Over 5,000 celebrate the Year of Youth in Bangalore

(July 20, 2011) The Archdiocese of Bangalore in southern India’s Karnataka State, concluded the Year of Youth with a daylong convention at the Palace Grounds on Sunday. Over five thousand youth from various parishes, together with seminarians and novices attended the convention, an initiative of the Indian Catholic Youth Movement of Bangalore. The theme of the convention was “Rise and Shine for a Better world”.
Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore in his address to the gathering said that youth are the hope of the future and the Church is interested in their well-being, especially their spiritual welfare. Stating that Jesus is our best role model, he called on the vast gathering of youth to commit themselves to Jesus and tread his path.
The archdiocesan youth director Fr. Divya Paul said: “India as a country has the largest population of youth. By 2020, experts believe that India’s average age range will be between 25 and 30. “This convention ‘Rise and Shine 2011’, is an investment in the youth of the archdiocese, so they can realize their enormous potential, their inner strengths and their creative power to rise and shine brightly and enliven the world today and strive hard to make it a better place tomorrow,” he added. The day concluded with a concelebrated Mass for the youth by Archbishop Moras.