Mangalore bishop urges Indian government to recognize Catholic youth

(September 24, 2012) The bishop of Mangalore, in southern Indian’s Karnataka state, has appealed to the federal youth affairs and sports ministry to recognize the country’s Catholic youth and make sufficient use of them. “The Catholic youth power of India is recognized by number of youth bodies across the world but they are still strangers in the Indian national youth affairs ministry,” Bishop Aloysius Paul D’Souza said on Sunday. The bishop was speaking at a meeting with Saleem Mohammad, national director general of Nehru Yuva Kendra (NYK), which takes care of the youth across the nation under the guidance of the ministry. He urged the government to avail of the strong active youth force of the Catholic Church for its programmes. The prelate also placed three demands before Mohammad. He asked the government for recognition of the registered body of Youth Active Foundation of the Indian Catholic youth, to incorporate the Catholic youth in the youth policy making proceedings of the federal government and to support with resources the society-oriented programs organized by the Catholic youth across the nation. Mohammad assured to respond positively to the demands of the Church and invite Catholic youth to the national youth festival to be held in November this year. “I am very much pleased to know the great Catholic youth force and the vibrant involvement it has in the youth-oriented programs,” he added. Fr Alwyn D’Souza, former secretary of the Office for Youth of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, said there are more than one million active Catholic youth across the nation.