World Youth Day 2011 Celebration, Diocese of Gizo.
More than 100 youth from the Southern Deanery, Wagina, Noro and Gizo parish attended the three-day world youth day celebration in the Diocese of Gizo from the 12th to 14th of August.
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Youth Encounter Formation still Alive
This year [2011] the 4th to 6th March the first YE Formation program in Gizo had registered 22 young people chosen from few zones around Gizo parish.
Originally the YE formation program is a program inherited from the Philippine and designed especially for the youth. Out of the three Catholic dioceses in the Solomon Islands Gizo Catholic Diocese was fortunate to get this YE formation program through the Filipino priest that were here previously.
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In the past the facilitators of this formation program used to go around to other parishes in the diocese to give this YE formation program to our young people. This year we were taught to set an example to other parishes by starting this program in our own parish and make our parish to be a model for other parishes.
Most of the youth who attended this weekend YE formation program can read and write. Most of these youth show great interest in their discussions, trying to understand each of the questioned asked. Most of them responded well to this YE formation program, when they tried to understand each sessions and eager to share what they learned with others. During the sessions they realized that many times in their lives they have been putting on masks, and they have been put down because people see them in the way they are. However after attending this YE formation program they were satisfied to discover all their goodness’s, their strengths and the weaknesses they have.
The interaction of the youth during this YE formation program really allowed for the spirit of the youth encounter to come alive again. As they have shared they really experienced the spirit of youth encounter which is the spirit of openness care and trust for each other .The Atmosphere of reflection AND moments of silence during this YE formation program is really touching and moving. They said that it was a nice experience for them after many of them were taught on the simple ways on how to meditate and reflect on the talks that were given to them. |
Youth Aspire to become Priests
The Diocese of Gizo is celebrating its golden anniversary remembering the gift of faith brought by the Marist Missionaries and established in its communities by the Dominican Order for the past fifty years.
A total of 20 young men aspiring to be priests in the diocese of Gizo are having a one month immersion program at Gizo as part of the celebration.
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| Seminarians At work...... | ...help constructing the youth center. |
They include nine Holy Name Seminarians, five NAC Graduates incoming batch of Holy Name seminarians, and six candidates for pre-seminary in NAC lead by newly ordained Fr Stephen Te’e.
The program aims to help the candidates in identifying and acquiring the specified traits of the identity of the Catholic priest as specified in the Formation Program for PNG and SI seminarians.
In particular the seminarians will be trained on hard work and sacrifice as the best expression of their inner motivation to love and serve God and the community.
They were engaged in various work and development undertakings in Gizo as part of the program.
The youths will learn skills and values which will enable them to serve and train the youth of their communities.
This year’s batch has been described as more improved and committed than the previous years.
A statement from the group’s superiors say the group is among the first “diocesan secular priests” after the missionaries and the Dominican Order.
“They feel they have a responsibility of building a credible image for the diocesan priest, servant leader of the community, we are with them with our encouragement and support.
“We do not need “many” priests, we need “holy”, credible, sacrificed priests, close to God and close to the people they lead, with humble, courageous and generous service.”
BBS Training Seminar Motivates More Youths
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Participants on Planning |
Participants Group Photo |
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Children Preparing Fish for the Partcipants |
31 participated in the 10 days Bible Seminar from 1st to 10th July at Moli Pastoral Center. The program included youth and elders. Many of our youth were privileged to observe and learn from the elder participants and the facilitators.
During sessions, discussions and sharings, many were motivated and more of the youth now have courage to share their views and opinions.
Youth Leadership Seminar
Thirty Nine Youth leaders from Parishes around the Diocese of Gizo attended the week training Seminar here in Gizo Parish. The program commenced on the 22nd March, with the introduction from participants and warm welcomes from the Parish Priest, Bishop and the facilitators.
Are our young people leaving the church?To share the great dominant experience in life especially for the young people is very helpful.
It is not the youth who are going away from the church,but the church is going away from the youths.The church is slow to understand their tastes and ambitions,dreams and visions,and their ways and means.It has maintained a safe distance from youth and never trusted their fully.In fact the youths are trying to come closer to the church,but their closeness is suspiciously watched by their parents of the church as too radical and difficult.
Life is a journey
GODFREY VAGASI hails from Moli parish and the 1st of the 2 children of Lupomusi Agata. As a child,he grew up and was taken in care by his grandparents till he attended Choiseul Provincial Secondary School.
However,for Godfrey, life seems difficult for him,especially as he had to depend much on his grandparent, who were too old to finance him at school. Enough is possible said Godfrey,and with the help of his uncles and relatives he managed to complete his Form 5 Secondary.
Youth Encounter Workshop held in Noro township
27 youths from 5 Parishes, Gizo Diocese successfully attend the 2nd Youth Encounters Workshop, started on 6th to 11th May, aiming to train Youths on how to facilitate the Y.E’s program so that they maybe able to form other youths in their Parish. The Workshop had 12 sessions and Youths have the opportunity to prepared their own sessions for presentation as part of their training skills “ Congratulation” for taking the courage to stand in front of the audience.
The Y.E’s Workshop was facilitated by Fr. Gerome Pelagio and assisted by Joseph Lalaubatu, Sr. Teresa, Sr. Hilder Ebo, Fr. Albert and Fr. Jacob.
The closing program was fall on the Pentecost Sunday which all community gather for thanks given and celebration Mass.
Noro community hosted a feast to end the activities. A great sincerely thanks to our Bishop Luciano Capelli for his availability to attend the closing program. He’s presence highlighted our closing and we thanked him in a very special way for his inspiring message of Love and hope for our young people. Thanks to Noro community for their great support for this program.
Sr. Teresa op