Indian Church officials say Pope is an inspiration to youth

India’s Catholic Church officials leading a delegation of Indian youth at the 6th Asian Youth Day in South Korea say Pope Francis has been a great inspiration and motivation to young people to witness to the Gospel of joy.  Bishop Henry D’Souza of Bellary, the chairman of the Office for Youth of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) and  Fr. Franklin D’Souza, secretary of the Office for Youth as well as  national director of the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) are leading a 47-member Indian delegation to the Asian Youth Day, being hosted by Daejeon Archdiocese, August 10-17, 2014. Pope Francis is joining in the youth rally, and will bring the curtain down on the event with a Mass on Sunday afternoon in Daejeon.  Youth delegations from Asian countries are gathered in South Korea on the theme, “Asian Youth Wake up - The Glory of Martyrs shines on you”.  Bishop Henry spoke to Vatican Radio’s reporter in Korea, Sean-Partick Lovett, underscoring the need to transmit the joy of the Gospel to young people in an adequate manner, and India’s Jesus Youth Movement is proof of this:

Bishop Henry particularly drew attention to Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” (the Joy of the Gospel), saying young Indian Catholics have taken the Holy Father’s call seriously and are not afraid:

 

Fr. Franklin noted that many young Catholics, moved by the sincere love of Pope Francis, are returning to the Church: