National Youth Days 2017

by soccom

Don Bosco Philippines, South (FIS), Zamboanga City, November 6-10, 2017.

Young people all over the Philippines gathered again after two years in the National Youth Day (NYD) last Nov. 6-10, 2017 in Zamboanga City with the theme, “The Lord has done great things for me, holy is His name” (Lk 1:49). The Salesian Youth Movement (SDB) FIS sent 24 delegates and FIN has 18 mostly coming from the school and parish settings.

One of the highlights of the 5-day gathering was the topic deepened by Fr. Jonathan Bitoy, CMF entitled, “We are Flawed but still Blessed”. He stressed out that despite of the imperfections and flaws of the individual, everyone is still blessed and gifted because God never surrenders to understand and to love. He will continue to be merciful and will continue to heal. Each has flaws yet through His grace, because God has done great things and that what makes each person blessed. And he challenged the young people that God’s grace must be shared to everyone.

Being blessed is a call, a call to make difference not just themselves (young people) but to others. To answer God’s call is really challenging because they must be ready to face all circumstances, problems and difficulties. But it never hinders the young people to continue spreading God’s goodness and to strengthen the faith even more.

To answer God’s challenge each individuals can be light to the darkness, a light that shines to other people to inspire and be a good role model in leading them more close to Him; “We are blessed because of Him!”

National Youth Day 2017 in numbers:

2,300 youth pilgrims
700 volunteers
100 priests and bishops
5 days

The last day of the NYD was a sent-off mass celebrated by Cotobato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo, OMI and the central message to his homily is a challenge to the youth participants when he said, “No one can make a difference in this world unless God gives him the ability to do so.” The next NYD 2019 will be hosted by the Archdiocese of Cebu and it will coincide with the CBCP’s year of the youth.

(Contributor: Daryl Torreon)