YCS/YSM IN INDIA

EMPOWERING THE STUDENTS

YOUNG CHRISTIAN STUDENTS / YOUNG STUDENTS MOVEMENT (YCS/YSM - INDIA)
Founder : Joseph Cardinal Cardijn Founded : Between 1920 and 1930 in Belgium. INDIAN MOVEMENT First Contact : Through the visit of a YCS Leader from Germany in 1966. The First National Animator : Sr. Jeanne Devos ICM Officially Recognised by CBCI : In 1969. Affiliation to IYCS : In 1970 Students of other Faith (YSM) : entered in 1970 during the first National Council inPune. Total number of members at present : 1,30,000; Animators: 3000 in 12 Regions. Our News letter : "The Search" Quarterly. Our Methodology : Review of Life Awareness - Reflection - Action Our Spirituality : Man is the image and likeness of God Our Structure : Cells (8 to 12 members) is the base. Various cells become a unit, DTS - DTA - DECO RTS - RTA - RECO NTA - EXCO - NT The National Council : (held once in Three years) Our International Office : International Young Catholic Students Secretariat General - 171, Rue de Rennes,75006 Paris. Tel: (331) 45481472 Fax: (331) 42840453 E-mail: JECI Our Asian Office : IYCS - Asian Secretariate No. 20 Corner Lanete & Avocade Road Pilar Village, Almanza, Las Pinas, Metro Manila, Philippines. Tel/Fax: 632-8014969 (R): Tels: (632)8069010,8068457 (O) E-mail: iycs-asia@phil.gn.apc.org. Our National Office : YCS/YSM National office Catholic Centre 64 Armenian Street Madras 600 001 Tel: Off - (044) 585184, 5391548 Res - (044) 4942379 Fax: (044) 5391548, 5341022 E-mail: ycsindia@giasmd01.vsnl.net.in ITS APPROACH * A way of critically questioning the reality in which we live. Because there are more things below the surface than which appear to us, are taken for granted. And these things could affect our lives and those of others. * A way of consciously living in the present situation. Making an attempt to discover why and how we do the things we do and things happen in the way they do….. * It is an option for change, for liberation. Not to be satisfied with the existing unjust situation, but to give direction and motivation towards action for freedom, which is action for change. * It is a discovery of a new vision of man world, life. All the activities of man are based on a certain concept of man and life. Review of life discovers what it is to be genuinely human and living, thus creating a new vision of man, of life which is the end of meaningful action. * A way of group living. The process of reviewing an action in the group helps the group to discover in and through a common struggle a common vision and the group is more and more committed to each other and to the group life. * A way of expressing and communicating our faith. A renewal of faith in man and life is a renewal of one’s deep faith in God and religion. Therefore every reviewed action is an expression of one’s faith and a way to communicate one’s faith to others. ITS BELIEF: ¨ God is actively present in the history of man and the world. His creative activity continues for ever through man. God and man co-create a new world. ¨ God wants to build for man a new world a new heaven and a new earth. Man also yearns for a better world of love, justice, freedom and equality. ¨ God who is totally free, wants man to be free too. Therefore he invites him to participate in the struggle for freedom from the bonds of selfishness. This liberation takes place first in oneself, in one’s value and life. And thus making one the agent of freedom for others, for all. As Christians ……… We believe in Christ, our liberator. He underwent the struggle for freedom in His death and Resurrection. And Christian life today means commitment to the same liberation work. Through pain and struggle against all evil and injustice. ¨ Every human action, therefore, becomes an invitation from God to create a new world. It is also the response of man to realise the world of love and freedom. FORMATIVE MOVEMENT: YCS/YSM is a formative movement for boys and girls of high schools and Junior colleges. Its methodology follows the stages of AWARENESS, REFLECTION AND ACTION. In awareness the students who gather in small groups of 8 to 12, deeply analyse events that affect their life and their environment. It is reflected over in the light of the Gospel and the sayings of great man, thereby discovering values to live by and creative responses for action. The impact of the action, in the given situation, and the consequent personal growth of the members involving in the action are evaluated in the following meeting. Through this process of awareness - reflection - action, under the guidance of an animator, students discover their strength and weaknesses, accept themselves, thus become free from the tendency to ape others. They realise their social responsibility to work for justice and be at the service of the weaker and oppressed in society. THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE MOVEMENT: Þ Building up a new society, God’s Kingdom Þ Leadership formation with a great attention to a total growth of each student, and being responsive to the needs of all. Þ Today’s inhuman situation is created in society through an individualistic and competitive mentality. This has to be replaced by respect and concern for all men as persons irrespective of race, economic status, nationality, caste and creed. Hence a constant reflection on one’s own mentality, attitudes and values leading to meaningful action within students milieu, as an expression on each one’s religious faith, and option for equality and justice. Þ A commitment to whatever makes man more a human person - love, equality, justice, creativity and participation in decision making. Þ A sharing of awareness among students and other members of society through a critical and gradual study of the socio -economic and political forces operating in society and be sensitive to situations or injustice, articulate the issues and develop forces for change. Þ A study of the scriptures and a clear understanding of authentic faith in order to renew and transform the forces of religion and culture into instruments by which man will be liberated. Þ Collaboration in action with other movements, having similar orientation. YCS/YSM IN INDIA: YCS has its roots in the Young Christian Workers Movement (YCW) started by Cardinal Joseph Cardijn in Belgium in 1920s. Student groups known as YCS began to function in Europe in 1930s. Sr. Jeanne Devos ICM initiated YCS groups in Madras in 1965. It slowly extended to other areas in India. already in 1970 cells which included students from other faith as well started to function. They are known as YSM. The unique contribution of Indian YSM is the religious interaction that takes place in the multi-religious context of YSM cells and the respect for the feelings and richness of other religions, while experiencing, in depth, faith commitment in their own religion. At present there are about 1,50,000 students and about 5000 Animators in 120 dioceses in India. once in three years the student leaders meet in the National Council. During the last seven National Councils, they have evaluated the movement and consolidated its growth in various regions of the country. Conscious of the needs of the students and the people, the delegates of the councils have decided the thrust and orientation of their activities. Moving with the time, the sixth National Council in 1983 declared that YCS/YSM opt to be with the poor in their struggle. In 1986 in Ranchi the Seventh National Council integrated "the option for the poor" into the very faith of the Movement. With a vitality inherent in its spirituality and methodology, the movement has succeeded in forming many committed and mature young leaders during the few years of its existence in India. CELL - AN INTIMATE PEER GROUP: The cell system of the movement provides an opportunity to adolescent boys and girls to belong to an intimate peer group where they, having been fully accepted by one another, confidently share their life, discover values and get the emotional support to undergo the painful process of personal change, and perhaps to stand alone against the values of the world. Simultaneously the group concentrate on transformation of unjust and oppressive structures that dehumanise a section of the society. In this process organising of people’s power (people’s movement) is initiated. SPIRITUALITY OF ACTION AND INVOLVEMENT: By taking inspiration from the example of Christ and great men and by searching together the religious significance and values of human life, the students clearly see in every event and person an invitation of God to get themselves involved in the situation that dehumanises man and thereby to build up God’s kingdom of love brotherhood, freedom, equality and justice. In prayer and liturgy, which are moments of great joy and hope, the struggle for liberation is celebrated. ***************************** , Our Address: Ycs/Ysm National Office Catholic Centre, 64, Armenian Street, Madras 600 001 Ph. 044-585184, 5391548

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Deepika

Fr. Prakash Sagili