate space in Cochin, India. A
cluster of of fices including Jesus Youth
International, Jesus Youth National, Ark
Power Controls Pv t Ltd., Por tescap
India and the Rexband studio take up
the entire floor. Ark Power Controls
deals with Por tescap and Deltaline,
both multinational companies
4
In India, Jesus Youth has got a wide
net work of prayer groups covering
professional colleges across the
land from where many commit ted
persons have passed out and
continue to carry on the mission of
Jesus wherever they are, using their
profession, talents and every other
resource at their disposal.
In order to net work these committed
Jesus Youth scat tered in various
par ts of the world and to link them
to the mainstream of the Movement,
Jesus Youth International has
“Give thanks with a grateful hear t...”
manufacturing micro motors. Some
of the Directors of these organisations
are personally involved in Jesus Youth
and their generosit y is one of the
factors that make it possible for Jesus
Youth to have an of fice in such a prime
location.
The beautiful chapel, designed by a
Jesus Youth interior designer is the
centre point of the of fice. And the
soundproof RexBand studio with its
advanced recording equipment is
where the music recordings of the
Jesus Youth take place.
The beautiful crucifix in the JY Of fice Chapel
initiated a new project - Jesus Youth
Youth
Global Positioning and
Net working System (JYGPNS
(JYGPNS).
This project will have t wo thrust
areas of functioning. The first will be
to maintain a database of Jesus
Youth who migrate to dif ferent par ts
of the world and keep them updated
on developments in the movement.
This net work will enable us to link
In a world where realms of faith and
profession are segregated within
water tight compar tments, the
questions are obvious. What is a
chapel doing nex t to a motor testing
lab? How do we reconcile the
competitive business transactions
with the atmosphere of prayer?
But looking at it closely, I se e a
pattern emerge. Isn’t this of fice itself
a parable of the Jesus Youth at titude
of sanctif ying ever y realm of activit y
by the presence of Jesus? Isn’t it a
refreshing change in a world tr ying
to squeeze spirituality into a personal
mould?
The first recording in the RexBand Studio
Moreover, the functioning of this
of fice illustrates how our professional
resources can suppor t the spiritual
needs of many. The directors of the
adjacent of fices who have set aside
their resources, the Jesus Youth from
acr oss the world who bear the
expenses for the of fice equipment,
and many other professionals who
have contributed in countless ways,
them with our existing contacts in
their respective countries and explore
possibilities of coordinated mission
activities.
The second area will be to explore job
and career oppor tunities, especially
in Asian countries, for those
professionals who have a missionary
zeal, so that along with their secular
jobs they can continue being heralds
of the Gospel in these lands.
Professionals with a missionary zeal
seeking job opportunities in any Asian
countr y and those wishing to get in
touch with our contacts in their
respective countries in order to be
par t of a co-ordinated mission ef for t
may please send a mail to
jyglobal@jesusyouth.org with
“JYGPNS” in the subject line.
Fr. Antony Urulianickal CMI inaugurating the Studio
have done so without seeking any
apparent commercial benefit.
The recent inauguration of the of fices
and the studio and the launch of the
Jesus Youth website itself was a
testimony to the unique character of
this of fice. A spectrum of dignitaries
from the corporate world and the
Jesus Youth Movement came
together on 12th January 2004. And
the beautiful function, unlike any
other, seamlessly integrated prayer,
worship and business discussions.
In a world tr ying to keep faith away
from the mainstream culture, the
message that this of fice of fers is clear
– Take Jesus to the happening places
of today’s world!
Shelton Pinheir o
Pinheiro
A Jesus Youth for over a
decade and the lead
singer and song writer of
the RexBand, he
curr ently works as
cr eative head in an
adver tising agency.
 dreaming big...
Leaders’ Conference-2003
A memorable event in the
history of Jesus Youth was
the Jesus Youth Leaders’
Confer ence, held in
Thrissur from 19th to 23rd
December, 2003. About
600 Jesus Youth leaders
from 21 zones of Kerala
par ticipated in this
confer ence. The focus

The Tree of Life

“The short film ‘Tree of Life’ is a commendable endeavour by Leo
was on the following
five areas: Jesus Youth
Spiritualit y, Jesus Youth
Lifest yle, Commitment, Role and Functioning of Ser vice Teams and Jesus Youth
Charisms. This leaders’ conference, unlike others, had ver y few lecture sessions
Thaddeus to transform the language of the visual media in the and more of interactive workshops and group sessions. A lot of ef for t went into the
light of positive values”, remarked Josy Joseph a renowned film making of the resource material that was brought out in booklet form. It received
critic on the occasion of the premiere of the film in the presence wide acclaim and is now being used for many Jesus Youth formation programmes.
of a select group of media persons, creative professionals and
businessmen in Cochin, India. The event was inaugurated by the His Grace Bishop Thomas Chakkiath celebrated
the Holy Eucharist on the second day. On the
renowned cartoonist Yesudasan.
last day His Grace Bishop John That tungal was
The slickly produced shor t film revolves around the dilemma of a the main celebrant for the Eucharist. The
modern nuclear family and their 10 year old son Jerry. The fast- conference came to a close with a colour ful
musical ex travaganza by RexBand for which His
paced, stress-ridden lifest yles of the mother who is an advertising grace Archbishop Jacob Thoomkuzhy was the
professional and the father, a gynaecologist, add to the problem. chief guest.

MISSIONS AND ZONES

Jesus Youth in Kerala has got t went y one zones. In the year 1997, during the
conference “Jesus Youth 97”, 28 Indian States were adopted by the various Jesus
Youth zones in Kerala. Since then, Jesus Youth from various zones have been
visiting their adopted States and conducting mission outreaches there. Now there
is a vibrant Jesus Youth presence in several of these States.

“JY Leaders’ Conference 2003” witnessed a step for ward along the same lines.
This time 49 Asian countries were adopted by the various Jesus Youth zones in
Kerala. Intercession for these countries by their respective zones has begun.
In God’s time Jesus Youth
missionaries will visit these lands
with the message of God’s love and
be heralds of the Gospel there. You
Renowned car toonist Yesudasan inaugurating the screening of ‘Tree of life’ in Cochin too can be a par t of this move of
the Spirit by interceding for these
Set during the Christmas season, the life of the couple grinds to a countries.
halt as they try to wrestle with conflicting opinions on whether to
abor t their second child or not. The film exposes the selfishness The t went y-one zones of Jesus
and insecurit y that runs beneath the seemingly placid husband- Youth in Kerala and their mission
countries are given below.
wife relationship. It also reveals the impact of this turmoil on their
Zonal representatives with the flags of their mission countries
son. The work raises disturbing questions on relationships, career,
decisions and the value of life itself. z Kothamangalam
z Kasar gode
Kasargode Thalaind, Belarus, Kuwait
“A talented bunch of young upcoming technicians and artistes is Bangladesh, Armenia z Kat tapana
the force behind this pioneering project”, said Leo Thaddeus. He z Kannur Malaysia, Turkmenistan
also added that the inspiration for the film came from a Laos, Azerbaijan z Idukki
conversation he had with a Jesus Youth pro-life volunteer a few z Thalasser y The Phillipines, Uzbekistan
years back. Bhutan, Kazakhstan z Kot tayam
z Mananthavady Nepal, Bahrain
Leo Thaddeus, who earned his Diploma in
Nor th Korea z Pala
Mass Communication with a specialization in
z Calicut Japan, Brunei, Darussalam
film from the Gregorian University, Italy, is a
Pakistan, Georgia, Oman z Kanjirappally
prominent name in the theatre and movie
z Trichur Taiwan, Iran, Turkey
scenario in Kerala. A former Jesus Youth
Myanmar [Burma], Russia, Qatar z Changanasser y
Central Team Member and one of the pioneers z Palakad
of the Jesus Youth Audio Visual Ministry, Leo Indonesia, Cyprus, Yemen
Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan z Cher thala
has already directed various shor t films, ad z Irinjalakkuda
films and documentaries. Mongolia, Iraq
Cambodia, Moldova, z Alappuzha
The film is a JY presentation produced by Mampillil Brothers and Syrian Arab Republic Afghanistan, Lebanon
will be promoted through film symposiums, film festivals, VCD z Angamali z Kollam
distributions, etc. The Jesus Youth International Of fice will promote Singapore, Tajikistan South Korea, Jordan
the film wher ever possible. For more details contact z Ernakulam z Thiruvanathapuram
jyglobal@jesusyouth.org China, Ukraine, U.A.E. Sri Lanka, Israel

5
 Ripples of the Spirit
JY Karnataka
The Holy Spirit is sparking of f
exhaustive and innovative
initiatives through the Jesus Youth
for diverse groups in the State of
Karnataka.
Jesus Y outh Leaders’ Gathering:
Youth
The Jesus Youth Leaders’
Gathering of Karnataka was truly ‘a
time of grace’. Br eaking the
barriers of language, distance and
culture, they came together in
Bangalore fr om 19 th to 21 st
February, 2004. The focus of the
conference was on orienting the
leaders gathered to reach out to
every corner of Karnataka. Around
130 leaders from varied cultural
backgrounds, representing 11
districts of Karnataka were present.
The JYIT Co ordinator Manoj
Sunny, JYNT coordinator Joseph
C.C. and JYIT member
Chackochan Njavallil animated the
programme.
Campuses on fir e: The Campus
fire:
Ministr y in Karnataka is quite
vibrant in Bangalore, Mangalore
and Mysore. Almost 400 campus
youth par ticipated in the recently
held campus programme –
‘Harvest 2004’. The regular prayer
me eting in Christ College,
Bangalore draws over 60 students
from colleges in the city.
Nurses alive: The numerous
nursing schools and hospitals in
the State of fer tremendous
oppor tunities for the Nurses’
Ministr y. Prayer groups have
already been initiated in various
nursing scho ols and hospitals
across the State. A mega
programme targeting around 800
participants has been planned for
May 2004.
Pr ofessionals gear ed up:
The first Pr ofessionals’
Discipleship Training
Programme was conducted in
Bangalore, the IT capital of
India, during the semester
vacation of the professional
students. A Professionals’
Conference also took place at
Dharmaram, Bangalore from 16th to
18th of April 2004.
Parishes in the for efr
forefr ont: Parish
efront:
activities are picking up in Shimoga
with the suppor t and
encouragement of the MCBS
congregation. In many regions,
Jesus Youth programmes are now
being conducted in the local
languages. In addition to
Bangalore, Jesus Youth Ministry is
also active in 10 other districts of
Karnataka.
Enlivening the Chur ch: The
Archbishop of Bangalore and the
Bishop of Belthangady Diocese
have been extremely supportive of
the initiatives of Jesus Youth in
Karnataka. His Excellency
Lawrence Mukkuzhy has even
mentioned in his Diocesian bulletin
that the Jesus Youth presence in
his parishes is a blessing.
Power of Prayer: Almost 300
Jesus Youth gather together every
Saturday for a vibrant Night Vigil
that is fast becoming a powerhouse
of prayer. Besides, numerous
intercessor y initiatives are also
sprouting all over the State.

contd from page 3 X

Attuned to God’s heartbeat
of grace over a decade ago. I can see
the fruit of that formation now. Those
years were never a waste for me. I
believe God has brought me into this
industry for His greater purpose. To
se e His Kingdom come in this
industry is the cr y of my heart. If ever
the Lord prompts me to leave the film
world, I’ll have no second thoughts
about it. I’ll just obey. Jesus knows
what is best for my life.
J: T ell us mor
Tell more e about how you ar aree
able to witness Jesus in your
pr ofession.
profession.
A: From the outside, one can only
se e the fair y tale glamour of this
industr y. In realit y the picture is quite
dif ferent. Ego clashes are frequent
here. Addiction to liquor and loose
living are the norm for many in this
industr y.
The formation and chiselling of
character I received as a Jesus Youth
taught me how to keep my ego under
control. I’ve learnt how to work with
dif ferent t ypes of people and to be
flexible and adjustable without losing
my identit y. This has been a great
asset for me in winning the hear ts of
big guns in the industr y - they like
working with me.
At a meeting for one of my recent
projects, the producer enquired,
“What would be a good day to star t
the project?” I replied, “Any day is fine
with me, Sir,” and one of his
assistants r emarked, “Alphons
6
always prays before doing any thing,
so whatever he does will be blessed”.
Another time, a friend in the industr y
asked me where I went early in the
morning ever y day. “For Holy Mass,”
I replied. At that time he was going
thr ough a crisis in his life. He
accompanied me to Church the nex t
day, and we both spent quite some
time in the presence of the Lord. I
could share God’s love with him.
Months later, he phoned me up
saying that that day ’s experience
before the Lord was unforget table.
I have had many such experiences.
People watch us, and more than
any thing we say, it is our life witness
that influences others. I am glad to
say I’m not alone; there are many in
this industry who stand for Jesus and
his values.
J: T ell us something about your
Tell
struggles, your prayer life and
fellowship in Jesus Y outh.
Youth.
A: I have all the struggles of a normal
human being, but I have the
conviction that I am not alone. Jesus
is with me in all that I go through. My
greatest strength comes from daily
Mass wher e I surr ender all my
tensions and struggles. Even when I
am busy with hectic schedules, I tr y
never to miss Holy Mass. The
Blessed Virgin has inter vened in my
life at ver y crucial moments and I am
devoted to her. I of ten pray the rosary
and always invite Mother Mary to be With regard to talents, I feel that
par t of my projects and recordings. ever y human life has a purpose
I feel her constant intercession for me ordained by God. Our dut y as Jesus
every moment. Youth should be to identif y through
prayer and seeking God’s will, those
I’m very par ticular about fellowship, charisms that God has endowed us
because it is always strengthening to with.
be in the company of people who
love God. And in a profession like Af ter identif ying your talent or
mine where people don’t have time charism, keep thanking God for it,
for others and ever yone is busy work hard and practise daily. Then
minting money, go od Christian strive to fulfill God’s purpose in giving
fellowship is a necessit y, not an you this talent. Jesus Youth is a
option. My priorities are still the same wonder ful plat form to help you
- God first before any thing else. That identif y your talents, and use them
is my lifestyle even today. I arrange for the greater glory of God.
my recordings in such a way that
they don’t clash with Jesus Youth
When we give the lit tle we have to
programmes. I always tr y to make
Jesus, like the lit tle boy who gave his
myself available for RexBand
five loaves and t wo fish, Jesus
programmes and Jesus Youth
multiplies it for His glor y in beautiful
activities. Good Christian fellowship
ways. So give your all to Jesus. I have
is something I cannot do without.
seen how when I give my time, my
talent, my all to Jesus, he multiplies
J: What would
it and many are blessed.
you like to tell
your Jesus Y outh
Youth
br others and sisters
ar ound the world with rregar
around egar
egardd
to their talents and their
walk with Jesus?
A: I have only one thing to
tell my fellow Jesus Youth
all over the world. “Seek ye
first the Kingdom of God, and
His righteousness, and all
these things will be added unto
you.” But we need to be careful
here. Let us never follow Jesus for
the things that will be added unto
us. Follow Him for who He is.
Global
GlobalNewswatch
Newswatch
USA
Under the initiative of their Spiritual
Director Fr. Thomas Tharayil, the
Jesus Youth of America have star ted
a National Prayer Vigil. Jesus Youth
across the countr y spend half an
together. The guest speaker was Dan
Dirkes, of a local Life Te en
programme. The gathering came to
a close with the par ticipants being
reminded of their mot to, “Each one,
catch one!”
Oman
The National intercession Day was Mumbai News
celebrated on a grand scale in many A three day retreat “Quovadis” was
regions of India where Jesus Youth organised in Mumbai from 26th to 28th
is active namely, Manipal, Mumbai, December. More than 200 youth
Bangalor e,
Mangalor e,
Delhi,
Kerala,
Chennai,
Assam,
fr om various par ts of Mumbai
par ticipated in this retreat. During
Rajasthan and Jagdalpur. the days of the retreat a pro-life
exhibition was held. The retreat was
Retr eats in Bongaigaon-Assam
Retreats led by Fr. George Kumblumootil and
In Februar y 2004, a team of Jesus
Youth fulltimers led by Mrs. Annie
John conducted five retreats for the
an anointed team of preachers.

hour for inter cession any time
bet ween 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. on the
first night of every month. Volunteers
under take prayer through fasting,
par ticipating in the Eucharist and
spending time in adoration. This
initiative is to be a regular feature
throughout the year.
Every Friday night, about 70 Jesus
Youth of the Chicago region, gather
for a night vigil with one night of the
month being dedicated to prayer in
front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Christe en Retr
Christeen eat
Retreat
A great milestone for Jesus Youth in
the US was the Christeen retreat that
took place on March 13th this year.
Over 200 children of various rites
registered from the local Chicago
r egion to par ticipate in this
programme. This is the first time that
Jesus Youth of America have
organized a pr ogramme of this
magnitude for children. Music and
skits were well taken care of by the
Jesus Youth te ens and college
students. Five priests assisted in
hearing confessions. A lot of
intercession and prayer went in
weeks prior to the programme. The
final blessing was given by His
Excellency Mar Jacob Angadiath,
Bishop of Chicago Syro-Malabar
diocese.
NE Regional Bi-monthly Gathering
The first NE regional gathering of the
year 2004 was held on Januar y 24th
Night V igil in Ruwi
Vigil
Ar ound 200 youth fr om thr e e
parishes of Oman gathered in Ruwi
Church for a night vigil. Manoj Sunny
was pr esent and spoke of his
personal God experience and also
elaborated on the global vision of
Jesus Youth. Biju Antony, the
coordinator of Jesus Youth Kuwait
was also present.
Oman gets a CorCoree Team
Team
A Jesus Youth National Team was
formed in Oman. Mr. Bobby Jacob
was elected Co-ordinator. A regional
coordinating team was also formed
for the parishes of Ruwi, Ghala and
Sohar.
Middle East Gathering
Jesus Youth from various countries
of the Middle East gathered in Oman
from Januar y 31st to February 1st for
the Middle East Gathering. Present
and past activities were discussed
with a thrust to reach out to those
countries where Jesus Youth is still
without an active presence.
Oman JY Leaders’ T raining Camp
Training
A Leaders’ Training Camp was held
from 2nd to 3rd February, 2004 for the
youth in Oman. Fif t y commit ted
leaders par ticipated in this first live-
in programme organised by the
Oman Jesus Youth. Sessions were
conducted on constants, vision and
r ole of JY, prayer gr oups, cell
groups, etc.
youth of Bongaigaon Diocese in
Assam. The Bishop of Bongaigaon
Diocese, Most Rev. Thomas
Pulloppillil, invited the Jesus Youth
Movement to continue following up
the youth in his diocese.
Jesus Y outh Retr
Youth eat in Nagaland
Retreat
About 200 youngsters from various
parishes of Kohima Diocese
par ticipated in a three-day retreat
starting from 11th December , 2003.
His Grace, Bishop Joseph Mukala of
Kohima Diocese was present during
the second day of the retreat. He
celebrated the Eucharist with them
and invited them to embrace a new
life in Christ. The par ticipants were
grateful to the Lord and to the Jesus
Youth team for leading them to a
close encounter with Jesus.
Rajasthan News
On 25th January, 2004, a Jesus Youth
one day programme was held in the
Cathedral Chur ch of Udaipur
Diocese for the first time. The theme
of the programme was, “Called to be
Living Saints”. About 100 youth from
4 parishes par ticipated in the
programme. Various dynamics like
workshops, sessions, panel sharing
and skits were employed to convey
Jesus Y outh Mission Retr eats –
Youth
Nor th East
In November last year, JYNT
received invitations from various
dioceses in Nor th East India to
conduct retreats for their youth. A
Jesus Youth team, including fulltime
volunteers visited Orissa, Assam,
Nagaland and Manipur bet we en
November 2003 and Februar y 2004.
About 12 retreats and LSS seminars
were held for the youth of the region.
Gujarat News
The annual retreat for Gujarat Jesus
Youth was held from 24 th to 26 th
Januar y 2004 and was at tended by
about 40 participants. Senior Jesus
Youth from Kerala led the retreat.
About 60 people other than Jesus
Youth par ticipated in a night vigil
conducted in the Bishop’s House on
6th March, 2004 at the invitation of
the Bishop of Ahmedabad,
His Excellency Thomas Ignatius
Macwan. His encouragement and
love is a great motivation for Jesus
Youth. Similar night vigils are in the
of fing.
UK
During the first quar ter of
2004, JYUK organized one-day
programmes in the three zones of
the United Kingdom (Nor th, Central
& South). These gatherings helped
in reaching out to the locally based
youth. One day programmes were

in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Fr.
Kevin McGoldrick was the guest
speaker. The second gathering took
place on March 24th in New Jersey,
wher ein about 100 youth came
India
JYNT Inter cession Day
Intercession
29th February 2004 was obser ved as
National Intercession Day by the
Jesus Youth National Net work.
Two intentions wer e taken up
for inter cession. One was for
the for thcoming parliamentar y
elections, that the right candidates
may get elected. The second was
for the re-constitution of JYNT.
the message. This was the first time
that youth from various parishes of
the diocese came together on a
common plat form. His Excellency Rt.
held in Manchester, Birmingham &
Rev. Joseph Pathalil, Bishop of
Ox ford with Holy Mass, adoration,
Udaipur Diocese was the main
confession, spiritual sessions led by
Celebrant for Holy Mass. So on
priests, group building exercises,
af ter the Mass, His Excellency
etc.
inaugurated Sunday Roses and
consecrated the statue of the
In Februar y this year, Mr. Manoj
Blessed Virgin in the presence of
Sunny visited UK on his way to Rome
the parishioners. This one-day
to impar t training to the Music
programme was a new experience
Ministry members of JYUK.
for all present.
7
 UAE
New National team (JYNT)
A reconstitution was held for JY UAE
and a new team was formed along
with a new co ordinator. Two new
animators were also selected for
Jesus Youth UAE.
New Ser vice team for each
Emirate.
A one day programme was held in
Jebel Ali where new Ser vice teams
were elected for each Emirate. The
sessions were moderated by Mr.
Manoj Sunny.
Tho olika
Some Jesus Youth housewives got
together and formed a literature team
to initiate a we ekly newslet ter -
Thoolika - that would cover Jesus
Youth activities in Dubai.
Nurses’ Ministr y in Dubai
Jesus Youth nurses working in
dif ferent hospitals and clinics in
Dubai gathered together for prayer
and sharing. They formed a Nurses’
Ministry, which includes nurses from
JY as well as the Elders’ group. Fr.
Peter fr om Dubai of ficially
inaugurated the Nurses’ Ministr y.
Kuwait
Jesus Youth in Kuwait staged a
Christmas pr ogramme in the
Cathedral for the Malayalam
Charismatic Communit y in
December 2003. The programme
included a skit on the life of St. Paul.
The theme for the skit was “The need
for saints in the new millennium.” A
choreographic presentation followed
the skit and both wer e well
appr eciated. This is the second
occasion where Jesus Youth has
been invited to minister to the Church
communit y.
Printed and Published by Mr. Manoj Sunny on behalf of Jesus Youth International Of fice, 6F Thadikaran Centre, Palarivat tom P.O., Cochin – 682 025, Kerala, INDIA,
Editor-in-char ge : Josun Jose. Layout Design : Sanil C.A. Printed by SR Graphics, Kot tayam Ph : +91 481-2301142
Editor-in-charge
A Life in the Spirit Seminar (LSS) was
conducted for about 35 youth from
dif ferent par ts of Kuwait.
Singapore
Mr. Manoj Sunny, was in Singapore
from 20th Februar y to 6th March 2004.
Various training and formation
pr ogrammes wer e conducted
during his visit. Thre e follow up
programmes were conducted for
nurses, of fice workers and campus
students on the 21st and 22nd of
February. Each programme had an
average of about 70 par ticipants.
Discipleship T raining Pr
Training ogrammes.
Programmes.
DTP programmes for the Campus
and Workers’ Ministr y wer e
conducted fr om 23rd to 26th of
Februar y. The Campus DTP was
par ticipated by about 15 active
campus leaders. About 25 active
leaders from the Workers’ ministry,
to ok par t in the thre e day DTP
programme. The Nurses’ DTP was
conducted from 1st- 3rd March. The
par ticipants of all three DTP’s got the
conviction that God had called them
personally for His purpose. One of
the key sessions was on the five
essential pillars of Jesus Youth. The
par ticipants were encouraged to
make a de eper commitment to
personal prayer and other constants.
Seminar on ‘Music in Worship’
A workshop on the role of music in
Praise and Worship was conducted
on the 4th and 5th of March 2004.
About 60 par ticipants of both the
Elders’ group and Jesus Youth took
part in the programme. Manoj Sunny
spoke about the impor tant r ole
music plays in worship and how it
can be ef fectively used to lead
people into the presence of God.
Various dynamics and st yles were
covered.
Leaders’ Training & Re-constitution
Training
of National Team
Team
For the first time in the histor y of
Jesus Youth Singapore, about 60
small beginings...
GERMANY
Jesus Youth is taking its first steps in Germany under the
patronage of Rev. Fr. Ignatius Chalissery CMI (Parish Priest of
the Indian Communit y) and Rev. Fr. Ajy Mooleparambil, a
former Jesus Youth full time volunteer who is now ser ving in
Germany. Over the last three months, five Jesus Youth
gatherings were held in the country. Manoj Sunny and George
Et tiyil assisted at some of these meetings.
SRI L ANKA
LANKA MAL
MALAAYSIA
Af ter many years of prayer, Jesus Youth activities have
intercession and waiting, a star ted on a small scale in
Jesus Youth prayer group has Malaysia, thanks to the
taken shape in Colombo, Sri
initiative and ef forts taken by
Lanka. Every Sunday morning
Jesus Youth Singapore. On
they gather af ter Mass at St.
7th March Mr. Manoj Sunny
Theresa’s Church for an hour
conducted a one day follow-
of praise and worship, prayer
up programme for a small
and fellowship. God is
gathering of about 40
gradually adding numbers to
the group. par ticipants.
We, the JY Global family, warmly welcome Germany, Malaysia
and Sri Lanka into our fellowship. Let us pray that God raises
many more prophets from these lands to take the Gospel to
the ends of the ear th.
Training Programme on Discipleship,
Leadership and the use of Gif ts and
Charisms. A warm welcome was
given to all the par ticipants by the
Spiritual Director Fr. Thomas Mathew.
Various leadership sessions and
Commissioning ceremony of the new JYNT workshops were conducted by Mr.
Manoj Sunny who also moderated
active Jesus Youth leaders at tended the re-constitution of the Jesus Youth
a t wo and half days’ live-in Leaders Ser vice Team.
Hail! Mary, conceived without sin.
We entrust into your loving care
Jesus Youth the world over.
Pray for us, that we may always
seek God’s will and remain faithful to
your Son, Our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. Amen.