Bengaluru: Five young people will be representing the Church in India at the Pre-Synod Meeting in Rome, scheduled to be held from 18 to 24 March, 2018. These five were chosen by the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI). “Of the five, two will represent the Sikh and Hindu faiths,” stated Most Rev. Franco Mulakkal, Chairman of the National Youth Commission of the CCBI.
Indierjit Singh will represent the Sikh religion from the Jalandhar diocese, Punjab and Sandeep Pandey, will represent Hindu religion from the diocese of Vasai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, respectively.
The others are Percival Holt, the National President of the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) from the Delhi Archdiocese, Paul Jose, General Secretary of ICYM from Kottapuram Diocese, Kerala and Shilpa, the spokesperson of ICYM from Rourkela diocese, Odisha. These five youth will travel for the Synod to Rome in March 2018 and spend six days discussing issues related to young people.
There will be about 300 young leaders from different countries participating in this pre-synod meeting. Pope Francis has convoked this pre-synodal meeting of young people from around the world to meet and debate the topic “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment”, which is also the theme of the XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
The results of this event will be summarized in a document and given to the Bishops participating in the XV Ordinary Synod which will be held from3 to 28 October, 2018 at the Vatican.
The subject of young people is the one that emerged with utmost support. It is also in continuation of the subject on the family, which was already discussed in detail. The Pope accepted the topic on young people, and he recognized the urgency. Pope Francis expects a movement, a powerful path, a true meeting with the youth and is eager to listen to them and walk with them. This meeting will gather them all both within the Church, or those farther away.
Cardinal Baldisseri, the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops said, “I would like even those far from the faith to see a welcoming Church that is able to offer an attractive message of hope, capable of proposing ideals”.
Most Rev. Franco Mulakkal, the Chairman of the National Youth Commission said; “We want our young people in India to be aware their existence and work for a harmonious and peace loving society. Young people are peaceful and compassionate. They are in need of guidance and patient listening. India, being the largest democracy is a young country and the entire world looks up to India”.
The selection of the five delegates from India will give them an opportunity to have an audience with Pope Francis on Palm Sunday.