(October 20, 2010) Apostolic Nuncio to India, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, has
urged young Catholics to give space to Jesus in their preoccupation with television
and computers. “If Jesus were to visit you today would he find faith in Shillong,
in India, in the world?” the Pope’s representatives asked some 60,000 young Catholics,
many from the north-eastern region, who gathered in the Meghalaya capital for a youth
convention. The Nuncio stressed the importance of prayer and asked the participants
to place God before everything else. He asked them about the time they spend before
Television and computers as against prayer and adoration. He questioned them on the
time spent talking to friends and to Jesus. The nuncio wanted young Catholics to offer
their family, work and friends to God. “Prayer is effective when it is a relationship
with God; persevere in our relationship with God,” he added. He reminded the young
that Christ is the “greatest treasure” that they can share with others. Archbishop
Pennacchio singled out the youths from north-eastern India for special praises. He
told them that they are the stars of the North East. They are the strength and joy
of the North East. Above all they are the dynamic presence of Jesus in the world.
The eighth national convention of the Indian Catholic Youth Movement ended with the
launch of a web portal for young people with multimedia and social networking facilities,
claiming it to be the first Church site to link its content to cell phones.