Youth and youth ministry 2

I was with the youth for six years as a National Catholic Youth coordinator in Myanmar until July, 2006. It was a good chance to learn the life of the youth as a young priest. I found something in the youth that are invaluable for life. I simply like to say that I was not much involved with the youth ministry in my village, parish and the Diocese before the appointed to be the National Youth coordinator in the year 2000 after three years of my priesthood. I had not very much experience about the youth in my life before. It is only after with the youth for six years, I learned something about the youth together with the youth especially in my country.

I am not a graduate. I just finished two years of Philosophy and four years of Theology in the Catholic Major Seminary after the post-tenth or the high school. I did not have idea to lead the youth with my poor ability. But I noticed that they love music and attached to technical media of the modern world. I did not teach them, but they taught me for life. I went around all dioceses in the whole of Myanmar to see what the youth were doing in their respective dioceses in 2000/2001 at the same time conducted some leadership courses and meetings. I have found different skill, abilities, education, and all different situations of places and mentality of the different races and clans. However, different in something, they have the same spirit that is a hope of dynamic progress for their life as well as in the community and in the Church.

There were some difficulties especially the first three years in NCYC. I tried to organize the youth for the participation in the World Youth Day 2002. I face some opportunists who liked to go to World youth Day, Toronto Canada and not to turn back after the celebration. That might be my fault or weakness yet I understand the nature of the youth to get something better for them in the future. But the detail would be very personal to express for that.

Amazing activities in my life is the National Youth Congresses in April 2003. It was in Mobye that we conducted the Fourth National Catholic Youth Congress with more than 850 youth and some directors from every Diocese. The young people enjoyed the program very much because of well arrangement and special lectures. They requested to perform even once a year. They might not know that we prepared for the program more than one year a head. The only one skill I contributed in the congress was my communication skills. I tried to contact all the resourced persons and organized volunteer group to involve in the big and precious activities that we were going to perform. I invited volunteer youths two weeks a head from every diocese to be able to help full time preparation. All the youth directors and volunteers helped me to success of this congress. Sr. Josephine also did well in the congress with excellent activities for the youth to learn and to know. I hope that every participant in the congress would be happy to get and share their experiences among them. The strength to do these was from the outcomes of the First National Catholic Youth Forum performed in Taunggyi in Dec, 2002. After discussion and workshop we got the solution for the forum mainly on the Annual Plan and for the preparation of the coming Congress. I may say that we have done great job because we started with the retreat in the youth forum. The blessing of God always shines upon those who pray.

The Second National Catholic Youth Forum was conducted in Myitkyina Diocese from 3^rd – 6^th Dec, 2004. Many Youth representatives participated in the Forum. We were able to discuss about the next congress in 2005. There were also many difficulties to organize because of lack of fund. I decided to request collections and contribution from the Catholic families in the whole country through the youth as well as from those who were working in Japan, Singapore and from some bishops. I did it because our project was rejected by the agencies. I determined that this would be the last chance to perform the National Congress for me and discussed with my friend, Fr. Thomas Gum Rai Aung, the youth director of Myitkyina. He also said that this would be the last chance to involve as a youth director. I searched for some sources as a national level as well as he prepared a lot in his diocese in all parts for the needs of the Youth Congress.