The Catholic Y-Link

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

Suffering is a lever for the growth of the soul. The permanently contented person always has an impoverished soul. (Solzhenitzyn)

People have places in their hearts which do not yet exist and into them enters suffering so that they may start to exist. Suffering bursts the cocoon we build around ourselves in order to protect ourselves and avoid having to grow. Suffering is God’s amplifier to help a world grown deaf to hear his voice.

Undeserved suffering is redemptive.

Suffering ought to make us better rather than bitter.

To create God only had to speak; to save, he had to suffer.

We cannot reach the promised land without crossing the desert first.

Resolution for Lent!

How about a "B-good-2-our parents month" for the remainder of Lent, and let the sacrifice involved be a joyful penance?

Which of the 10 commandments is the most broken in the 90’s? Difficult to get an answer based on accurate statistics of course, but I have a hunch that it is the 4^th!

The one which challenges us to honour our father and mother! I don’t think it’s because there is such a generation gap. Generations are in fact very close to each other now. In the bad old days, a generation was 25 years. Now we talk of a new generation every 10 years. What’s more difficult than being a teenager nowadays? …. Being the parent of a teenager! People sometimes remark about how difficult it is to be a priest or celibate religious. I think it is much easier to be a good priest or sister or brother, than to be a parent of teenagers these days.

If we are fortunate to have both our parents still alive and together, let’s help them keep the romance alive in their relationship. Avoid putting too much pressure on them! More important than our dad having a well paid job; more important than our mom cooking us great meals; more important than having a fancy house, garden, car, holidays,… is that our parents be in love with each other, and that there be peace, trust, unity and respect in the home. We just will never have peace in this country if we don’t first have it in our homes. And it doesn’t depend only on our parents; it depends just as much on the children of each family. So let’s work at it, starting with the 4^th commandment!

High Tech Psalm

The Lord is my programmer, I shall not crash.

He has installed his software on the hard disk of my heart.

All his commands are user friendly.

His directory guides me to the right choices.

Even though I scroll through the problems of life,

I will fear no bugs nor viruses, for he is my back-up!

His password protects me.

He prepares a menu before me

In the presence of my screen-saver.

His help is only a key-stroke away.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

Whenever I access my documents,

Last year the DYF met for 2 hours on the morning of the last Saturday of each month. As a consequence of an evaluation done at the end of 98, it was decided to reduce the number of DYF meetings to once a quarter, but extend the time of the meeting to include some formation in youth ministry. The first of these took place on Saturday 20^th February when 52 young people from 16 parishes around the diocese came together at the Cathedral hall to exchange ice-breaker games, to be briefed about some of the Youth Department’s plans for 99 and beyond, to discuss questions which arise in their youth groups at parish and regional level, to watch a short video and consider how video can be used to initiate a discussion session, … Despite extending the time, the meeting still had to be rushed through, since unfortunately not all arrived on time for the start (11h00), and many had to leave by 15h00, although the day was scheduled to only end at 16h00. (Something to do with Bafana-Bafana playing that afternoon?) A picnic lunch was served compliments of the Youth Department. Please diarize the remaining three dates for the Diocesan Youth Forum in 99 (29 May, 21 August & 27 Nov), and ensure attendance from 11h00 to 16h00. These planning and formation forums are open to all parish youth leaders and animators, from 17 years (or matric) upwards!

This space (and more) needs to be filled next month by good news from your parish groups!

Games for this month:

The tomato test:

Select two or three pairs of kids out of the group. Each participant takes off one shoe. In pairs they are to place a tomato between their foreheads, and holding it there without the use of hands, they must place the shoe back on the other’s foot.

Whirling long-jump:

Give 3 volunteers a short stick which is to be held out at arms length with both hands so that they can watch it while they twirl around 50 times. Get them to start at the same time and everyone else counts to fifty together. On fifty they are to drop their stick and jump as far as they can over it. Most are so dizzy they can’t even see their stick. It’s fun to watch.

The Bun-Shuffle:

Seat everyone in a close circle of chairs. Two participants stand in the middle and have to try to sit down on the vacant chairs, but as they attempt to do so, those sitting prevent them from doing so by shuffling as quick as they can into the empty chairs circling in the same direction of course. If one of those in the middle succeeds in sitting down, the one who failed to prevent him/her goes to the middle.

Three off to Taize:

On the 13^th March Maria, Patricia (Cathedral parish) and Tiyiselani (Regina Mundi Parish) leave for Taize where they will spend three months as volunteers with the Taize community, helping out and absorbing the spirituality of that amazing place which is visited by hundreds of thousands of young people annually, as they search for God and meaning in the scriptures, in music and in community building. Their trip is co-sponsored by the Taize brothers and the Diocesan Youth Department. When they return they will be a good resource for the promotion of prayer groups. And two or three others from this diocese may wish to apply to follow in their footsteps.

New assistant at the Youth Office:

The Youth Department bad farewell last week to Annastacia Ndlovu who had been part of the Youth Ministry team for the past year, and welcomed this week, Duduzile Malevu who hails from St Alberts Parish, Vosloorus, who commits herself to one year of service in the department.

Peer Ministry in AIDS awareness:

Members of the Cathedral Youth group have organised themselves after having undergone some training, into a presenting team, and will gladly accept invitations by parishes or schools to present a session or even a day’s workshop on AIDS to fellow young people. They do not promote "the safe-sex and condoms are the solution", which is so prevalent in the media… but rather encourage abstinence and chastity. Anyone interested – contact S’khumbuso at 402-6342.

Victory Park Parish Youth Group:

Alpha program:

We are grateful to Renato Acquisito of Bryanston parish for the donation of a set of 4 video tapes consisting of the talks for the popular Alpha course. If any senior youth group or young adults group would like to experience this course, contact the Youth Office.

14 March – Taize prayer afternoon at St Charles Lwanga, OrangeFarm, from 14h00 to 17h00.

21 March – Celebration in preparation of Holy Week and World Youth Day atSacred Heart College, Ekstein Str, Observatory from 09h30 to 16h30, including a youth mass, presentation by Covenant Players, and inter-school or parish group sports challenges, among other things. Participant contribution: R2. All welcome, but especially the Grade 10 – 12 age group. Bring parents or teachers along!

28 March – Palm Sunday – Catholic Annual World Youth Day! Do something in your parish – get involved in the Palm Sunday liturgies,…

09-11 April – First Faith Adventure Camp at Bosco. Bookings close 10 days before the event. Booking forms available from the youth office.

Y-Link Distribution:

We often receive enquiries as to whether the Y-Link has been published. It always is, in the the first week of each month. If you don’t get a copy in any particular month, it’s not because it failed to be printed, but simply that we don’t have a formal distribution network. Just call in to the youth office and collect the latest issue, or ask your parish priest whether he could "organise" something.

G-T ’99 – We are one body, the body of Christ!

As we go to print this month we also begin at Bosco Youth Centre a very important weekend of 99 as far as the youth department is concerned. The Get-Together we advertised in the February issue. So far 71 young people representing 19 parishes have registered.

It would have been nice to have the 99 max. participants we were hoping for, representing twice as many parishes at least, but we do look forward to a very enriching experience. Expect a report in the next issue!