Jesus Youth Santa in Bangalore

During the month of December, many Jesus Youth under the initiative of Wednesday Professionals Prayer Group went carol singing to around 50 families in Bangalore. Through these house visits, they spread the word for the Outreach Child Support project. The contributions collected through this carol singing outreach has been handed over to the Outreach Child Support.

Christmas Videos

"A Social Network Christmas" - Facebook Tells the Story of Jesus' Birth 

Imagine if Facebook was around during the time of Jesus! This video is an artistic take on how the story of the nativity might have read had a social network existed at the time of Jesus' birth. Enjoy!

 

 

The Paradox Of Christmas

A long time ago, one silent night loudly proclaimed God's love for us. He gave up what He had so that we might receive what we need. This is the “Paradox of Christmas”! Watch this video for a beautiful depiction of the Christmas story.

 

 

The Advent Conspiracy – How You Can Make a Difference

Christmas can still change the world! Watch this encouraging video for some ideas on how your Christmas dollars can make a difference.

 

Abhishiktha 2012

A gathering of Priests and Religious, organised by KJYT, "Abhishiktha 2012" is happening in Bangalore from the 18th to 20th January 2012. The preparations for the same is underway. Please pray for this gathering.

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

Christmas Gathering....

Jesus Youth Bangalore family gathering and Christmas celebrations will be held on 18th Dec 2011 at Christ School from 2.30 pm to 7 pm. Be there for a good time of worship, fellowship and fun.

Yummy Christmas cakes will be sold by the Campus ministry. Fun filled games and activities by the Professional ministry for fund raising to support the poor. 

Pope's Prayer Intention for December 2011

This month, the Holy Father has asked Catholics everywhere to pray: "That all peoples may grow in harmony and peace through mutual understanding and respect". In this video, Fr. Kubicki reflects on Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for December 2011.

In addition to asking Catholics to pray for Peace Among All Peoples this month, the Holy Father has asked that we pray: "That children and young people may be messengers of the Gospel and that they may be respected and preserved from all violence and exploitation." Fr. Kubicki reflects on Pope Benedict's mission intention for December 2011 in this video.

Passionately Yours..

Dear All,

Just wanted to give an update of a blessed family retreat that Jesus Youth Family Ministry organised last weekend; "Passionately Yours..". It was a time of coming back home and meeting Jesus personally. All who attended the retreat were so excited about knowing their life purpose. There were around 25 families who attend the 3 days retreat (25th - 27th Nov). The resource was Elvis Kotturan & Team from Cochin. It was not easy for many to respond to the call of sparing 3 days of their busy schedule. Still 25 families decided that let whatever may happen, we will sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to him & it has changed their life. As a fruit of this retreat, 2 family prayer groups have been started one at Banswadi and other at Electronics city. Their first meeting will be on coming Saturday.

Dear all, please pray for all the families in Bangalore. We need families centered in Christ, blessed children and an anointed generation to change the face of the earth.

Prayers,

Shibu

Christmas Message

Dear Jesus Youth Family,

One Christmas Eve when all the preparations were in full swing I received a call from one of the city hospitals. It was one of the poor villagers from our neighborhood. His daughter was about to undergo an emergency surgery the next day early morning and she was desperately in need of blood and was searching for a benevolent donor. I passed the request to one of the JYs and within an hour they traced one such a youth who was willing to donate his blood that midnight. It was about 11.30 p.m. when I directed him to the hospital. Due to the long hospital procedures he came back home only after the midnight Mass and all the celebrations. I felt sorry and called him up in the morning; but his answer was quite edifying. He said: “Thank you Father, for today I can really celebrate Christmas. The family had knocked all possible doors before they called you up because the blood group was rare. My reaching at the hospital last midnight was  like ‘God with them’.”    

Christmas is an experience of the ‘God with us’ (Immanuel). Advent is a time of waiting in preparation for His coming. We await and prepare for the experience of ‘God with us’. This experience is possible at any time, provided that I am prepared and ready. And so, whenever I experience this ‘God with us’, it is Christmas.  The experience of ‘God with us’ almost always should leave us with a new conviction, change of attitude, perception, etc. At Christmas the shepherds experienced ‘God with us’ and they were filled with hope and joy. Once the three kings experienced the ‘God with us’ they returned home ‘another way’. They could never be the same persons again. The old Simeon saw the Immanuel and he felt that he can now go ‘home’ in peace. This is what the birth of Jesus (‘God with us’) did in the lives of some people. As we prepare for Christmas this is what exactly has to happen in our lives too. 

Christ can’t be born again as it happened two thousand years ago. But the experience of ‘Immanuel’ is possible even today for anyone who is open to conversion. I believe this is what we celebrate in Christmas – our experience of the Immanuel (‘God with us’). Void of such an experience Christmas has no relevance and meaning.

Not only at his birth but also all through his life Christ brought this experience to whomever He came across.  That was the Good News he brought, that was the Kingdom of God he established thru his message and his very person. The blind man experienced ‘God with us’ when Jesus brought sight into his life. The widow of Nain experienced ‘God with us’ when her only son was brought back to life. Zaccheaus could never be the same after his experience of ‘God with us’. What about me? Mary Magdalene becomes an evangelizer after her experience of ‘God with us’. After more than 12 years having wasted all her wealth, the woman with bleeding experiences the ‘God with us' just because she believed and touched on the fringe of Jesus’ cloak.  For Peter who denied his Master, just a glance of the Master was sufficient to lead him to conversion. Saul had such an experience of the ‘God with us’ that turned him to be the zealous missionary in St. Paul …  Down the centuries thousands and thousands of men and women in the Church had similar experiences of the ‘God with us’, which turned them to be the holy men and women in the Church. If there are hundreds of Institutes of Consecrated life (Religious Orders, Congregations …) and Lay Movements in the Church with their own particular charism, they all loudly speak of the variety of ways in which their founding/pioneering fathers and mothers experienced the ‘God with us’. Certainly, such an experience led them to make a radical response.

Each Christmas is a reminder to experience the ‘God with us’ in our daily lives and let others experience this ‘God with us’ in and thru us. In the absence of such experiences Christmas becomes a very secular celebration which has nothing to do with my life. This is all the more relevant and significant for us as the Church is focusing on the Mission and the New Evangelization during these years. Remember our post-jubilee slogan: ‘Every Jesus Youth is a Missionary’.

Let these four weeks of preparation thru the season of Advent be a time for us to experience ‘God with us’ and make this an experience for my brother and sister too.

Action Plan:

How can I experience ‘God with us’ in my daily life?

First Week of Advent: Focus on experiencing ‘God with us’ in my personal life

•  Through regular personal prayer, Word of God, Sacraments, …

Second Week: Focus on sharing this ‘God with us’ experience

•  In my fellowship groups, prayer meetings, cell group, …
•  If I am not part of these, I make it a point to be part of these.

Third Week: Focus on prayerfully preparing to become ‘God with us’

• Prayerfully discern which are the areas and situations where Jesus expects me to be His presence (‘God with us’) – in my family, school, college, work place, parish, etc.
• Prayerfully prepare for a couple of concrete actions on the basis of your discernment

Fourth Week: Focus on becoming ‘God with us’

• Through the concrete actions I have discerned, help someone experience ‘God with us’
  - By sharing my resources (talents, time, material goods, etc.)
  - Become part of the JY Outreach Child Support Project

WISH YOU ALL A FRUTIFUL ADVENT SEASON AND A MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH ABUNDANCE OF EXPERIENCES OF ‘GOD WITH US’!

Fr. Bitaju Puthenpurackal, O.SS.T.

Hola Madrid! - Jesus Youth International Newsletter

“Esta es la juventud del Papa” (This is the youth of the Pope). Echoing throughout Madrid, this chant was a constant reminder to all those present for miles around that World Youth Day had indeed descended on Spain. Here was the testament that what Pope John Paul II had initiated in the mid 80s was now a vibrant youth gathering. Between 15th & 21st August 2011 the city came alive with nearly 2 million enthusiastic pilgrims from 193 nations converging to sing, dance, pray, reflect and above all, celebrate their Catholic faith, making it the 3rd most attended World Youth Day (after Manila in 1995 and Rome in 2000).

Click here to download the newsletter.

Click here to read the newsletter online.

Passionately Yours........

There are many challenges and difficulties that we as a family encounter in a city like Bangalore. At some point or the other we have all asked ourselves; How do we

• Connect with other families with good Christian values?
• Find a support group of friends who will help us deepen our faith in Christ?
• Instill the right attitudes and values in our children?
• Help our children find good role-models and friends?
• Remain rooted in faith?
• Reach out to others and share the gospel?
• Make a difference in the society that we live in?

The Jesus Youth Family Ministry is starting an initiative to build Communities of Christian Families who will help each other be rooted in Christ and bring back the vibrancy of the first Christians into their local parishes.

This initiative aims to create a platform for families in Bangalore to connect with each other, build fellowship, become a mutual support system, grow deeper in faith, reach out to others and become active members of the local parishes.

Jesus Youth Prayer Meetings in Bangalore

Click on the image below to see the enlarged version

Click here to download as an Excel file.

Bangalore Nurses Ministry Core Team

After lot of discernment and prayers we have co-options to the Nurses core team. Please keep them in your daily prayers and offer them all support.

Alphonsa Thomas, Liji Joseph and Manoj George are the 3 new members to the team.

Bangalore Nurses Ministry Core Team:
Sini P C (Coordinator): Staff Nurse working at Narayana Hrudayalaya
Eldhose Uthupu (Asst-Coordinator): Staff Nurse working at Sagar Apollo Hospital
Shilu Sara Jacob: Doing 1st PC BSC at Padmashree College of Nursing
Dijil Thomas: Doing BSc Nursing at Hosmat College of Nursing
Bristo Selvam: Doing BSc Nursing at Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre
Alphonsa Kuriakose: Completed BSc Nursing from Narayana Hrudayalaya
Sheena Mariam Thomas: Staff Nurse at St. Marthas hospital
Stephy Mathew: Staff Nurse at Apollo hospital
Reejamol Francis: Working as a staff nurse
Alphonsa Thomas: Staff Nurse at St. John’s Medical College
Ligi Joseph: Doing BSc Nursing at Sanjai Gandhi College of Nursing
Manoj George: Doing BSc MLT in St. John’s Medical College

Jacob Jose (Elder): He is a graphical designer by profession. Married and has 3 kids.
Fr. Tomy OSB (Pastor): He is benediction priest from Asirvanam Benedictine Monastery, Kengeri.

Personal Retreats

As we spend more time interceding for various needs during this Intercession month, here is an excellent opportunity for our spiritual deepening; PERSONAL RETREATS

Spend a day or half with a priest who can help you grow closer to Lord. If you are interested please get back and we will help you to find a priest.

Please contact Ajay Paul (8904003971) or send a mail to jyajay@gmail.com with your preferred date and location.

(Personal Retreats are not limited to this month. Please do contact us whenever you feel that there is a need)

Intercession Night Vigil

During this intercession Month, let’s intercede for the City of Bangalore, our movement and for all other intentions as we gather on 29th October for Intercession Night Vigil.

Spread the word and be there on time

Place: Renewal Retreat Center,
Behind Christ College
Bangalore - 29
Date: 29 October, 2011

Time: 9:00pm - 5:00am

World Youth Day from Madrid - Live

Watch live streaming video from wydcentral at livestream.com

New Jesus Youth Bangalore Service Team (Aug 2011 - Aug 2013)

Thanks a lot for your prayer and support to the Jesus Youth Bangalore service team over the last few years. We have a new service team for Bangalore as on from August 1 , 2011

His Grace Most Rev Dr.Bernard Moras ,Archbishop of Bangalore blessed and commissioned the new service team during the solemn Holy Mass.He also officially launched the new JY Bangalore newsletter.

The reconstitution was done as part of the Bangalore servant leaders gathering.Please extend your prayers and wishes to the new team.

New Service Team:

John Joseph - Coordinator
Ajay Paul - Asst Coordinator
Lovelyn Christopher

Asha Jose

Sumi Scaria
Jomichan
Sanju Sebastian
Frijo Francis

Jorjey Mathew

Shibu(Family representative)
Diana(Family representative)
Thomson (ex-officio)
Mathew Joseph (Animator)

Fr. Joy Inchody MI (Pastor)

For Snaps of the Event -

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.189485871116073.50340.100001639849822

Jesus Youth Bangalore Newsletter August 2011

Open publication - Free publishing

Bangalore Servant Leaders Gathering - Please Pray!

Jy Habba - May 1 2011 - JY Get Together!

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together"

Dears in Christ,

Its an awesome experience to come together with like minded people to honor and praise God.Isn't it ?  So here is an opportunity to get together with JY's from different ministries in Bangalore for an extraordinary event. JY Habba.(May 1st | 9am-4pm | DVK Auditorium)
It'll be awesome for all of us to meet people from different ministries,to learn from their experiences and to in-turn enrich them with our own.It'll also be an opportunity to learn as to which all new destinations the Holy Spirit is leading the movement to.

So,block your calenders for the same.Spread the word around.Bring in your friends,your colleagues,your relatives.
There is more than enough room for all of us in His Kingdom.

Prayer of a Bangalore Jesus Youth

Prayer of a Bangalore Jesus Youth

Abba father I thank you for choosing me as a Jesus Youth in-spite of my frailties and today humbly ask for Your grace to lead a prayerful and sacramental life.Make me a diligent seeker of Your Word so that I may be in close fellowship with You, and in turn with my neighbours. Help me to practice Charity with a pure heart
and through this, may my life become a living gospel.

Keep me tuned to the Holy Spirit’s inspiration so I may be a true missionary at the service of Your church, the movement and humanity.

I ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.AMEN.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray that I be rooted in your Son Jesus and driven by His love.
All the Angels & Saints, pray for me!
My Guardian Angel, protect me!

 

Bangalore JY Program Calendar 2011 ( click on the image)

C4C - Chosen 4 Christ!

This is a Campus Ministry Fellowship Gathering to be held on 13th of March, Sunday. We are Inviting all the Campus Ministry Folks to be a part of this Celebration! So please keep this Gathering in your prayers and encourage every Campus Student that you meet to be a part of it!

The program is scheduled from 9am to 2pm (after Lunch!) and we are expecting to see around 80-100 Campus Students. The Resource for the Session on the day is Jose Sebastian. And the Venue is Jyothi Nivas College.

And specially Inviting all of the Service Team, KJYCT and Elders to come and spend time with our Campus Students!

God Bless You!

Called to be Missionaries

A message from the JY International Co-Ordinator.  Source : CampusVibes. (National Campus Newsletter)


Dear Missionaries of Christ,

I am very happy to greet the joyful missionaries of the Jesus Youth Campus Ministry in India. Our Lord is great. We were blessed to experience His love and providence in a special way during the Jubilee Year, especially during the Jubilee Conference. The Conference was surely nothing but a miracle. For me personally, the conference was a time of formation - a powerful time of learning to trust the Lord completely and blindly. Philippians 4: 13 has touched and inspired me many times during the last 20 years of my involvement in Jesus Youth. The Conference once again  re-affirmed to me as well as many other JY leaders that I could “do all things through Him who strengthens me”. I am certain that you too have had many experiences in your daily lives regarding this conviction. So please do continue your life with this ‘blind trust’ in God.

Jesus Youth is a move of the Spirit through the ordinary lives of young people. Our movement is the work of the Holy Spirit. At each time and stage the Spirit of God has built and led our movement in a powerful way and in the correct direction. So after the Conference and the Leaders’ Colloquium, the Holy Spirit has prompted the right focus and direction for the future; for the movement as well as for every Jesus Youth. This core focus which evolved through the conference is that ‘Every Jesus Youth is a Missionary’ and is being called to live a missionary life. 

As a result, the whole movement is focusing strongly on mission right now. And so, each Jesus Youth must take mission as his or her own personal focus and responsibility. Every Jesus Youth must identify or be more active in their personal mission. For more clarity I urge you to read the reflection ‘Looking Beyond the Jubilee’ prepared by Manoj Sunny, the former International Co-ordinator. We as leaders have to do our best to ensure that this reflection reaches the grass root level of the movement. I hope, the campus ministry at the various levels will encourage personal initiatives and new missions. Through these, we can contribute in whatever way possible to the plans of the Mother Church in her missions. I pray that this will be an effective time of growth and new missions in the campus ministry.

Assuring you of my prayers and support.

RAIJU VARGHESE.

You Can download the whole newsletter here  
Campus Vibes NewsLetter

Formation Series Guide for Core Team Members

Formation Series Guide for Core Team Members - Almost Ready.
Details will be rolled out soon.