Jesus Youth holds conference for Indians in Ireland

The international Catholic lay movement focuses on a life centred on Jesus.

Ireland:  Some 270 young Indian Catholics in Ireland attended a conference organised by the Jesus Youth Movement over the weekend of August 18-21 in Maynooth.

Jesus Youth Movement, an international Catholic lay movement with a special focus on a life centred on Jesus, had its beginnings in December 1985 in Kerala’s Kochi and has now spread across 35 countries. It is the first laity movement in India and the second in Asia to get the Pontifical approval.

The movement was initiated in Ireland almost 10 years ago, and now has a presence throughout the country. Jesus Youth has organised numerous retreats, training programmes and events over the years, but this was the movement’s first large-scale conference, conference organiser Suresh Joy told The Irish Catholic.

The three-day conference titled iConnectran in two streams, one for youths aged 13-17 and one for young adults aged 18-25, and included catechesis from domestic speakers as well as speakers from India and Australia, as well as concerts, exhibitions and theatre presentations.

Although many of Ireland’s Indian Catholics use the Syro-Malabar rite rather than the Latin rite, Mr Joy said that the organisation transcends these differences and is for all Catholics.

Source: Irish Catholic