The Catholic Y-Link

A monthly publication of the Youth Department of the Diocese of Johannesburg Distributed free of charge

Box 17054, Hillbrow, 2038. Tel. 402-0757 Fax.402-0762 April 99

E.mail: catyouth@icon.co.za Voicelink: 088-1219806 (Postage requests: R20 per annum)

A Thought for Eastertide:

Life is just a bit of time before, in order to, if you wish, learn to love,

so as to be ready to meet Love Eternal in the forever after.

A reflection for Holy week:

In the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life there feature two basins. One which Pilate used to wash his hands, and the other used by Jesus to wash his disciples’ feet. Pilate found himself in a difficult situation and wanted nothing further to do with it. He washed his hands. Jesus arrived at the venue for the last supper to find that the table was set, the food and wine was ready, but they had forgotten to arrange for a servant to wash their feet. No doubt the disciples muttered among themselves as to who would do the job so that they would all eat the Passover meal with clean feet in order to observe the regulations regarding this. "Well it’s not my task! Don’t expect me to act as your slave!" etc… Jesus does not mutter. Noticing their embarrassment, he takes responsibility for the situation, and sets an example for all forever. He washes their feet…. Well, how often do we find ourselves using the basin of Jesus? And how often do we find ourselves using the basin of Pilate instead?

A holy and blessed Easter

to all the Young people of the Diocese!

 Message of Pope John Paul II for World Youth Day ’99

[Every year the Pope writes a special letter to the young people of the world. Here follows some extracts from his 6 page letter for the XIV world youth day, the theme of which is – Remember! "The Father loves you!" Jn 16:27.]

Dear young friends!

I invite you, together with the whole church, to turn to God the Father and to listen to Jesus saying to you: "Hey, the Father loves you!" Believe this certainty which is the only one that can give meaning, strength and joy to life.

You might not be always fully conscious of it, but in every human heart there is a deep longing for God. And the world is loved by God, so much so, that e gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him, should not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3:16).

In our time, the world needs, more than ever, young "missionaries" capable of proclaiming by word and example this fundamental and consoling truth. Be aware of this, young people of today and adults of the new millenium. Let yourselves be "formed" in the school of Jesus. Become credible witnesses to the Father’s love! Make it visible in your choices and attitudes, in your way of receiving people and placing yourselves at their service; in faithfully respecting God’s will and his commandments.

There is also a reflection of the Father’s love in various other forms of fatherhood in your everyday lives. I’m thinking especially of your parents, who cooperate with God in giving you life and in caring for you: honour them and be grateful to them! I think of the priests and other persons consecrated to the Lord, who for you are friends, witnesses and teachers of life. I think of the educators who with their wisdom and their faith make a significant contribution to your growth, your Christian and therefore, fully human growth. For each of these persons, give thanks always to the Lord.

Jesus says to you all: "Repent and believe the gospel!" Behind every genuine conversion there is God looking upon the sinner. It is a look which becomes a search filled with love, imploring us to change our way of life like Levi (Mk 12:13…); like Zaccheus (Lk 19:1…); like the woman taken in adultery (Jn 8:1…); like the thief on the cross (Lk23:39..); like the Samaritan woman at the well (Jn 4:1…) "Go and sin no more!" God’s pardon is given freely, but each one is invited to respond with a serious commitment to renewal of life! Sin is not just breaking a law; sin is against God, against your brothers and sisters and against yourselves. Today unfortunately, the more people lose the sense of sin the less they have recourse to the pardon of God. This is the cause of many of the problems and difficulties of our time. This year, I invite you to rediscover the beauty and the wealth of grace in the sacrament of Penance by carefully rereading the parable of the prodigal Son, or rather, of the Compassionate Father. Listening to the Word in an attitude of prayer and wonder say to God: " I need you. I count on you in order to exist and live. You are stronger than my sin. I believe in your power over my life. I believe that you are able to save me just as I am now. Remember me. Pardon me."

People cannot live without love. They cannot understand the sense of living if they do not know and experience love. Jesus invites us to love the poor, because they should be given special attention precisely because of their vulnerability. As is well known, they are more and more numerous even in the so-called rich countries, in spite of the fact that the goods of this world are meant for everyone! Every situation of poverty is a challenge to each one’s Christian charity. This charity however, must become also social and political commitment, because the problem of poverty in the world depends on concrete situations that must be changed by men and women of good will, builders of the civilization of love. They are structures of sin that cannot be overcome without cooperation from everyone, in readiness to lose oneself for the sake of the other rather than exploiting the other, to serve instead of oppressing.

Dear young people, I invite you especially to take concrete initiatives of solidarity and sharing, alongside and with those who are poorest. Participate some of the projects through which others of your contemporaries are involved in gestures of fraternity and solidarity. This will be a way of restoring to the Lord through the poor, at least something of all he has given to you who are more fortunate.

The XIV World Youth Day which you are encouraged to celebrate in your local church, is the last before the great "Rendez-vous" of the Jubilee in Rome. It has therefore particular significance in the preparation for the Holy Year 2000. I pray that for each of you, it may be the occasion for a renewed encounter with the Lord of life, and with his church. To Mary I entrust your journeying, and I ask her to make your hearts ready to receive the grace of the Father, so that you may become witnesses to his love. Wishing you a year rich in faith and in spiritual commitment, I bless you all from my heart.

Events you might have missed:

The World Youth Day Celebration

21 March 1999 at Sacred Heart College, Observatory

 About 150 young people from six catholic schools (St David’s, Inanda; St Benedict’s, Bedfordview; Sacred Heart College, Maryvale College, Assumption Convent and McAuley House, and nine parishes (Ennerdale, Meadowlands – St Michael’s and St Joseph’s – Katlehong, Orange Farm, Yeoville, Benoni, Eden Park, and Bosmont) came together at Sacred Heart College on Sunday the 21st March. The aim of the event, which was organized jointly by Jocasco and the Diocesan Youth Department, was to bring together pupils from Catholic schools and other young catholics from parishes in the diocese, and to promote their sense of common identity. It was also the opportunity to mark the annual youth day which occurs on Palm Sunday, and to provide some motivation and ideas for the celebration of Holy Week. Those who stayed till the end had the unique opportunity to see how a hot air balloon is launched and even to experience a hot air balloon ride for mahala. The balloon is owned by Marcel Nicolay, who uses his balloon to campaign against drugs and crime in our society. You might spot him in the skies around Gauteng, and he is available to fly his balloon (with the very clear message – "Say NO to drugs and crime" - at youth events as a crowd-attraction among other things. (tel. 082-7406815). See the Diocesan News for the rest of the details and photos of the day.

Get-Together 99:

The Diocesan News for April carries a lengthy report and photos on this event, so we won’t repeat it! Space is precious on our little news-sheet. Just to say that it was a marvelous and blessed experience. Great speakers, great participation, great prayer moments, great singing, great relationship building, great venue and food; and of course great fun. At the end of the weekend, three participants were awarded prizes for the outstanding contribution they made to the spirit of the experience: CJ Lievaux of Ennerdale and Teboho Mashoeng from Orlando West, voted joint first, were awarded half-sponsorships onto the Faith Adventure Camp of their choice, and Angelique Robertson of Benoni as runner up, received a Bosco Cross.

Lenten Prayer Pilgrimage:

14/03/99 – About a hundred young people from the Vaal Region came together at the Charles Lwanga Adult Education Centre in Orange Farm for an afternoon of prayer and group sharing in the style of Taize. Xola who spent 6 months last year in Taize, France, would be happy to help any group, parish or regional youth gathering to run a similar program.

Events not 2b missed:

Faith Adventure Camps (second weekend of each month) until October. Space for 25 maximum. Held at Bosco youth centre and led by Fr Francois and team. A mini-Outward Bound sort of experience with a spiritual focus. Book through youth office: 402-0757.

Youth pilgrimage to Ngome (in Kwa-Zulu Natal) on the last weekend of June: Leaving Friday 25th at 09h00 and returning at 16h30 on Sunday 27th. Space for 50. (20 booked already!) Cost: R300 including bus fare and accommodation.

If you’re in the Vaal: All welcome to join in the leadership workshop on the 17/04/99 in St Francis parish, Evaton from 09h00 to 16h30. For details, contact Thabang @ 016-4512924.

Ice-Breakers / Games (Monthly feature):

Back-2-Back

Divide into pairs and sit on the floor back to back, linking arms. At the word go, without loosening arms, the pairs must stand up as quick as possible. Then combine the pairs into foursomes. Sit down back to back and repeat the stand up order. Keep enlarging the groupings (it gets more and more difficult) until the giant blob can’t stand up any more.

Magazine scavenger hunt:

Having collected a pile of old magazines, distribute them evenly to equally divided teams of 3 or 4…

Then hand each group a list of items they must collect from the magazines:- eg. pictures of a car, an ear, a shampoo advert, a letter to the editor, the word money, the name of a celebrity,… Give the same list of at least a dozen items to each group, and the first group to have collected all the items on the list by tearing out from their allotted magazines, wins. Left over copies of The Southern Cross could make for an interesting list of items!

Pullapart:

All the guys stand in the centre and link arms and legs as tightly as they can. The girls are challenged to try pull the guys out of the mob one by one. Tickling is OK, and any tactics that won’t hurt. Then the girls and guys swop roles. There are no winners, but there’s lots of fun.

The Toothless game:

This is one of those – "You lose if you laugh" games.

All sit in a circle, and from that point no one may show their teeth. To speak, the lips must be pulled over the teeth. Then following the leader, each in turn asks the next: "Is Mrs Mumble home? And the person responds with: "I don’t know – I’ll have to ask my neighbour". This keeps going round the circle. Anyone whose teeth show due to laughing or not speaking as if he/she is toothless is out, and moves out the circle. When asking or answering, pulling faces is encouraged to make the other laugh!

Diocesan Youth T-Shirts:

Available at R15 each or at R10 each for bulk orders of 10 or more.

On the front they have the Youth Department’s logo and theme for ’99:- "We are one body"; on the back they have the slogan:- "Simunye: one heart, one love, one faith, one family, one Father!"

Also available from Youth Office:

- The "Whatdowedonextweek" Parish youth group manual for R30 each. (Being reprinted again!)

- The Way of Light booklet for R20 and Way of Light set of 14 posters for R30 each.

- WWJD-Faith bands and Ethic-wire crosses for R5 each.

From the Vicar’s diary or What’s been happening?

Apart from the other events mentioned elsewhere, some of the encounters the vicar enjoyed in the past month were –

- An afternoon with the Alexandra youth.

- An evening with Rivonia Youth group.

- An evening in Malvern with about 40 confirmation candidates.

- An information afternoon by the youth group of Meadowlands (St Michael) for the parents of the parish concerned about the youth.

- A retreat mass with the Dobsonville youth group.

- A session with grade 11s at CBC Boksburg.

- A Palm Sunday mass at Reiger Park with over hundred young people who were on a "Youth Alive" program and an Alpha program.

- An outing with the Youth Dept. team (and those who were leaving for Taize the next day) to Ha Phororo where Fr Chris Schonenberger is slowly but surely building up this centre for youth spirituality. (Phiri parish youth group spent 2 weekends there this month but we have not heard from them about their experience.)

- A meeting with Verna Dickens, who teaches at Eden College and dreams of a project of breaking records with a giant quilt designed and sown by thousands of young people around the country.

- Meetings with Alcohol and Drugs Concerns association, who with the backing of "Achievers International" are planning a big conference for July 2000, based on the youth-2-youth peer ministry approach, helping teens realise that you don’t need booze or drugs to cope and to have fun. – A meeting with Harry Thomas of Youth For Christ about their "Dough for the Needy" project.

- Finally a meeting organised by SAAYC (South African Association of Youth Clubs) in Daveyton to discuss the National Youth policy.

- TV recording sessions for the youth programs Wordz-out and Listen-Up. (We receive requests to send representatives from among Catholic youth to attend such TV recordings on controversial youth & religion, but find it difficult to recruit volunteers. If you wish to be kept informed about future opportunities to attend these talk shows, please let us know!)

What do you see in these squares and lines?

Hint: Alleluia is one of 4 words!

What are the other 3 words hidden herein?

First person to phone the correct answer to the

Youth Office (402-0757) will win a T-Shirt!